Green-Schools

Green-Schools

Water Theme

Green-Schools Water Theme

• Introduction to Water Theme

• Review of 7 Steps

• Case Studies and Important Updates

An Taisce EEU

Green-Schools

International Environmental Programme Award Scheme

Holistic

Ethos Whole-School Action

Long Term Programme

Schools

Industry

Local Authorities

An Taisce

Sponsors

Partnership

Irish Water & Green-Schools

Water is the third theme of the Green-Schools programme and is sponsored by Irish Water.

Poster Competition deadline Friday 17th of February

The Irish Water Green-Schools of the Year Award will recognise innovation and creativity among schools that are applying for the An Taisce Green Flag for Water in the 2016/2017

academic year.

Green-Schools Ambassador Programme for secondary schools Monday 10th of October

For more information visit www.water.ie and keep an eye on www.greenschoolsireland.org for

upcoming events and competitions.

GREEN-SCHOOLS IN IRELAND

3,741 schools registered Over 93% of all schools

in Ireland

71,583 teachers

854,295 pupils

3,147 schools awarded

Remember...

The situation will vary from school to school

Green-Schools is a STRUCTURED

but

FLEXIBLE programme

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Does Green-Schools Make a Difference?

Raising awareness is KEY!

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Year 1 Year 2

Green-Schools Themes

Green- Schools Themes

1:Litter and Waste

2: Energy

6: Global Citizenship Litter and Waste

5: Biodiversity

4: Travel

3: Water 7: Global Citizenship

Energy

8: Global Citizenship Marine Environment

Why care about water?

A very important resource?

Essential to all forms of life

Water shortages and contaminated supply is not just

confined to Third World Countries

It is projected that by 2025 almost 50% of the world

population will struggle to meet their basic needs.

(UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, Holland )

Water costs money to treat

Salt water

% Fresh Water

%

WATER IN THE WORLD

Rain Cloud

The journey of a water drop

Did you know? A dripping tap at rate of one drip per

second can waste 10,000 litres of water a year!!

Where is H2O used in Your School

• Toilets ~ 60% • Sinks • Dishwasher • Cleaning • Gardens • Laboratories • Taps • Kitchens/staffrooms • Radiators • Home Econ/W’work • Showers • Washing • Swimming Pool

The 7 Steps!!!

Implementing the Programme – The 7 Steps!

2. Environmental Review

1. Green-Schools Committee

5. Curriculum Work

3. Action Plan

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

6. Informing and Involving

7. Green Code

Step 1: Committee

Step 2: Environmental Review

Step 2: Essential Actions

1. Water Usage

Review: water meter/bills/estimates (2 main reviews)

2. Water Audit

Examine: Number of taps, sinks, toilets, radiators , kettles etc.

3. Leak Tests (Small and Big)

Drips/leaks survey, checking taps, toilets, radiators, pipes underground (How)etc

Step 1: Committee

• Sub committees

• Water wardens/

Water detectives

Sample Review of Water Usage

Reading a meter

Locate and read the school’s water meter

Irish meter readings are in cubic meters (x 1000 for litres)

Record the water usage on a daily/weekly basis and plot on a graph

Reading the meter when there is no water usage indicates a leak

Read black

numbers for

cubic meters Red numbers

indicate litres (100’s and 10’s)

Afternoon 0 0 1 3 9 8 8

Morning 0 0 1 2 7 2 5

Water Use (-)

TEST

BLACK DIGITS are

Metres Cubed

RED DIGITS

are Litres

(sometimes Water

metres include a third

Red digit , this is the

ones and sometimes this is a dial)

NB: Also there may be a

dial for millilitres.

12 metres Cubed

and 630 Litres

OR

12,630L WELL DONE!

TEST

Afternoon 0 0 1 3 9 8 8

Morning 0 0 1 2 7 2 5

Water Use (-) 1 2 6 3

Sample Water Audit

Dispatch your crew!

