Initiatives

Scoil an Linbh Íosa is proud to have been awarded four green flags:

2001 Waste Management
2003 Water
2005 Energy
2007 Transport

We are currently working towards a double award in 2010 of the fifth “Green Flag” for both maintaining and augmenting our previous efforts in these areas and the “Green Home Pennant” for engaging with our community to share our knowledge about caring for the environment in which we live.

There are 15 children on the Green Schools Committee and together with the support of their teacher they work daily to ensure the implementation of our Green Schools Code. Our Green Schools work doesn’t stand along but permeates all aspects of school life and integrates with the Curriculum. Here is an outline of the current Green Schools Initiatives and how they impact on other curricular areas.

Initiative	Impact
Waste Management Classroom Organic Waste is Composted Large Community Composter on site Recycled bottles/jars/plastics/paper to KCC bins and recycling depots Recycling of batteries, mobile phones, used stamps, inkjet cartridges, small electrical items and clothes	Many S.E.S.E and S.P.H.E. lessons address the breakdown of organic materials and this is practically applied in the School Garden. (Chosen by Bord Bia to feature in the forthcoming DVD) Composing bins have been augmented by the installation of a large community composter in the school and this is managed by the children. The children propagate plants for both the Garden and the Plant Stall during Green Schools Day, following the process through from germination to consumption. Recycling of electrical items with W.E.E.I. is used as an opportunity to study forces and electricity. School Trips to KCC facility at Silliot Hill are arranged from time to time to educate the children in the waste management process.
Water Maintenance of two water butts New Building designed with ½ flush option Push down taps	Rainfall is measured and the water cycle is examined. Collected rainwater is used in the garden. The School Pond is managed and maintained by the children and experiments and investigations are undertaken on all Pond Life and it is used by all classes to follow the Life Cycle of the Frog.
Energy Quenching lights Ensuring all electrical equipment is not on “standby” New Building designed and plumbed for Solar Panels (1 already installed) Double Glazing	Children get the opportunity to identify the differences between Natural and Artificial Light and work to monitor the usage of both electricity and light in the school. The children are trained on how the solar panel works and feeds in hot water to the school.
Transport Walk on Wednesdays & Fridays Cycle where possible Cycling skills and safety taught.	Each year the children address different modes of transport, both now and through the ages. They also research the traffic flows of the school community.

Green Home Award

In September we began the work towards achieving the “Green Home” Award. Here we work with our community to share the knowledge and skills we have evolved over the years to assist Households to be as “Green” as Scoil and Linbh Íosa. We have completed the first two phases.
In Phase 1we worked with the community to have them complete and audit of their household and behaviours in terms of waste, water, energy and transport. These audits were lodged with An Taisce and households have been getting some amazing advice and opportunities.

In Phase we have begun the work to get households to examine and change each area of environmental concern. We worked with households to “Slim their Bin” and mirrored their activity in the classroom. The work package completed by these community members has just been submitted and there are many “lighter” bins now in Prosperous.