Eco-Schools grew out of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit on the environment, when issues such as global warming and pollution first started to hit home with world leaders, as well as with an European organisation called the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)

Eco-Schools is a recognised award scheme, rewarding and accrediting schools who have made a commitment to continuously improving their environmental performance. It is also a learning resource, raising awareness of environmental issues through activities that link to curriculum subjects.

The aim of the Eco-Schools programme is to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of the school -both for pupils and for staff.

The Eco-Schools programme addresses the following topics within schools:

• Biodiversity
• Litter
• Waste
• Energy
• Water
• Transport
• Healthy Living
• School Grounds

Eco-Schools is administerd in Northern Ireland by TIDY Northern Ireland and if you want to contact the programme administration you can either use the 'contact us' page on this web site by following this link -Requests for Information or use the following

Telephone: 0845 86 206 86

email: eco-schools@tidynorthernireland.org

A promotional leaflet is now available in Publications and you are welcome to download the PDF and print as many copies as you need.

How does Eco-Schools Work?

The process involves three main stages:

1. Implementing the seven elements of the programme (as listed below)
2. Applying for one of the three Eco-Schools awards depending on how much the school has achieved a Bronze certificate, a Silver certificate or a Green Flag.
3. Renewing the award every two years.

The Seven Elements

Any environmental management system needs a structure to help it run smoothly, and to make sure that there is a continuous momentum towards setting targets and working to achieve them.

1. Setting up an Eco-Schools committee
2. Carrying out an Environmental Review
3. Drawing up an Action Plan
4. Monitoring and evaluating progress
5. Linking environmental initiatives to the curriculum
6. Involving the whole school and wider community in the programme
7. Compiling an Eco-Code which is integrated throughout the school

The Eco-Committee - is the driving force of the Eco-Schools programme.

The Environmental Review - review the current environmental situation. Know the starting point and set realistic targets and measure success.

The Action Plan - is the core of the Eco-School project. The action plan should be developed from the results of the environmental review and should list a number of objectives along with deadlines allocated responsibilities for each step. It should also be linked to the curriculum where possible.

Monitoring and Evaluating Progress - to find out the success of achieving targets laid out in the action plan, and measure progress as well as making any necessary changes to action plan.

Linking to the curriculum - Eco-Schools activities can be integrated into the NI Revised Curriculum in the following Learning Areas:

Language and Literacy

Mathematics and Numeracy

Personal Development

The World Around Us

Environment and Society

Science and Technology

Involving the whole School and Wider Community - Make public the environmental activities throughout the school and beyond ie businesses, press etc.

The Eco-Code - is the mission statement. It should demonstrate, in a clear and imaginative way, the school's commitment to improving its environmental performance.

Delivery Partners - Eco-Schools in Northern Ireland has made arrangements with a number of other NGO's and all 26 councils to help schools with the eight subject topic. Please see the page Delivery Partners for further details.

The Awards

There are three levels of award. Bronze, Sliver and Green Flag. The Bronze and Silver awards are based on school self-assessment and can only be applied for through the Eco-Schools website. The Green Flag is awarded to those who achieve the top level criteria for each of the seven elements.

Benefits of Eco-Schools to councils

• A ready-made scheme to assists the council to deliver their educational programme in schools.
• Reduce the amount of litter on the streets surrounding the school and in the district.
• Reduced traffic congestion and increased safety surrounding the schools.
• Increase awareness and use of council recycling facilities to improve district recycling rate.
• Increased use of council leisure facilities via the healthy living aspect of eco-schools.
• Reduce energy consumption within and the school and pupils homes therefore causing a reduction in pollution levels throughout the district.