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Record breaking school goes green

Friday, 26 June 2009

A BALLYMUN school has set a new record for its environmental efforts. St Joseph's Junior National School broke the record by reducing its waste by an amazing 97 per cent after participating in the Global Action Plan (GAP), ‘Action at Schools’ programme funded by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd. This is the biggest reduction of any school since the programme began in the UK in 1994. Action at Schools has had over 300 participating schools in Ireland the UK to date. And St Joseph’s isn’t the only Ballymun school that can boast about its green credentials. The Virgin Mary Girls National School proudly raised its first Green Flag on June 12. The school was awarded the flag after a year of hard work and commitment by pupils and teachers in ‘greening’ their school with initiatives such as reducing their waste by 60 per cent, creating a school vegetable garden and hugely increasing biodiversity in the school grounds by planting native wild flowers and hedgerows. “It’s great to see Ballymun schools setting the standard in waste reduction and green schools initiatives” said Manager with GAP, Ian Callanan. “Action at Schools is an environmental programme that helps schools to save resources and money. “The programme helps schools to tackle topics such as waste, water and energy by training students and teachers to measure their school’s environmental impact, set improvement targets and to support students to come up with imaginative solutions and to lead the way in implementing them.” The Green Schools initiative is an international environmental education programme and award scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term school action for the environment. Global Action Plan (GAP) is an environmental charity that offers practical solutions to everyday environmental problems. The organisation has a unique approach to creating behavioural change where the emphasis is on practical solutions to local environmental issues. “Our grass roots approach ensures that we engage and bring local communities on board to tackle local issues while working closely in partnership with local authorities,” said Mr Callanan. “We engage with communities on issues that are important to them and encourage people to live more sustainably by reducing their carbon footprint and the impact they have on the environment.”