2005 Eco-Schools News

   
Introduction from the Eco-Schools Coordination:
With Sustainable Energy and Transport issues being very important to Eco-Schools, the Coordination has been building key partnerships to provide information, initiatives and other resources to schools on these themes. The “Kids Corner” online resource is part of the European Commission´s “ManagEnergy” initiative, specially aimed at providing information on energy and related issues to school communities in many different countries, in many different languages.
The Eco-Schools International Coordinator was invited to be a Member of the Advisory Group for the “Kids Corner” initiative to contribute to make it a relevant and interesting for Eco-Schools. Recently, a key-note presentation was made on Energy Education and Eco-Schools, at the 1st Annual Sustainable Energy Conference in Brussels, Belgium, organised by the EC Directorate-General for Energy. You can find out all about the conference, including see the presentations and documentation, from the following link: www.managenergy.tv/me_portal/mst/1116/index.html
We think this resource brings positive energy to Eco-Schools' project-work – have a try!

The ManagEnergy KidsCorner is now available online at: www.managenergy.net/kidscorner/ or via the direct link www.learn-energy.net
It features energy and transport pages aimed at 7-11 year olds, 11-15 year olds and their teachers.
This new service was pre-launched on 28 November 2005 in English and French for consultation with local actors and educators/teachers. Contributions and suggestions will be implemented over the coming months in order to publish an updated version at the ManagEnergy Conference in February.
The new website will eventually be available in all 20 official EU languages, and will include a portal with hundreds of links to online energy education resources in all Member States. It will include energy-related educational materials in all twenty native languages. However, we need your help to make sure we include as many links as possible to pages in your language and in your country.
To submit links, simply complete the online form at: www.managenergy.net/kidscorner/addasite.html
These will be added to the database, covering renewable energy, energy efficiency and transport. As an indication of possible areas of interest, this already includes links to sites providing information on experiments, hands-on activities (games, animations, quizzes), lesson plans, books, CD-ROMs and videos, as well as teaching material and lesson plans. It also covers places of interest such as museums, visitor centres, mobile exhibitions, photo galleries, information centres and on-line forums.
We would be delighted to add or link to any information for children that you may already have available in your language. To acknowledge your support we are happy to include the logo of your organisation and/or the publishing organisation together with the link to the website. Again, information can be submitted by e-mail as an attachment to KidsCorner@managenergy.net
These new ManagEnergy schools web pages will be heavily promoted to municipalities, teaching organisations and publications across Europe, as well as through the ManagEnergy website (which now receives over 20,000 visitors per week).
So, this is a great opportunity to promote your educational activities - and help us create Europe's leading database on energy education on the web. We look forward to hearing from you.
   
For more information visit the website: www.learn-energy.net

   
The winter months can be a wonderful time of year. People of all faiths get together with their families to celebrate important dates in their religious calendar, exchange presents and enjoy good food. Our towns and cities look lovely with their colourful lights and our trees and lochs have a special kind of beauty when the snow and frost come!
This time of year is also, however, a time for people to think about what they've achieved over the past year and to make plans for the next. If you're stuck for ideas for a New Year's resolution, why not think about ways in which you can be more eco-friendly? There's no time like the present (no pun intended!), so why not start by having an ecofriendly Christmas and New Year?
We hope these ideas provide some inspiration to get you started and please do let us know of any other wasteminimisation ideas you come up with.
   
Just say no!
We all know the three 'Rs' to help us reduce the amount of waste we generate -Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - but we'd like to introduce a fourth 'R' which is particularly appropriate at this time of year! The fourth 'R' is Refuse!
– Refuse to buy gifts and food items that are over-packaged. Packaging creates huge amounts of waste but manufacturers will soon get the idea if we refuse to buy products because of the amount of packaging they come in!
– Refuse carrier bags when you can. Don't take a carrier bag every time you're offered one. Put a couple of spare bags in your pockets before you go shopping. Better still; why not invest in a carrier bag made from natural materials such as cotton?
– Refuse to buy food that has travelled thousands of miles. Much of our food is flown into the country from around the world. Can you imagine how many aeroplanes are needed to do this? That's a lot of air pollution! Why not see if you can get food that's produced locally? It's fresher, usually cheaper, better for the environment and you'll be supporting local producers and businesses.
   
