Ayios Neophytos Lyceum’s contribution to the environment in Connecting Classrooms 2011-12

Ayios Neophytos’ students wanted to draw awareness to the environmental issues and thus organized campaigns that aimed to encourage environmental best practice.

Our activities focused on: Planting flowers and trees Organized a School Clean Day Contributed to the cleanliness of our Community (Archeological Park – Paphos)

The steps we took to The steps we took to plant sapling trees:plant sapling trees:

We first dug holes big enough for We first dug holes big enough for the trees.the trees.

Then, we ensured to keep as much Then, we ensured to keep as much dirt around the roots as possible dirt around the roots as possible as to help them adjust to their new as to help them adjust to their new environment.environment.

Afterwards, we covered the newly Afterwards, we covered the newly planted trees with soil and watered planted trees with soil and watered them sufficiently. them sufficiently.

Finally, we supported the trees Finally, we supported the trees with strings to protect them from with strings to protect them from the wind. the wind.

Environmental BenefitsEnvironmental Benefits::

Trees reduce the Trees reduce the urban heat islandurban heat island effect through evaporative cooling effect through evaporative cooling and reducing the amount of and reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches parking lots sunlight that reaches parking lots and buildings. Trees improve our and buildings. Trees improve our air quality by filtering harmful dust air quality by filtering harmful dust and pollutants such as ozone, and pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide from the air we breathe.dioxide from the air we breathe.

Trees give off oxygen that we need Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe. to breathe.

Many species of wildlife depend on Many species of wildlife depend on trees for habitat. Trees provide trees for habitat. Trees provide food, protection, and homes for food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. many birds and mammals.

Benefits of planting trees:Benefits of planting trees:

Economic benefits:Economic benefits: Well placed trees can reduce your cooling Well placed trees can reduce your cooling

costs in the summer by shading the south and costs in the summer by shading the south and west sides of your home.west sides of your home.

Evergreen trees on the north side of your home Evergreen trees on the north side of your home and shrubs around the foundation of your and shrubs around the foundation of your home can act as a windbreak to reduce the home can act as a windbreak to reduce the cooling effects of winter winds. cooling effects of winter winds.

The value of a well landscaped home with The value of a well landscaped home with mature healthy trees can be as much as 10% mature healthy trees can be as much as 10% higher than a similar home with no or little higher than a similar home with no or little landscapinglandscaping. .

Social BenefitsSocial Benefits::

We like trees around us because they make life We like trees around us because they make life more pleasant. Most of us respond to the presence more pleasant. Most of us respond to the presence of trees beyond simply observing their beauty. We of trees beyond simply observing their beauty. We feel serene, peaceful, restful, and tranquil in a grove feel serene, peaceful, restful, and tranquil in a grove of trees. We are “at home” there. of trees. We are “at home” there. 

City trees often serve several architectural and City trees often serve several architectural and engineering functions. They provide privacy, engineering functions. They provide privacy, emphasize views, or screen out objectionable views. emphasize views, or screen out objectionable views. They reduce glare and reflection and they direct They reduce glare and reflection and they direct pedestrian traffic. They also provide background to pedestrian traffic. They also provide background to and soften, complement, or enhance architecture. and soften, complement, or enhance architecture.

We pointed the value of a clean school We pointed the value of a clean school environment both for our health and our environment both for our health and our academic achievements. academic achievements.

We encourage students to throw their litter in the We encourage students to throw their litter in the garbage bins and keep our school litter-free. garbage bins and keep our school litter-free.

Trees provide…

Recycling PaperRecycling Paper

The objectives were:The objectives were:To adopt the habit of recycling.To adopt the habit of recycling.To stress the benefits of recycling paper to To stress the benefits of recycling paper to

the environment.the environment.

The rationale The rationale was to make everybody was to make everybody rethinkrethink, , reducereduce, , reusereuse, , recyclerecycle..

Conclusion:Conclusion:

In retrospect, the entire environmental In retrospect, the entire environmental activities expanded our awareness to activities expanded our awareness to issues that are detrimental to our issues that are detrimental to our environment. It was acknowledged that we, environment. It was acknowledged that we, as humans can play an active role in as humans can play an active role in planting trees (to help offset deforestation planting trees (to help offset deforestation and urbanization), cleaning the environment and urbanization), cleaning the environment and recycling materials such as paper, and recycling materials such as paper, glass, metal, plastic, textiles and electrical glass, metal, plastic, textiles and electrical appliances. appliances.

PICTURES FROM OUR ACTIVITIES