Sweden's 15 environmental quality objectives were adopted by the Parliament in 1999. They define the state of environment which environmental policy aims to achieve and provide a coherent framework for environmental programmes and initiatives at national, regional and local level.
The schools play an important role in achieving these objectives and the Eco-Schools programme is a perfect tool for working with them. The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation has therefore received funds from The Environmental Objectives Council to carrying out 50 occasions of teacher training. The aim is to inspire schools to become members of the Eco-School programme and to give them information about the objectives and how the program can become a tool for working with them. The funds should also cover information and inspiration on the theme at our website. We have for example developed concrete suggestions in how the schools could work with the objectives.

The Environmental Objectives Portal is a gateway to information about Sweden's environmental objectives and progress towards achieving them. www.miljomal.nu/english/english.php

(August 2005)

   
This year the Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation will be carrying out a project that involves all counties in Sweden. It is an effort to reach educators in schools for children with special needs. The project aims to inspire the schools to become members of the Eco-Schools programme and give them further education on environmental issues. The Foundation have a wish that the Swedish schools will make contacts with similar schools on an international level. The project is financed by the Swedish governmental foundation "Allmäna Arvsfonden" and will not be a cost for the schools themselves. In Sweden there are more than 900 schools for children with special needs.
   
The Eco-Schools programme in Sweden has been coordinated by the Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation since 1996. The Foundation is a creator of public opinion that focuses on environmental issues, promotes recycling and combats litter through public awareness campaigns, awards and environmental education. The Foundation strives to influence people's attitudes and behaviour in order to encourage a sustainable environmental development.
   
Note: Schools for children with special needs are schools for children with learning disabilities. These cover schools at the compulsory and, upper secondary level, training schools and municipal adult education.

(April 2005)

International Eco-Schools Conference in Gothenburg

   
The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation held an international Eco School Conference on the issue of marine littering, on 16-17 March in Gothenburg in Sweden. Teachers and representatives from Eco schools in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, United Kingdom and the Netherlands participated in the conference to learn more about marine littering in the North Sea. For two days, lectures were combined with workshops and field trips.   Sergio Santos, the Eco School project manager, and marine biologist Karen Hall from the Shetland Islands were among those who held lectures. The teachers also put together suggestions for lessons that will involve the schools in the Save the North Sea project.
   
The campaign works to reduce marine littering
Hanna Hedenius, communication manager of the Save the North Sea project, gave a presentation of the project and the problems related to marine littering. More than 20000 tons of litter is thrown into the North Sea every year. The most common types of litter are plastic objects. Save the North Sea focuses on marine littering which is one of the major problems of the North Sea region. The aim of the project is to contribute to a sustainable development in the North Sea, by influencing and changing the attitudes and behavior among the target groups whocontribute to the litter situation. Save the North Sea is a EU-project, run by Keep Sweden Tidy between May 2002 and December 2004.

   
Research on marine littering
The marine biologist Karen Hall lives on the Shetland Islands and works at the Scottish Natural Heritage. She has been doing research on marine littering and its effects on society, nature and wildlife. Marine littering has an enormous impact on the local economy as well as on tourism, but also has a negative effect on nature and the marine environment. Karen’s research results from 1998 show that only the costs for cleaning the shores around the North Sea (UK, Channel Isles, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden), amount to GBP 2,913,795.
   
European project manager for Eco Schools
Sergio Santos is the international project manager for the 27 participating countries in the Eco Schools network. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is a co-operation body for environmental organizations in various countries. FEE runs the international project Eco Schools, as well as the Blue Flag environmental award for beaches and marinas, Learning about the forest and Young Reporters, where high school students communicate about environmental issues over the Internet. Eco Schools started as a PILOT project in Denmark 1991. This year, 14 000 schools are expected to participate in the project. Of these, 3 500 will receive the Eco School environmental award.
   