Recommended Actions

Water Use Survey in school Behavioural Survey (at home) – general water usage, tooth brush/detergent surveys

etc. Investigate the Lifecycle of Water in the School Use of detergent and cleaners`- hazardous? Local water amenities (rivers, streams, lakes,

beaches) Rainwater collection and usage

Step 3: Action Plan

Two overall objectives

1) Increase levels of awareness

2) Practical improvements

Action Person/Group Responsible Time Frame

Carry out a Biodiversity Awareness Survey to

examine the level of awareness among students and

staff

Green-Schools Committee Early to mid September

Habitat Map the school grounds and do up a list of

the biodiversity in our school

Green-Schools Committee Early to mid September

Start with no cost/low cost

Turn it off campaign

‘hippos’ in cisterns (see Resources on Green-Schools Website)

adopt a local beach/river/lake (Clean Coasts),

collect rainwater for gardens etc.

Switch to environmentally – friendly cleaning products

• Higher costs

Install water-saving taps, toilets, urinals

Rainwater harvesting

School build (sensor urinals,

Smaller cisterns or dual flush)

Step 3. Action Plan

Sample Action Plan

Activities from Water Resource

• Interactive Water Resource for Primary and Secondary Schools

• The resource looks at:

- The Water Cycle

- Journey of a Water Drop

- Water Conservation

- Climate Change

- Water People

• There are lesson plans for each topic. The resource can be found on our website

http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/resources/water.215.html

Step 4. Monitoring & Evaluating

• Water Usage - Water Wardens

• Leaks - Leak Detectives

• Water Audit (if changed)

• Follow-up Survey

• Water Savings/Pledges Recorded

with Drops

• Monitor Progress

• Check and Revise Action Plan

• Keep all Records for Application

(Record Book/Water Diary )

• Update Notice Board

Sample Monitoring Chart

Step 5. Curriculum links

Mind Map Activity

Water Curriculum

Links

NB: Print Q9 on the application form and put up in each class in order to keep track of the curriculum links

(see handout for further details/handbook/water resource)

Geography

Languages Art

Science

Maths

Step 6. Informing and Involving

• Blue Days • Clean Up a Water Course Day

or Beach Clean Up (involve coast care group)

• Water Foot Print Day • Low Water Lunch

• Visits to: treatment plant, hydro power station, reservoir, lakes/rivers

• Speakers – Environmental experts, local Businesses ..

Day of Action UN World Water Day 22nd March

• Debates

• Fundraising Day e.g. Cake sale

• Poster competitions

• Themed fancy dress

• Water Forums

PRIZES

Step 6. Informing and Involving

Step 6. Informing and Involving:

Walk for Water: • Download our info graphic which has some tips on how to host an

event - in pdf and in image form, from www.greenschoolsireland.org/water/walking-for-water

• Visit the UN World Water Day 2015 materials section for downloadable resources, focused on the theme of Water & Sustainable Development. www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/

• Download lesson materials for your class from the Walking for Water website www.walkingforwater.eu/

• View Green-Schools' own water resources page

2nd Year of Green-Schools Ambassador Programme

- The programme is free, will focus on the water theme and is open to all years and Green-Schools that are on or have completed the water theme - 3 training days will be held nationwide in November 2016 (Westmeath, Cork and Dublin) - 3 support sessions will be held in January 2017 - Successful second level students will attend a one day workshop that will include: - speakers in the field of engineering - talks from Green-Schools and Clean Coasts Programmes - water related activities - field trip to wastewater or water treatment plant

Why take part?

- Will provide career guidance in the field of engineering - Background in the Green-Schools programme - Improve communication skills - Learn about the marine environment - All participants will receive goodie bags, ambassador hoodies, lunch and on completion, a certificate - Additionally, chosen regional ambassadors will receive a trophy and prize.

Fun and interactive!

To apply go to www.greenschoolsireland.org or contact Ruth Gaj-McKeever on rgmckeever@eeu.antaisce.org

Deadline for applications: 10th of October 2016

• Water Films/Documentaries/Clips. Many can be found online:

− www.water.ie

− You Tube Clips

− National Geographic Clips and Documentaries

− Water First Film (Reaching MDGs)

− Water for the Ages: waterfortheages.org/water-films/

− (Water Detectives)

− TED (Technology, Education and Design) Talks: http://www.ted.com/search?q=water+conservation

− One Water: http://www.onewater.org/movie

− http://ec.europa.eu/environment/generationawake/

Step 6. Informing and Involving

Green-Schools Water Clips

http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/resources/water.215.html

Blue Flag/Green Coast certificate for schools

Aim to inc. awareness amongst young people and the wider community

A school is eligible if they .......