Eco-friendly Christmas ideas...
– Cards...
Send e-cards!
Make your own cards from junk materials.
Recycle your cards. If you are sending new cards, make sure they’re made from recycled paper.
– Christmas trees...
Buy a ‘living’ Christmas tree in a pot! You can reuse it every year until it gets too big then plant it in your garden or school grounds. Try to source a tree that’s been grown locally.
Make your own ‘tree’ out of junk materials! Why not have a competition to see whose is best?
– Decorations and wrapping...
Save up scraps of coloured paper and card (from paper pads, cereal boxes) throughout the year to make your own decorations. Draw different shapes on the card (eg stars, trees, snowmen).
Buy re-useable gift bags.
You can make your own wrapping paper from junk materials or coloured paper scraps.
Save the wrapping paper your gifts come in and use it again next year.
– Responsible Shopping...
Buy recycled goods wherever possible.
Buy products with natural ingredients. Cosmetics can be full of artificial chemicals that build up in the body and can affect the hormonal system.
If you buy electrical goods as presents, look for items that run off mains electricity rather than batteries. Toys that wind up or use recharge-able batteries are also a good idea.
– Look after yourself and others...
Remember to donate any unwanted gifts to a charity.
Give a goat... a well... or a toilet! The money you donate will go towards helping communities in the developing world.
Adopt an animal such as a turtle or dolphin or even a tree.
Give Your Time - why not offer to do the washing up every night, take someone’s dog for a walk once a week or work in their garden instead of giving a present?
A Cool Yule to one and all!
   
For more information: Ms Kirsten Leask (kirsten.leask@ksbscotland.org.uk), Eco-Schools information officer, Keep Scotland Beautiful (Scotland)

   
The Executive Board of the Foundation for Environmental Education, the non governmental, not for profit organization responsible for programmes such as Eco-Schools, Blue Flag and Young Reporters for the Environment, has met in Portugal from 14 to 17 of October.
Organised by the Eco-Schools International Coordination, which is based at the ABAE/FEE Portugal office, this was the last meeting of the Board in 2005.
It included a very kind reception by the Director of the British Council in Lisbon, and the formal meeting of the Board, at the Jacques Delors European Information Centre, in the Cultural Centre of Belém by invitation of its Director. On Sunday 16 October, there was the "Sintra Summit", where the Board was discussing many strategic issues relative to the Internationalization process of FEE. This "Summit" was held in the Seteais palace, which is now elegantly restored to a Hotel, set in the Sintra National Park, a UNESCO heritage site. Only 40 km from Lisbon, but close to mountains, forest and ocean, it was an ideal site to find inspiration for the hard work.
FEE also runs the "Learning about Forests" and "Green Key" programmes. The Executive Board usually meets four times per year, and its members are elected every two years. Find out more about FEE, including the composition of the Executive Board, at www.fee-international.org
The Eco-Schools International Coordination is grateful to the Director of the British Council in Portugal, Rosemary Hilhorst, OBE, and the Director of the Jacques Delors European Information Centre, Margarida Cardoso, for contributing to the hosting of the FEE Executive Board meeting in Portugal.

   
FEE, the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe, through the International Eco-Schools Programme, has established a partnership with Toyota Motor Europe, which includes support to a specific new project initiative - "Environment and Innovation: a project to promote innovation in schools´ environmental problem-solving". This support comes from the Toyota Fund for Europe, established in 2002 to contribute to initiatives in the fields of road safety, environment and engineering education.
   
About Toyota Motor Europe
Toyota Motor Corporation is one of the leading automobile manufacturers worldwide, including in Europe where it has 8 manufacturing plants and about 56,000 employees. Known also for the reliability and customer satisfaction of its vehicles, Toyota is a world leader in the research and development of advanced automobile technology, and has created innovative award-winning engines using environmental technologies, as is the case with the Hybrid engine used in the Prius car, which has less environmental impact than conventional cars. This drive for cleaner-running car underpins its campaign, "Aim: Zero Emissions". Toyota is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
For Toyota Motor Europe´s Enviornment Brochure 2005, or European Environment Report 2003 and Update 2004, go to: www.toyota-europe.com/innovation/environment
   
About the Partnership with FEE / Eco-Schools
The grant from the Toyota Fund for Europe will be used mainly to develop the initiative, "Environment and Innovation: a project to promote innovation in schools´ environmental problem-solving". The theme for 2005-2006 is: "Sustainable Mobility - your school, your community". The aim is to involve schools in working in partnership with other agents, such as with municipalities, to implement concrete, specific improvements in the field of Mobility around their school.
The project, which is being developed and will be launched in the coming weeks, includes the awarding of "implementation grants" to schools, if necessary, to help them carry out their projects. The "Environment and Innovation" project will be first piloted in a select few countries. More detailed information on the project will be communicated in next month´s newsletter, and on the website: www.eco-schools.org/innovation

