Photo Credit: Naoise Culhane
One of the major challenges we face in taking action for climate change is that many people are unclear about what is happening, why it’s happening and how we can each play a part in tackling the problem. People cannot care about an issue that they aren’t aware of or don’t understand, so why not run a climate awareness campaign in your school? You could make posters with climate change facts to hang up around the school, maybe invite a guest speaker to give a talk or organise a “cinema day” and screen a climate change documentary in your school hall. Why not organise a workshop or class discussion for your class, where students can discuss climate change and how it affects communities both in Ireland and abroad? You can brainstorm for actions to take, and make pledges to carry out these actions; for example, to travel to school in a sustainable way, or to have a “meat-free” day to highlight the carbon cost of intensive farming practices. You could even write a letter to your local authority, TD or MEP to campaign government for further action on climate change.
Calculate Your School’s Carbon Footprint
Then take Climate Actions to reduce your school’s carbon footprint
Photo Credit: Redd Angelo
Knowing how much carbon dioxide your school emits through things like travelling to school by car or bus, heating the school and cooking lunches can be a great base from which to start your Climate Actions. Once you have calculated your school’s carbon footprint you can then look at ways of reducing the emissions. You could also look at fundraising to buy carbon credits for the carbon you cannot eliminate, where the money spent on the carbon credits would go to developing countries to help them in their climate actions, for example helping to buy solar panels for a school or insulating homes. You can choose where your carbon credits are spent, so perhaps you could twin with the school you are supporting and create a connection through both school’s climate action journey. Perhaps you could ask your Geography, Science or Maths teachers to get involved.
Check out these links for more information:
Go Plastic Free
Ban single use plastics in school
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute. Huge fossil fuel resources are required to make and transport these bottles. Why not prove that your school can function perfectly well without plastic bottles, disposable cutlery and other single use plastics. Work with your canteen and local shops. Maybe you have water fountains that need repair? You could fundraise to buy/repair school water fountains or ask everyone to use taps to refill their reusable bottles. Perhaps a local business could sponsor reusable bottles for your school? Your fellow students and their parents would be happy to save some money as a result. You could also think about ways of using collected plastic bottles, such as building a greenhouse or art installation.
Start A Library of Things
Set up a Library of Things from classmate donations
Photo Credit: Library of Things
Library of Things is a relatively new concept that is growing in popularity in countries such as the UK, Germany and the US. The concept is simple; people borrow items that are rarely used, ranging from power tools to camping equipment. Depending on the model used, items can be borrowed for either low cost or no cost. By borrowing such items, the items are used more and therefore become more efficient and reducing the need for multiple buying of the same items, resources are saved, reducing emissions. Would you like your school to be the first one in Ireland?
Citizen Science
Join a citizen science project & recruit others from your school
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
There is a growing movement to engage the public in collecting scientific information, called citizen science. The idea is that members of the public gathers information about what is happening on the ground which scientists then use as data to further scientific understanding. This information will play an important part of our understanding about what is happening in relation to climate change. It can also be a good way to enable your community to better understand and connect with their local environment.
Check out these links for more information:
Environmental Protection Agency | Citizen Science
All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020
Start a Swap Shop
Set up Swap Shops within classes or the School Halla
Photo Credit: Green Threads
Swap shops are a fun way of getting the school together while giving unwanted items a second life. Swap shops extend the life of goods while reducing the need for new goods and disposal of old, which is part of the approach needed towards material usage, called the ‘circular economy’. By reusing goods, your school reduces the environmental impacts related to waste production and manufacturing and transport emissions. It can be a fun way of finding a good bargain and depending on how you operate the swap shop can help keep more money in the local economy.
Fundraise!
Organise fun events to raise funds for your Climate Actions
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Fundraising is a great opportunity to let your creative juices flow – think about what you and your classmates like to do for fun and organise an event around one of those things. Can your Christmas play be environmentally themed – maybe you could re-write a classic into a Climate Change themed play, for example Scrooge could be a fossil fuel magnate. Host an environmentally themed fancy dress party, hold a “Climate Cake Sale”, organise a fun run – “BURN CARBS, NOT CARBON!” The only limit to the events you can do is your imagination. Use the event to raise awareness about your Climate Ambassador programme and use the funds raised to go towards other climate actions you are planning.
