Resources for Schools

Waste

Guidance for schools on Waste Segregation

The My Waste website has simple practices and actions to enhance waste prevention, waste segregation and recycling along with printable posters, bin labels and guidance books and can be found here.

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. 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.

Fast Fashion and Textile Waste

Losing The Thread: The Cost of Fast Fashion – Documentary

A 20-minute documentary created by Fingal County Council and the other Dublin Local Authorities with the support of the Regional Waste Offices about the cost of fast fashion and textile waste. Learn about what fast fashion is, where it comes from, how it is marketed to you, the intentions behind it and what happens to it when the pieces are no longer wanted. Watch it here, suitable for generating discussion in class in secondary schools.

Reverse the Trend

This is a national awareness campaign from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment encouraging people to embrace circular fashion by buying less, re-wearing and sharing clothing. The campaign highlights the environmental impacts of overconsumption and promotes simple actions that can help extend the life of our clothes and reduce textile waste. Visit reversethetrend.ie to find out more.

Borrow a Clothes Swap Kit for your school for FREE

In keeping with circular economy principles, Fingal County Council supports and promotes clothes swaps as an effective way to tackle fast fashion. Instead of contributing to textile waste, why not bring your items to a clothes swap event? Your clothes get a new lease of life, and you’ll walk away with some new-to-you pieces.

To support schools in Fingal, a FREE Clothes Swap Kit is available to borrow for your school event. Along with the kit, you’ll receive handy tips on how to successfully run a clothes swap. This initiative, a partnership between Fingal County Council and Change Clothes, aims to promote sustainable fashion and strengthen community connections across Fingal.

Click here for more information about what is available in the kit and to access the hosting a clothes swap guide, and to book your kit click here.

Fingal County Council sponsors the following secondary schools’ programmes that tackle fast fashion.

Let’s Fix Fashion Campaign – full details here

Relove Fashion Competition – full details here

Biodiversity

The National Biodiversity Data Centre works to make biodiversity data and information more freely available to better understand and assist the protection of Ireland’s biodiversity. Click here to access their website.

They have specifically prepared a ‘How-to-Guide’ for schools to develop a pollinator plan which can be found here.

Information on the Fingal County Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan can be found on the Biodiversity webpage, and any biodiversity related questions can be emailed to Fingal’s Biodiversity Department directly at [email protected]

Active Travel

Find all the resources the Fingal County Council’s Active Travel team have prepared to help schools get involved with Active Travel from classroom resources to information on walking & cycling buses, to details on Fresh Air Friday here.

Global Goals Book Club

The Green-Schools Global Goals Book Club is a growing collection of children’s books designed to help students explore global citizenship, sustainability, and the world around them through story. Each title is linked to one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and supported by child-friendly worksheets and activities that build empathy, critical thinking, and real-world understanding. More details here.

Schools throughout the county can borrow the full book club collection directly from their local library. Each book includes a QR code linking to the Green-Schools website, where teachers and students will find carefully created resources and activities aligned with the Global Goals. Teachers can borrow the complete book collection for their class by emailing their local Fingal Library, the list of addresses can be found here.

Musical Instruments

Is your music room in need of some new instruments? Our Replay Instruments Project encourages residents to donate preloved instruments that we then redistribute to schools and community groups. We take most types of musical instruments with the exception of pianos or drum kits. For more information click here.

This circular economy project aims to extend the life cycle of instruments allowing them to be reused, refurbished, and recycled as much as possible. This approach reduces the strain on natural resources, minimizes environmental impact, and fosters sustainability by creating a closed-loop system where waste is transformed into valuable resources. Please get in touch if there are any specific instruments that you are looking for. We operate a waiting list system, so as the instruments are donated, we will match them with the requests received.

Email us on [email protected] with your requests.

Stay connected with Fingal County Council’s environmental initiatives by signing up for our Environmental Awareness & Climate Action Newsletter. By subscribing, you'll receive the latest updates on local sustainability projects, eco-friendly events, and practical tips for reducing your environmental footprint. Subscribe here to stay informed and make a positive impact. To catch up on previous issues click here.

For any further queries email the Environmental Awareness Officer at [email protected]