   
On the 30th September 2005, Oliveira de Azeméis' municipality and its Eco-Schools received 2500 representatives of schools and local authorities from the whole country for the Green Flag Awarding Ceremony. Most of them were children and youth that joined to get their schools' Green Flag, at Dr Salvador Machado Sport Pavilion.
In this event were developed several activities, such as exhibitions, games, ateliers and visits throughout the city. In this ceremony there was also some outdoor activities related to the biannual Eco-Schools theme Sustainable Mobility/Transports:
- Bike rally paper - organised by the Portuguese Road Prevention;
- Grand Prix racing - the first Eco-Schools "Father Himalaya" solar race, which was coordinated by Father Himalaya Solar Energy Contest/ Portuguese Solar Energy Society/ Live Science.
In the afternoon, some entertaining presentations were made by students, followed by the Green Flag Awarding Ceremony to 318 Eco-Schools from 110 municipalities actively involved in the programme in 2004/2005.
   
For more information: Ms Margarida Gomes(ecoescolas@abae.pt), Eco-Schools national coordinator, Associção Bandeira Azul da Europa (Portugal)

   
From 23 to 25 September 2005, the Slovene Eco-Schools coordinator-teachers met in Bohinj, a little town in Gorenjska region, at the Outdoor Youth Hostel Bohinj. We hosted over 70 participants, including coordinator-teachers from primary and secondary schools, kindergartens and Outdoor Centres, who make sure that the programme "Eco-Schools as a Way of Life" runs smoothly in our country.
This meeting differed from previous years' meetings, because most of the time was spent outdoors, in the midst of nature. The workshop "The Integral Perception of the Forest" presented the mysteries of forests to schools that are implementing the forest theme. The key aim of the workshop, which included indoor and outdoor activities, was to promote children's forest education. The lecturer presented the natural and social characteristics of Slovene woodlands as well as ways of recognizing and "feeling" the forests. Afterwards, we visited the nearest wooded area and found out various methods of forest perception. At the excursion to the Mostnica Canyon the member of The Tourist Association Bohinj told us the story of Hudicev most (The Devil's Bridge). The coordinators also visited Vogel Mountain, where they saw the Orlove glave (Eagle's Heads).
The most important objective of the meeting was to present Eco-Schools activities and discuss "The School's Work Plan" in 2005/2006. We spoke about public relations and current problems, answered to some questions, noted suggestions and remarks. More information at www.ekosola.si
   
For more information: Ms Nada Pavšer (info@ekosola.si), Eco-Schools national coordinator, DOVES - Društvo za Okoljevarstveno Vzgojo v Sloveniji (Slovenia)

   
The Finnish Association for Environmental Education, the Eco-Schools coordinating organisation in Finland, had the honour to host Sérgio Santos and FEE president Jan Eriksen from 21 to 23 September. Since our organisation is not a member of FEE, this was an important opportunity for us to learn more about FEE and to make our work known. As a result of intense and constructive debates, we received important feed-back, advice and support on how to develop the program further.
Sérgio and Jan also met some representatives of the Ministry of Education, demonstrating the international character and potential of the programme. The Finnish government is presently building the national strategy on Sustainable Development promotion to all sectors of the society, and the specific policy on Education for Sustainable Development is now underway. Thus, this meeting was tactically important to us, and we are very pleased having had that support from FEE and the Eco-Schools International Coordination.
And, of course, Jan and Sérgio had to visit some Eco-Schools. Lauttasaari Comprehensive School in Helsinki is a new Eco-School, having attained the green flag once so far, but has already reached great results in their waste project. Kevatkumpu Comprehensive School in Porvoo, a small town on the South coast, has been doing impressive work for many years.
   
