Green-Schools is a themed environmental education programme, designed to both recognise and advance action for the environment in schools. The Green Schools programme aims to help pupils to recognise the importance of environmental issues and take them more seriously in their own lives. Green-Schools is both a programme and an award scheme. The award is given to schools that successfully complete the Seven Steps of the programme.
In Oola National School we are currently working towards our third Green Flag. We have received flags for work in the areas of Litter and Waste and also on Energy. Our third theme is Water.
It all began in early 2005 when a Green Schools committee was elected in an attempt to obtain Green Flag status for Oola National School.The school has taken on board many new measures in a bid to both reduce rubbish produced by the school and increase awareness. We had a visit from our adjudicator on Tuesday, April 25th 2006. We then received the very welcome news that our application had been successful. We received our first Green Flag at the Green Schools National Award ceremony on May 23rd 2006. It was presented by Gavin Harte, Director of An Taisce. The flag was raised in Oola on June 12th by Limerick hurler Denis Moloney.
A second Green Schools committee set to work on the next Green Flag working on the theme of "energy". We have since worked very hard to make our school more energy efficient. Our building works have helped reduce energy wastage with new carpets, new windows and a more efficient heating system. Pupils and staff are more aware of the need to save energy where possible. Our Green Schools adjudicator, Joanna Gammell, visited the school on April 15th, 2008. In early May we got the news we had been waiting for. Our application had been successful. And so we were awarded our second Green Flag on Wednesday, May 28th 2008 at a ceremony in the Lifetime Lab in Cork.
Due to the building works in our school the official raising of this flag was delayed until Wednesday, May 13th 2008. Two retired teachers Mrs Bourke and Mrs. Bowles performed the honours.
And now we turn our attentions to the third theme of the Green Schools Programme - water. The committee are also anxious to keep up efforts on both themes already explored.
The present Green Schools Committee is as follows; Angela Butler, Maria Carrie, Olivia Kennedy, Una O'Donnell, Bryan Hallissey, Nicole English, Allanagh Russell, Áine Stokes, Daniel English.
All ideas and suggestions are welcome by contacting any committee member in the school.
In an attempt to raise interest on the water theme the Green Schools committee recently organised a Water logo competition, where pupils were asked to design and name a water drip. The winners were choosen in February 2010 and are pictures below with committee members.
We would like to draw your attention to a very useful website http://www.greenhome.ie/ which extends the Green Schools programme into pupils homes. By registering, you can complete a survey to find out how "green " your home is. You can download action plans which include simple steps that your household can take to reduce household bills while lessening your impact on the environment. You can also share information and post queries.
Here are some interesting facts & figures about water:
1. 99% of the world’s water cannot be used because it is either saline (i.e. salt water) or is locked up in glaciers and ice sheets.
2. Most of the remaining water is present in rocks as groundwater (approx. 0.6%), while just over 0.3% is present in rivers and lakes.
3. Rapid expansion in urban populations has resulted in increased pressure on Local Authority waste water treatment facilities and, in many instances, the inability to cope with the increasing volumes of waste generated.
4. A tap dripping once a second wastes about 10,000 litres of water a year.
5. A hosepipe or sprinkler can use 1,000 litres (or 1 tonne) of water per hour. This is as much as a family of four would normally use in two days!
6. Our own bodies are two thirds water and our brains are at least 85% water!
7. A person can survive a month without food, but can only survive 5 or 6 days without water.
8. A powershower uses almost 125 litres of water in 5 minutes. That's a massive 250 litres in 10 minutes!
9.Shortage of water could lead to major political conflicts around the world.Over 20 countries depend on the flow of water from other countries for their water supply e.g. Ethiopia.
10. The World Bank estimates that by 2025 1.4billion people in 48 countries may experience water stress or scarcity.
Water Saving Tips
Don't let the tap run while brushing your teeth.
Leaky taps waste water - get it fixed.
Use a bucket and sponge to wash the car instead of a hose.
Use a watering can to water plants instead of a hose.
Avoid ornamental water features such as fountains unless they use recyled water.
Install a toilet displacement device to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush.
Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it. Use it to water your indoor plants or garden.
Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded
Take showers in preference to a bath (a bath use an average of 80 litres of water whereas the average shower uses only 30 litres)
Don't boil a full kettle when all you need is one or two cups!
Try to do one thing each day that will result in saving water. Every drop counts!
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For more information on saving water see:
http://www.lcc.ie/Water_Services/Water_Conservation/Water_Tips.htm
For further information visit:
http://www.greenschoolsireland.org/