Permaculture Garden
Create your own edible forest garden in your school
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Intensive agriculture, and the transportation of food products over long distances, use a lot of resources and are significant contributors of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Permaculture means creating an agricultural system which is sustainable and self-sufficient, because it is designed to mimic natural ecosystems. Building a permaculture garden in your school is a fantastic way to enrich the biodiversity of your school, as well as providing a source of natural, organic foods. A good type of garden for schools to develop is an Edible Forest Garden; forest gardens provide a crop during the school year, as opposed to more traditional vegetable gardens which need to be harvested over the summer months. For resources on how to design and grow an edible forest garden, check out the resources on the Green-Schools website below:
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Build A Composter
Get your school involved in composting and reduce food-waste
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Composting involves using natural processes of decomposition to convert food and garden waste into fertile soil-like material called compost. It is a great way to reduce waste in your school and to recycle the nutrients from food scraps back into the earth. This works very well if you already have, or plan to develop, a school garden and ties in with the Green-Schools themes of Litter & Waste and Biodiversity. You can easily make your own school composter from an old bin or wooden crate. For lots of ideas and information on how to do this check out the links below!
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Green-Schools Biodiversity Resources
Plant for Pollinators
Help bee populations by planting a wildflower garden
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Pollinators, such as bees, play an essential role in our ecosystems, but are undergoing serious population declines both in Ireland and globally. Bees are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as flowering times are affected and this can lead to a timing mis-match between when bees emerge from hibernation and when their food source pollen is available. By creating a wildflower garden, you can grow plants which attract pollinators and provide a much needed habitat and food source for our bees. Increasing pollinators in your school garden will also boost the harvest from crops you may have planted, and attract more wildlife such as birds and butterflies as well. For tips on getting started check out the Green-Schools Biodiversity resources, as well as the other links below from the National Biodiversity Data Centre where you can learn more about bees and how to identify and record the species you see!
Invest In A Waterbutt
Make the most of wet weather and reduce your water consumption
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Water is one of our most valuable natural resources, yet it is also one which we often take for granted in this part of the world. Why not campaign to purchase a water butt for your school? A water butt is essentially a large barrel which collects the rain-water which drains from your roof; this water can then be used to water plants in your school garden, to wash out recyclables or for washing brushes in art class. The water that comes out of our taps is high quality, treated, drinkable water. A high amount of energy is consumed in the water treatment process and in pumping water for distribution. Using a water butt is a great way to reduce the amount of treated water your school uses, thereby reducing waste of energy-costly treated water, as well as reducing your school’s water-bill. Water butts are available to buy online or from most DIY shops or garden centres. There are many different designs available, and they usually cost about €50. Why not come up with some fundraising ideas to pay for a new water butt for your school? This action also ties in with the Green-Schools Water theme…check out the links below for further info about water harvesting and other water saving tips!
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Start A Cup Campaign
Say no to single-use cups – make reusable cups the fashionable choice
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Approximately 200 million disposable cups are disposed of in Ireland, every year. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of these cups are not recyclable due to their combination of plastic and paper; and a huge amount of resources are used in their manufacture and transportation. Why not run a campaign in your school to encourage students and staff to use reusable cups instead of disposable cups? If your school has a cafeteria, you could campaign for a discount for students who bring their own reusable cup, or campaign for the removal of disposable cups altogether! You could also fundraise to buy reusable cups and then sell these to students at cost price. This action can go a long way towards raising awareness, promoting sustainable behaviours and reducing your school’s litter and waste.
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Green-Schools Litter and Waste Resources
Start A Cycling or Walking Club
Do your bit for Climate Change while getting fit and having fun!
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
The transport sector is the second-largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. According to the National Transport Survey 2016, 76% of Irish journeys were completed by private car – yet 26% of all journeys were travelling a distance of less than 2km – a distance easily covered on foot or by bike! Changing the way in which we travel to and from school or work is one of the simplest and most effective forms of climate action we can take on an individual level; active travel methods such as cycling, scooting, skate-boarding or walking are also cheaper, more social and more enjoyable than travelling by car. They are a great way to improve your fitness and boost your mood and concentration, as well as to have your own independence and not be reliant on others for a lift. Why not organise a cycling or walking club in your school? Participants can agree to meet at a pre-arranged location close to home and travel together to school in the mornings. Why not check out the facilities already in place at your school (such as the availability of bike parking) – if there are no facilities why not raise the issue with the principal or write a letter to your local authority campaigning for better walking or cycling infrastructure (e.g. cycle tracks, pedestrian crossings) in your area? Green-Schools Travel has lots of resources and ideas available, take a look at the links below:
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Green-Schools Travel Action Plan Resources
National Travel Survey 2016 Facts and Figures
Run a Mass Cycling Event
Get moving and raise awareness about the benefits of sustainable travel!
