Sustainability in Schools

Andrew Flynn

Head of Technology

Throwing out a ‘Kleenex Culture’

At Beamont, we all have a duty to ensure that our academy - which is situated in the industrial town of Warrington (distribution capital of England) - is as sustainable as possible.

Being eco-friendly has always been a focus of mine and, in recent years, I have increased my own awareness of the green imperative; ensuring I make sustainable decisions in most aspects of my life.

As an engineering teacher, I need to be careful about demonising the likes of the four-stroke piston engine and other means of fossil fuel transportation. However, I feel it is not only my job to educate students to become environmentally conscious but also enable them to action the changes they wish to see at school and, in turn, the wider world.

For some students, the word sustainability evokes catchy slogans about single use plastics, such as ‘Save the Turtles’.  Although, for most, it is an issue which is ever present in their consciousness. 

If there is anything we have learnt in the past year, it is that young people do care about their own health and improving the health of their environment.  Recently, we have seen the young environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, challenge governments across the globe to act on climate change. It is evident that young people want to grow up in a world that is doing everything it can to protect their future, with many children anxious and fearful that we are not doing or acting quickly enough.

As teachers, we should encourage our students to be ‘disruptors’, educating them to challenge the status quo and make the changes they wish to see in the world.  In raising awareness of sustainability within our schools, I believe most of the initiatives we put in place must come from the students. There is still so much that can be done to tackle the enormous challenge of climate change but, luckily, we can look to our current students to lead the charge and help to create a greener school.

As a school, we have the unique opportunity to increase students’ knowledge and understanding of how to protect the environment for the future.  We can do this by rethinking our curriculum, embedding our sustainability goals into the school’s wider culture and adapting our facilities. All of these actions will aid students in enhancing their environmental awareness which will have a positive impact, not only, on the whole school community but also on our general wellbeing.

Planet Earth faces many environmental challenges which cannot all be solved by charities, governments, and businesses; schools also have a hugely important role to play. Through Social Business, Enterprise Challenges and Eco Committees, we can educate and inspire our students to rethink how corporations operate and how they can drive positive change in society.  Through participation, students can develop their skills in enterprise, teamwork, presentation, creativity, problem solving and, most importantly, expand their sustainability awareness.

What’s more, as teachers and role models we should also explicitly demonstrate and model our own sustainable habits to be the change we want see in our students. 

A few pointers: 

·     Use less paper – If it is required that work needs to be printed out, try reducing margins and spacing and print double-sided in monochrome.

·     Take notes electronically – Instead of using paper, use your laptop to take notes electronically and email.

·     Purchase reusable bags – Not only are these great for groceries, they can also be used to carry other classroom items and supplies.

·     Invest in one good water bottle – Stop buying and using plastic water bottles. Instead, find a nice, reusable bottle to refill throughout the day.

·     Recycle – One of the oldest tricks in the “sustainability book” is also one of the most effective. If your classroom does not have a green bin available, request one.

·     Compost – See if it is possible for school to provide a compost bin for food waste from the canteen.

·     Create a school garden/allotment – Plant a garden to beautify a space or use it to grow our own vegetables.

·     Be smart about transportation – It is widely known that automobile emissions are a significant contributor to pollution.  Offset this by biking or walking where possible.

·     Check your lighting –LED bulbs not only provide a better quality of light, but they also use less electricity.

·     Only use what you need – So much power goes to waste when we leave lights and devices on when they are not in use. Be sure to flick the switch when you leave the room & unplug your devices when they are finished charging.

·     Use reusable dishes and towels – Plastic or paper cutlery, plates, and towels are wasteful.

·     Buy green – Do your research on what products are green and good for the environment before you buy.

·     Carry a Thermos, skip the daily throw-away coffee routine – Coffee cups are one of the most common single-use products in the world.

·     Use old/unused materials for other purposes – Do not just throw away stuff that is old just because it is old. One man’s trash is another’s treasure.

·     Grow your own food – Creating simple vegetable gardens will go a long way in cutting down money spent on groceries.

·     Dispose of waste properly – As simple as this is, the right disposal of waste helps keep the environment clean and safe for all.

·     Sort your waste – Waste sorting makes it easy to recycle materials. It also makes you realise the materials you might want to cut the budget on.

·     Always remember the 6 R’s – When thinking about what to do (Refuse, reduce, reuse, rethink, repair & recycle)

·     Buy reusable Tupperware

·     Carpool to work, instead of taking your own car – Even better, ride a bike!

·     Unplug chargers and other cables that are not being used – They are still using electricity by being plugged in.

“The Lorax: Which way does a tree fall?  
The Once-ler: Uh, down?  
The Lorax: A tree falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean.”

Dr. Seuss, The Lorax