Listellick Times

green school

Green Schools

We recently received our 2nd Green Flag on the theme of Energy.

Our Green School Committee carried out surveys to find out how we might be wasting energy and where energy can be saved. A new action plan was created.

We began our quest for our first green flag in September 2012. The theme we were working on was Litter and Waste. Our aim was to reduce our waste output and keep our school litter free. The committee met once a month to discuss issues relating to the theme of litter and waste. We have litter pickers that do a litter patrol on yard every day.

We recycle all our paper, plastic, glass and batteries. We have made compost for our school garden by using fruit skins leftover from school lunches. Our recent green school awareness week was a great success with all classes taking part in curriculum work.

See below for our action plan and for some tip on how you can save energy in the home.

The winner of the Green School Energy Slogan Competition for 2015/2016 is Carla Stack. Her slogan will be displayed on our green school notice board for the school year:

"Do the Earth a favour, Be a Power Saver"

Kayleigh Killeen and Jack Falvey won the 1st Green Schools Slogan Competition. Their slogans combined was the Litter and Waste slogan for our school and was as follows:

"Go green and work as a team. Pick up your rubbish and see our school flourish".

Green Schools Committee

Our Green Schools Committee includes pupils from 2nd up to 6th class. The committee holds frequent meetings to discuss action plans for green school activities.

Committee members are as follows:

2nd class: Sarah Kavanagh Roddy Clifford

3rd class: Kelly Gaynor Oisin O'Sullivan

4th class: Brendan Dwyer Linda O'Connor

5th class: Kayleigh Killeen Jane Sheehy

6th class: Alayna Gannon Kayleigh Murphy

2nd and 4th Class are our Energy Squad. They will check that all doors are closed at each break and check that the photocopier is switched off each day.

3rd and 5th Class - They will place signs on all classrooms to remind pupils and teachers to switch off lights when leaving rooms and turn off and unplug appliances and equipment at the end of the day.

6th Class - They will read electricity meter weekly and formulate weekly graphs on energy consumption with Pat Fitzgerald, the Caretaker.

Ms. Ruane, Paula Sweeney and Ms. Reynolds - They will inform parents and community of green school programme through updates on our website, newsletters and school blog.

Ms. Ruane - Organises S.E.A.I. (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) workshops for pupils and teachers. See www.seai.ie

All classes work on reducing litter.

Electricity monitors in each classroom will ensure "Switch Off" campaign is fully implemented.

Green Schools Action Plan

Action Plan - Energy

September 2015 - June 2016

Electricity monitors in all classrooms will ensure our "switch off" and "unplug" campaign is fully implemented
Our energy squad will check that all doors are closed during each break to keep in heat
Our energy squad will check that the photocopier is switched off and unplugged at the end of each day
The Green School committee will place signs in all classrooms to remind us to switch off lights and unplug appliances
The pupils will be completing projects on climate change and renewable energy
Pupils will practice energy saving in their own homes with some of the following tips ENERGY SAVING IN THE HOME

Facts and Figures

In the 2014/2015 academic year Green-Schools in Ireland saved 15.6 million units of electricity, enough to make 13 million slices of toast
The recommended temperature for classrooms is 18ºC. Every 1ºC increase in temperature over the above figures could add up to 10% to cost of heating bills
A photocopier left switched on overnight wastes enough energy to make 1,500 A4 copies
The average person in the US uses 15 times more energy then the average person in Turkey
It is estimated that we only have enough oil in the world for another 50 years
On average, a car in Ireland travels 20,000km a year, releasing 2,895kg of carbon into the atmosphere
Ireland imports 89% of its energy needs , down from 90% in 2006 but up from 85% in 2012
Oil is the dominant energy source, with a share of 47% of total primary energy demand
€6.5 billion is spent each year on imported energy
Ireland has committed to the goal of improving the energy efficiency of Ireland’s economy by at least 20% by 2020.Renewable energy represents 7.8% of Ireland’s gross final energy use. Ireland’s target under the EU Renewable Energy Directive is to achieve a 16% renewable energy penetration by 2020.
Top five counties producing energy from wind power are: Cork, Donegal, Kerry, Tipperary and Wexford

Green Schools Action Plan

Action Plan - Litter and Waste

Jan-June 2014

20% reduction in waste going to landfill by June 2016 (6 months)
20% reduction in paper used for photocopying by June 2016 (6 months)
10% reduction in hand-towels by June 2016 (6 months)
All fruit skins will be put in compost buckets. Compost will be used in the school garden for flowers and vegetables
No wrappers allowed in the school yard. All waste and wrappers from lunch will be put back into lunchboxes and recycled at home.
Litter pickers and litter patrol will be on yards at 1st and 2nd break times
We will remember to use recycling bin in our classrooms.
We will use one paper towel to dry our hands. Our new sensor hand dryers will help us with this.