becoming sustainable
The greenhouse gas emissions from UK schools are roughly equivalent to all the energy and transport emissions of Birmingham and Manchester combined and accounts for over 1/7th of emissions from the public sector. The UK Climate Change Act requires an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels.
Schools have a key role to play in reducing emissions and in educating young people about climate change and sustainability. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) wants all schools to be sustainable schools by 2020.
Within this section we list some of the strategies and resources available to help secondary schools to place sustainable development at the heart of the school’s ethos, embedding it in the leadership and management of the school, exploring it in teaching and learning and demonstrating it across the school campus.
1. Take part in the CO2 Challenge. At the heart of the easy2begreen website is the CO2 Challenge which encourages students and the whole school community to make changes in their lifestyles and behaviour that will have an impact upon their carbon footprint and their understanding of climate change. The CO2 Challenge involves the competitive calculation of CO2 savings and has the potential to engage young people in a unique way.
2. Paint the school Green - introducing Green Days, Green Clubs, Events and a Green Curriculum. Living sustainably is of course about saving energy and using resources wisely, but it is also about how we view ourselves, how we view our world that we inhabit, and how we can preserve the richness of our planet for generations to come. Introducing a variety of events and activities enables a wide range of students and staff to engage with all aspects of education in sustainability.
3. Set up an eco-group or eco-champions. Involving the whole school and wider community is vital. The eco-schools website gives ideas on how to get started.
4.How are you doing? - Audit the school. The DCSF provides a National Framework listing 8 aspects, or ‘doorways’ of sustainability. This framework gives a useful way of auditing the school and identifying priorities for sustainable development. An Australian sustainable schools website gives advice on all aspects of development planning.
5. Be inspired - look at others. There are numerous examples of successful sustainable schools. Detailed case studies can be found at the National College, on the sustainable schools section on teachernet, or on the eco-schools site. Commercially supported websites can provide further information and inspiration such as the pod.
1. Easy2begreen posters and activities - Innovative ideas for clubs and events with a series of posters that can be personalised for each school.
2. Ideas for launching a Green Day from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE).
3. Inspiring drama and music presentation to launch sustainable development and develop climate change awareness in school.
4. Sustainable Development Commission Report: Carbon Emissions from Schools – how they arise and how to reduce them.
5. Leadership and Management for Sustainability - DCSF Audit Tool for Local Authorities and Exemplar Aims based on the DCSF 8 doorways to sustainability .
1. DCSF sustainable schools site - www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools
2. National College for School Leadership – Leading Sustainable Schools - www.ncsl.org.uk/sustainableschools-index.htm
3. Eco-Schools – An international programme encouraging schools to become sustainable www.eco-schools.org.uk
4. The Centre for Alternative Technology - www.cat.org.uk
5. Department for Energy and Climate Change www.decc.gov.uk