Eco schools in the different countries
Catrin Aleby, communication officer for Eco Schools in Sweden, presented the five different themes that schools in Sweden may choose to work with: Eco-cycle, water, energy, forest and health and wellbeing. Students and personnel together form an environmental council who decide on five specific environmental goals within one of these themes. Today there are 1 090 participating Swedish schools. 761 of these have so far been rewarded with the green flag. In Sweden, Eco Schools is part of the Ministry of the Environment and Statistics Sweden’s indicators of a sustainable development, together with the certificates ISO 14001 and EMAS (for companies).
Communication officer Jamie Pearson described how schools in Scotland and the Shetland Islands work with environmental issues. There are three levels of awards; bronze, silver and then the first, second and third green flag. After that the school will receive a permanent Eco Schools award. Today there are 236 schools that have received bronze and 84 silver. 74 schools have received the first flag, 15 the second flag and 6 the third flag. 3 schools have received the permanent flag. The schools may choose from seven themes: energy, health and wellbeing, litter, school grounds/biodiversity, waste minimisation and transport and water.
Eigil Larsen from the Friluftsraadet in Denmark presented the Danish Eco School. Today there are 200 schools in the network. Of these there are 60 schools that have been awarded with the green flag. In Denmark, the schools may choose to work with the themes: water, energy, waste, nature or environmental certificates.
   

Field trip in Sweden’s largest science center
The conference participants had the opportunity to visit Universeum, which is the largest Swedish science center for exploring science and technology. On a guided tour they were able to learn more about the circulation of water through the Swedish nature, and about how plants, animals and humans have lived and live today in the Swedish landscape. Universeum also features the world’s largest water system circulating through different aquariums with cold, warm, salt and sweet water. In the aquarium hall the participants had the opportunity to see sharks and manta rays at near range. In one of the rooms the atmosphere was warm and humid, similar to that in a real rainforest, with the sounds of birds and toads.
   
Working with marine littering
The participants discussed how the issue of marine littering could be linked to the current Eco School themes. They also discussed how schools in the North Sea countries could cooperate around the issue of marine littering. The international system of bar codes facilitates the identification of the origin of litter. Many of the participants took an active interest in this issue. All ideas that came up during the conference are available on www.savethenorthsea.com
   
Celebrate the World Environmental Day on 5 June
This year United Environmental Programme (UNEP) has appointed “the world’s seas and oceans” as this year’s theme. The topic for the World Environmental Day on 5 June is: “Wanted Seas and Oceans - Dead or Alive?” The teachers discussed on how to celebrate this day, linked to the issue of marine littering. A compilation of ideas for activities and of lessons on this day is available on www.savethenorthsea.com

   
Every year 20 000 tons of marine litter, mainly plastics, are dispersed in the North Sea. Trash abandoned or thrown overboard does not sink - it simply washes up somewhere else! Marine debris harms sea birds and other animal life through entanglement or ingestion of plastics. It also has a very damaging effect on the environment on our beaches and the sea. Thousands of bags are every year filled with marine litter found on the beaches and coastlines of the North Sea. Marine litter has become one of the worst environmental issues in this area, but is also one of the few solvable problems. The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation has started a 3 year EU project, Save the North Sea, aimed at changing the attitudes and behaviour among those who use the area both on a commercially basis and for recreation. Project activities will be carried out in all the seven countries in the North Sea region together with partners from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and UK.
   
On March 16-17, an international Eco-Schools conference for teachers takes place in Gothenburg to discuss the issue of marine litter. The teachers will discuss the issue of marine litter and how the Eco-Schools can be involved in the Save the North Sea Project. Participants from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and United Kingdom are invited to the conference. Guest speakers at the conference are Ms Karen Hall, marine litter expert, UK and Mr Sergio Santos, International coordinator for the Eco-School project, Portugal.