For more information: Ms Heli-Maija Asikainen (heli-maija.asikainen@ymparistokasvatus.fi), Eco-Schools national coordinator, The Finnish Association for Environmental Education (Finland)

   
Pupils from Inveraray Primary School today showed Rhona Brankin, the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, that learning outdoors can be fun as she took part in a game using birds, worms and insects to teach maths. The Deputy Minister visited the school to launch the new Eco Schools Scotland Biodiversity Module, which encourages schools to investigate the diversity of life on the planet at both a local and global level.
Joining pupils outdoors for their maths lesson, Rhona Brankin said: "It is vital that both children and adults are aware of the impact their actions can have on the environment. The Eco Schools programme makes an important contribution to achieving this awareness by encouraging young people to learn about and improve their environment and to live in a more sustainable way. The new Biodiversity module of the Eco Schools Handbook will enable pupils to learn about the environment in a way that is fun and interesting. Educating young people now about their impact on the environment is crucial to the preservation of biodiversity in future years."
Kate Campbell, Manager of Eco Schools Scotland, added: "We are delighted to launch this new Biodiversity Module as an addition to the existing seven Eco Schools environmental topics and we thank the Scottish Executive for its support and funding. It is vital that our young people value and appreciate the environment in which they live in as they are its custodians for the future. We hope that the new module will prove interesting and fun for all those who take this new topic onboard. We are looking forward to working with local authorities and teachers over the coming months to develop and implement some exciting, new CPD opportunities linked to the new module.”
For more information on the Eco Schools Scotland programme log on to: www.ecoschoolsscotland.org
   
For more information: Ms Kirsten Leask (kirsten.leask@ksbscotland.org.uk), Eco-Schools information officer, Keep Scotland Beautiful (Scotland)

   
The Volvo Adventure is a challenge for young people in Eco-Schools. Can your school provide the next winner of the awards? Can your group show the adults the way forward with their projects and actions?
Take this year's winners of eco-active people in South Africa: Ladysmith Enviro Club, who carried out a project entitled "Electrical Efficiency from Our Town". The team's five members worked to increase the use of low-energy bulbs and thus reduced energy consumption and emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. The eco-focused 16-year-olds had replaced more than 4000 bulbs with low-energy variants in households, schools and bed & breakfasts in the town of Ladysmith. According to the group's own calculations, the low-energy bulbs have reduced energy consumption by about 1,584,000 kWh. The group also planted trees to increase carbon dioxide absorption and thus reduce the global greenhouse effect. In addition, the project promoted partnerships with other pro-environmental organisations, companies and schools with the aim of marketing an ecologically sustainable lifestyle.
   
Now we are looking for the 2006 winners - could it be your group? All you have to do is register and enter your project now by visiting www.volvoadventure.org and the adventure can begin. The Award is run by Volvo Cars and Volvo AB in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to support existing environmental action taken by young people and to help young people start new projects. The web site offers lists of practical projects from previous years, along with project planning resources and introductions to environmental issues for teachers, youth groups, community groups and young people.
By registering, you have the opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the final in Sweden, a chance to take part in our forums to explore current environmental issues and the chance of a financial reward that could make it possible to run, improve or enhance their project. For young people it could be an adventure that offers a chance to make new friends all over the world, attract international attention and recognition for their project. All of the projects are presented to UNEP as examples of action taken to improve the environment.
   
Who can enter?
Anyone working on a practical environmental project aged between 10 and 16 years of age can enter for the Award. They need to be working in groups of two to five people and actively involved in devising and managing the project.
Why not enter your own project? The aim is that you should be able to run it as a school or community project and present your ideas on the Internet.
   
Start on the website
What do you need to do to get started? Go to the Volvo Adventure website - www.volvoadventure.org. There you will find everything you need to register your project. You will then receive a start-up package with instructions on how to proceed. We look forward to seeing your network's projects! Good luck.
   
For more information visit www.volvoadventure.org

   
The Greenheart Project team is pleased to announce the "Green Power" Poster, Postcard and Flash Design Contest for 2005-2006. This contest gives students of all ages from around the world the opportunity to take part in a project making positive changes on a global scale and helping this new project to grow. We want you to show the world your vision for a sustainable future, sharing with us the ideals of a healthy world at peace, giving opportunity to all.
Send us your original designs for posters, postcards and flash webpages based on the theme of "Green Power". Some key concepts to keep in mind are our focus on: zero-emissions sea transport, fair trade, poverty alleviation, skills sharing, and technology transfer. The deadline for entries is January 31, 2006 and winners will be notified by March 31.
   