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
Cycling has a huge number of benefits both for the environment and for individual health and well-being; it’s a great way to get around, reduce your carbon footprint and have a bit of craic at the same time! Often people avoid cycling because they aren’t confident in their own cycling ability or because they think it’s slower and more effort than driving a car. In fact, cycling can be faster than the car over short distances and once you have gotten used to it, it becomes a highly enjoyable and empowering way to travel. Why not encourage more people in your school to cycle on a regular basis by organizing a mass cycling event? This is a great way to show people how much fun cycling can be and to improve their confidence by cycling in a group. You could run a survey to see how many people cycle to school in the first place, how many own a bike or find out the reasons why people don’t cycle more. Work with the teachers in your school to organize the event, plan your route and set a date, maybe reward the cyclists with some refreshments at the end! Don’t forget to raise awareness by sharing pictures of your event on social media or in the local newspaper.
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Green-Schools Travel Action Plan Resources
Have a “Meat-Free” Day at School
Reduce your carbon footprint and get creative in your cooking!
Photo Credit: Eaters Collective
Many people aren’t aware of the huge amount of resources that go into producing meat. Taking into account the amount of land and water used to rear livestock, the energy costs of processing meat, not to mention the methane produced by the livestock themselves, the agriculture sector is the greatest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland. One very simple way to reduce your carbon footprint is simply to reduce the amount of meat you eat. You don’t have to become vegan – or even vegetarian for that matter – but why not try cutting out meat on one or two days of the week, or even just reducing the amount of red meat you eat, or only eating meat at dinner time, and having something vegetarian for lunch? Not only does reducing your meat consumption reduce your carbon footprint, it’s also a great way to become more adventurous in what you eat and more creative in your cooking! Why not hold a “Meat-Free” day in school? You could have a vegetarian “pot-luck” lunch, whereby everyone has to make and bring in a tasty vegetarian dish to share – why not have a prize for the tastiest or most creative dish? Why not compile some easy vegetarian recipes and share them in your school blog or newsletter? See below for ideas and recipes!
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Green Kitchen Stories – Healthy Vegetarian Recipe Blog
Set Up A Biodiversity Garden
Provide a habitat for wildlife in your school grounds
Photo Credit: An Taisce Environmental Education Unit
This activity ties in with the “Plant for Pollinators” and “Permaculture Garden” actions mentioned above. Essentially it involves making your school grounds friendlier for any wildlife in the area that might like to move in! Our animals and plants are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, changing temperatures and severe weather events, so they need all the help they can get. Each species plays a particular role in its ecosystem – this is called the species “niche” – so by providing habitats and food sources for these species, the overall health of the ecosystem is improved too. A good start is the “Pollinator Garden” mentioned above – once this is established, why not add some bird boxes and a bird feeding station to your school grounds; create a garden pond or build an insect hotel? Bird boxes and bat boxes are straight-forward to build, and are a fun project for your woodwork class or climate action team. Bird boxes are also available to buy from most garden centres – watch out for gimmicky ornamental boxes however, as these brightly coloured boxes may attract more predators, standard wooden boxes are best. You can then try identifying the species you see and become a citizen scientist by submitting your sightings records to the National Biodiversity Data Centre. See the links below for lots of information on how to get started!
Check out these links for more info & ideas;
Green-Schools Biodiversity Resources
BBC How to Build a Garden Pond
Bat Conservation Ireland – creating a bat roost
National Biodiversity Data Centre – submit your wildlife records!
Make tote bags from old t-shirts
Give pre-loved t-shirts a new lease of life
Photo Credit: Khara Woods
This is a fun way to make use of old t-shirts. By up-cycling t-shirts, you are avoiding the need to purchase bags and the associated energy and emissions and also avoiding the t-shirts going to landfill or incineration, doubling the positive effects for the environment.
It is a relatively quick and easy process, with only a marker and a pair of scissors required. Get the whole class to make these bags together for a fun, creative activity. You might also consider selling the bags to fund-raise for other climate actions you are planning to carry out.