(February 2004)

International Seminar in Lund

   
The "Green Schools Seminar" will be held in the city of Lund, Sweden, on 2 December and is organised by the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) of Lund University. This event will bring representatives from various countries in Europe as well as China to discuss the issue of Environmental Education in Sustainable Development, the Young Masters Programme (YMP) in China developed by IIIEE, and the prospect for cooperation between Chinese and European "Green" schools. Green Schools is the name for Eco-Schools in Sweden and some other countries. In addition to key speakers from the IIIEE, Lund University and the YMP programme, the Vice President of FEE and Eco-Schools International Coordinator, as well as representatives of Municipal specialists in environmental affairs, the seminar counts on a strong delegation of representatives from China. Participants represent the Centre for Environmental Education and Communications (CEEC) of the Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), several Provincial Environmental Protection Administrations, County Governors, and Teachers and Principals from various elementary and middle schools. The Chinese Green Schools programme, modelled around the European Eco-Schools programme, today involves about 13,000 schools in China. There is much interest in fostering ties between schools in China and European countries. This seminar will look at the potential and opportunities for supporting these ties. During their trip to Europe, the Chinese delegation will visit Green Schools (Eco- Schools) in Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

(November 2003)

Eco-Schools Conference in Hunnebostrand

   
On May 11^th-13^th, 32 young students (ages 11-14) and 18 teachers from Denmark, Norway and Sweden met in Hunnebostrand, on the west coast of Sweden, for a conference about marine litter in the North Sea. The conference was organized by the Keep Sweden Foundation and the Foundation’s EU-project “Save the North Sea”. Project Manager for the Save the North Sea project gave a presentation on how marine litter affects marine mammals, birds and fish. Per-Olov Ottosson, Education Manager at Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation explained the work of the Foundation and its work with the Eco-Schools network.
   
What can we do to reduce marine litter?
After an introduction of why marine litter is a problem the students and teachers worked in separate groups. The students listened to Per-Joel Andersson who works with the annual beach clean-ups in the municipality of Sotenäs. They learned about the currents bringing the litter ashore on beaches and coastline, and also what kind of litter that can be found. The presentations were followed by workshops where the students had a chance to get to know each other better and then talk about how they can influence others. The workshops also focused on what the schools can do to reduce marine litter both internationally and nationally.
   
International guest speakers
The teachers had the chance to meet Rosita Runegrund, member of the Swedish Parliament. Rosita Runegrund has raised the question of marine litter in the Parliament and talked about her current work with marine litter. This was followed by a talk by Sergio Santos, International Coordinator for Eco- Schools. The presentation focused on the international perspectives of Eco-Schools and the benefits of the international dimension. The teachers also had time for workshops focusing on how they can work with marine litter as a topic within the Eco-School network.
   
The sea and the underwater adventures of Captain Nemo
The whole group also visited the drama exhibition ”The Sea and underwater adventures of Captain Nemo” The theme of the exhibition is inspired by the book of Jules Verne. The exhibition is divided into a drama exhibition and a water experiment section. In the drama section, the visitors enter the fantasy world of Captain Nemo. Curled up on a comfortable jellyfish the group listened to the exciting stories of the mermaid and explored the underwater ship. “Captain Nemo”
   
Facts about the “Save the North Sea” project
Every year 20 000 tonnes of marine litter is dumped in the North Sea. The aim of Save the North Sea project is changing the attitudes and behaviour towards marine litter. It is a joint effort between organizations, companies, authorities and institutes in Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and the UK.
   
Read more about the conference and Save the North Sea project www.savethenorthsea.com

   
In Sweden, the Green Flag (“Grön Flagg” is the name for the Eco-Schools programme in this country) is considered one of the formal indicators for sustainable development. In the report from the Ministry of the Environment, the number of schools awarded with the Eco-Schools Green Flag is identified along with EMAS and ISO 14001 certifications as indicators of trends towards a more sustainable society. Beyond the usual requirements for achieving the Green Flag award, Swedish Eco-Schools are able to apply for the distinction “Environmental School of Honour”, which signifies that the school has integrated the environment in all their subjects. See the full report on the following official website (pp 30-31): http://www.scb.se/eng/omscb/eu/e%5Feu9.asp

(August 2001)