Undertake a research project about a BF/ GCA beach

Carry out an activity on a BF/ GCA beach that

demonstrates the school’s commitment to improving the

environment

Get in touch

www.blueflagireland.org

www.cleancoastsireland.org

Possible projects

• Sand Dune Erosion

• Flora & Fauna

• Health & Safety at the Beach

• The role of your BF/ GCA beach in the

community

Possible activities

•Beach scavenger hunt

•Beach Clean Up

•Awareness Campaign (litter/dog foul/graffiti)

•Habitat Survey of the Beach

Idea for Day of Action

Clean Coast Event • Register your school as a Clean Coast group

• Organise a beach clean up

• Protect habitats & wildlife

• Raise awareness

www.cleancoastsireland.org

Step 7 Green Code

While I’m brushing my teeth, I turn off the tap.

When I’ve mud on my feet, I shower, not bath.

Water is special, it falls from the sky. It does lots of jobs,

like keeping plants alive. That’s why with water, I should always spare.

To show Mother Nature, just how much I care

Bright Sparks Childcare Centre Competition style were families and the children submit their creations and children decide:

W ait until night to water your lawn A lways use a pail when you wash your car T urn off the faucet when you brush E very leak wastes water - fix it R ain barrels save water

Blackrock College Committee

St Louis Infant school (Monaghan)

Water is precious we drink it every day

please don't waste it in any single way

Náionra Slogan: “The world is now happy again because we are now kind to it”

Case Studies

Case Studies from pre-school to secondary can be found on our website

www.greenschoolsireland.org/case-studies.146.html

Bright Sparks Childcare Centre Case Study

Some of the actions carried out by Bright Sparks Childcare Centre on the water theme include:

• rainwater collected, particularly in summer months, to water plants and to be used for water play

• water poem competition carried out in the whole service

• hippo bags were placed in toilets by staff and pre-schoolers

• water awareness encouraged at home and at school e.g. quiz sent home to assess initial water awareness

• water action day carried out where Martin Lane of Watersave Ireland came into discuss water conservation

• looked at Arctic and Antarctic water and the topic of melting ice

• water action day held on March 1st were children set up a shop and sold water saving devices to encourage conservation of water at home, they also promoted this day amongst their families

Case Studies

The following examples are from the IW Water School of the Year Winners:

St. Mary's N.S., Milltown, Dublin (Primary Regional)

• St Mary’s NS is a 14 teacher school with 275 students.

• They reduced their water usage from 15l ppd to 9 lppd.

• They organised for ALL classes to complete a thematic unit on water with a main focus on its value, where it comes from, conservation and treatment.

• Sixth class designed a Water Saving Leaflet that was published on recycled paper and sent to every family in the school who then made pledges which were collected and displayed on the Green-Schools Notice Board.

• They also created a life-size Water Saving Board Game and a Water Mascot- Happy the Hydro Helper!

Scoil Ui Mhuiri, Barn Road, Dunleer, Co. Louth (Secondary Regional)

• Scoil Ui Mhuiri has 60 teachers and 650 students who managed to maintain they very low water usage of just 2.3ltrsppday despite an increase in their school population.

• They carried out a wide-ranging environmental review, attended a Green-Schools Water Forum and held a Green Schools Week where they ran daily quizzes and made water awareness videos. They continue to monitor their bills and carry out spot-checks in specific areas to ensure water is not wasted.

Application Process

• Online Application Form

• We encourage you to email us the forms

• Renewal Visit in year 2

• National Awards Ceremony

• Flag raising ceremony -Everyone involved -Wider Community -Celebrate!!!

Online Application Form

• Online PDF – to be used as a working document – Begin filling out once you start work on the new theme & save

as you go!

• Available on Website under renewal schools • Online guide on how to complete the form

Exciting News... new Green-Schools Website !

SEAI Workshops

• Workshops are free, open to all schools and are allocated on a first come first served basis.

• Booking forms and information can be downloaded from the Green-Schools website.

• Workshops for: - Junior Primary

- Senior Primary

- 1st, 2nd and Transition Year Secondary classes.

• Also available are CPD Energy workshops for

Primary and Secondary School Teachers that qualify for

‘Croke Park hours’ and are particularly relevant

for schools applying for their Green Flag for Energy.

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‘Green-Schools’

Questions & Answers

• Thank you for your attention!

Contact us 01-4002222 greenschools@antaisce.org

Questions?