Green School Flag – Energy

We are currently working on our second Green School Flag – Energy.

The Green Schools initiative is an international programme for schools that promotes environmental accountability and sustainability through an award scheme. It is designed to encourage and reward the development of sustainable environmental management systems that involve the entire school community.

The aim of the programme is to educate pupils, teachers and parents on environmental issues, increasing their awareness of difficulties and problems and encouraging them to become active participants in the solutions to these problems within their own schools. Everyone has a role to play and students are helped to participate in the decision making process through a ‘Green Schools Committee’.

Our slogan:

Don’t sit and be a fool, help reduce the use of fossil fuel. If you want the world to smile, stop burning coal, gas and oil.

 

We have conducted an energy survey of the Togher N.S. and have designed an action plan to conserve energy and reduce our energy usage.  A pupil in each class is assigned the role of energy monitor and have many responsibilities which involve the monitoring of our targets on a daily basis.

To help children and the wider school community understand that conserving energy is vital in order to help protect our environment from the impacts of climate change and to protect our future.

To present findings to others in a way that will persuade them to change their attitudes or behaviour.

To show children the link between energy consumption and financial cost and how this impacts on home and school life.

  • Monitor energy consumption.
  • Use data for curriculum work.
  • To collect, interpret, and present data in different forms, using ICT where appropriate.
  • To carry out calculations using suitable number strategies and techniques.

To raise awareness that simple actions can cut down energy consumption substantially – for example:

  • Close blinds when leaving the north-facing classroom at the end of the day to retain heat.
  • Open blinds when leaving the south-facing classrooms at the end of the day to absorb morning heat.
  • Turn off whiteboards, computers and laptops when not in use.
  • Turn off lights when leaving the classroom.
  • Ensure that all light fixtures are fitted with energy efficient bulbs.
  • Close doors when leaving classrooms.

Students continue to use the reusable water bottles. A new energy efficient central heating boiler and new windows have made our school warmer and more energy efficient. Laptops, whiteboards and lights are all turned off when leaving the classroom.