environmental projects for schools

Here is some information about starting environmental projects in your school. We have focused on 3 areas, energy, waste and water. For more information about some of the issues and challenges surrounding these environmental themes and project ideas for each, please click on the links below.

Energy
Waste
Water

Project ideas

• Set up a school recycling scheme
• Try setting up an educational campaign in your school about recycling
• Study the traffic around your school, assess how students travel to school each day and campaign for more public transport use
• Educate everyone in your school about how to save energy around the school and the renewable options available

Case study

You could turn your school into an eco-school. This could include developing some of the following ideas:

• A school garden growing organic vegetables - these could even be used in your Home Economics lessons
• A school composting site that could be used to help your school garden flourish
• A school energy survey could be carried out. This could then be followed by some key implementations such as energy efficient light bulbs and signs educating people to switch lights off
• A wildlife area in your school grounds could be started including a pond and a variety of vegetation to encourage a wide diversity of species
• A sculpture made of old packaging and products could be made
• Water from your school roof could be collected and used to water your school garden
• Recycling facilities for paper and cans should be available to all students and staff
• An Environment Committee (Eco-group) could be set up in your school to help implement and monitor some of the ideas described above

How will the project affect your school? The whole school will benefit from the environmental education and may be able to use some of the key ideas generated in their work.

Various departments can get involved, for example the art department can design information posters and the science department can use statistics generated in class.

The work can contribute to various extra curricular activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

How will your project affect your local community?

The local community should be notified through word of mouth or newsletters about the success of the environmental projects. This will aim to inspire local people to contribute to helping improve the environment.

Other schools in the area should also be informed of such environmental projects, so they too can implement some of these ideas.

What are the long-term implications of your project?

Educating the youth of today is one of the best ways to address the environmental problems we face. This education should be passed on to future generations and should hopefully result in changes to our outlook.