Green Schools
Video guides to help schools get their waste Sorted!
As schools play a major role in modelling good behaviour for children, a good recycling system and reuse strategy can also shape lifelong sustainable habits.
To assist schools, two informative video guides have been created by the Dublin Local Authorities and VOICE Ireland. Both videos were filmed at Howth Road Mixed National School, Dublin 3. These videos collect and share best practice from Irish primary and secondary schools.
The videos are designed for staff and students at both primary and secondary level, and outline the basic principles of a school waste system, explaining how and where to install bin stations.
The video outlines how schools can encourage sustainability and circular economy on their campus. The circular economy aims to keep materials and products in-use for as long as possible. Examples that have been proven to work in Irish schools include uniform swaps, book rental and reusable water bottles initiatives.
The videos are freely available to all schools in Gaeilge and English and can be streamed online here.
Schools can use the videos for guidance on implementing a waste system. If posting your school photos on social media, tag #schoolwastesorted.
Read our presentation on: "Guidance to Successfully Managing Waste & Litter in the school setting"
Congratulations to the newly awarded Green Schools in Fingal!! This year 29 schools have been awarded new Green Flags under the themes listed below. Student committees, teachers, coordinators and caretakers have put in huge efforts over the years to maintain flags and achieve new flags. Fingal County Council Environmental Awareness Officer and the An Taisce Green Schools unit support the schools by providing resources and guidance.
The Awards ceremony was held on 25th May and attended by several Fingal Schools, students proudly received their new flags and certificates.
The creativeness and motivation of the students and teachers is truly inspiring.
They are
- Eliminating single use plastics and water bottles
- Reducing and recycling with proper waste segregation
- Increasing cycling, scooting and walking to school
- Re-using materials in arts and crafts
- Planting biodiversity areas including trees
- Running campaign against litter and marine plastics
- Raising awareness and doing projects on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Learning about farm t fork food and produce
- Composing food waste for reusing in the school gardens
- Creating slogan and art competitions
Schools are actively involved in regular litter picking and beach cleans, linking in with their local Tidy Towns and Clean Coasts to tackle plastic waste on our streets, open spaces, beaches and marine environments.
Green Schools List 2023
An Taisce, in co-operation with the Local Authorities, run the national Green Schools 9-flag program. Schools carry out a number of tasks, run educational programs and environmental projects which are incorporated into everyday school-life. The themes are:
Litter & Waste Energy Water Travel Biodiversity
Global Citizenship Litter & Waste Global Citizenship Energy
Global Citizenship Marine Environment Global Citizenship Travel
There are 145 schools in Fingal registered as active in the An Taisce Green Schools Program. Click Here for more information on Green Schools. Fingal County Council invests in a number of school projects every year.
Each flag has to be maintained as the school progresses towards the new flags. Fingal County Council assists the schools by providing information and support and environmental presentations to the students. In Feb/ March we also carry out all the Green Flag Assessments.
We congratulate all the schools on their efforts – the green schools coordinators and committees, the teachers and students and caretakers and all involved put in a lot of work to make this possible.