The Greenheart Project
Create a self-funding enterprise that uses environmentally clean and sustainable sail and solar power to provide free delivery of development aid and relief supplies to needy countries around the world. Promote fair trade, renewable energy and international cooperation. Develop a tool to help impoverished coastal communities improve their standards of living, while preserving their traditions and protecting the environment. The entire Greenheart Project will be based at sea on board a unique solar and wind powered sailing ship. This vessel, completely independent of fossil fuels, will sail continuously around the world visiting both developed and developing countries on a multiple mission of Aid, Promotion, Trade and Education.
   
For more information visit www.greenheartproject.org

   
The new Eco-Schools Linking and Itinerary System is now online and ready for action! A search engine will help schools find a match and start "linking". All Eco-Schools are invited to register and contribute, taking this chance to share their strengths, learn from the achievements of others and connect with other schools.
   
The Linking and Itinerary system offers the possibility to meet a community of schools from all over the world, where teachers and students show their work and share it with others online. It aims at providing an "Itinerary" where schools can visit each other virtually, and understand their characteristics within their regional contexts, motivating young people to learn about each other and their culture.
Through a search engine, the "Linking" can also be used to identify Eco-Schools with similar interests, within their own community or in another continent, to exchange ideas, work together on projects, establish “twin schools”, or just make new friends and pen-pals.
Although the search engine can be used by anyone, there are many benefits for registered schools: they become part of the Eco-Schools Linking database, the only ones which can actually create their own school file; they can find a partner school on the search engine; they can establish contact with the partner(s) found. In a word, they become part of the Linking community!
   
Why should a school get involved and register?
Getting involved can bring many benefits for schools:
- allow students and teachers to reach countries from all over the World and explore what otherwise would not be possible
- exchange project and education ideas with other schools, enriching your teaching experiences, comparing and applying different approaches
- present your school environmental educational example to the local community and many others at international level
- enhance the knowledge of foreign languages and cultural awareness
- increase the awareness of a particular issue by cooperating with another school on a full scale basis...
   
How can an Eco-School register on the Linking system?
The first step to participate in the linking system is the pre-registration at www.eco-schools.net Click on 'school pre-registration' and fill in the contact information fields. Your school information will then be validated by the Eco-Schools National Coordinator, who will contact you providing a username and password to login into the system. Once you receive this data, you can log in and complete your school registration form. Some information will be asked for, including school details, experience in the Eco-Schools Programme, Linking preferences, and your region 'Itinerary'. You can also upload pictures of your school.
   
Where and how can schools find partners for Linking?
Using the search engine, you can refine the search by including specific parameters, like country, language, age of students, focus themes, school projects, etc. The system will propose a list of schools matching your preferences. Once schools are found on the system, they can contact each other; and when they are sure they share the same interests they may decide to get in touch. The usefulness and fun of this project depends on each school´s imagination, motivation and interest.
   
What can Eco-Schools do in a linking project?
Before registering in this project, it is a good idea to first discuss and identify (within the Eco-Committee) the aims and objectives of linking with other schools. It is up to each school to consider good ideas for making their link with other schools useful and exciting. The Linking and Itinerary system provides a mechanism for putting schools in contact with each other, based on information they provide about themselves and their interests; but the success of the Linking is up to the schools themselves. Below are only a few examples of what schools can do:
- work with other schools in your community to solve a problem
- find out what environmental challenges other schools are facing, and how they are solving them
- find out information about environment issues in other regions of the world; what is being done, and how can you help
- work together on specific projects, perhaps on a international basis
- establish teacher/students exchanges
- simply make friends with young people and teachers in your own country or in other parts of the world, etc!
   
For more information visit www.eco-schools.net and/or contact your Eco-Schools National Coordinator, or the International Coordination (linking@eco-schools.org)

   
As is the case each year, the Eco-Schools International Coordination compiles interesting facts and information from each of the 37 countries so far participating in, or preparing to pilot, the programme.
Confirming the success of the programme as an instrument for education and action, for people of different ages, in the widest range of national and regional contexts, we are very pleased to see and share the following information with you…
By the end of the 2004/2005 school year, there were about 14 300 schools registered and participating in the programme, of which about 4 200 have received the Green Flag certification. Over 1 600 Local Authorities from around Europe and the world had signed up with Eco-Schools National Coordinators to support the schools in their jurisdictions with their work in education for sustainable development. On the basis of estimates by Eco-Schools National Coordinators, there were over 254 000 teachers involved in the participating schools, and 4.5 million students! Teacher seminars and training sessions run in all the different countries benefited more than 16 000 participants, mostly teachers and representatives of municipalities and local education authorities.

   
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. http://www.miljomal.nu/english/english.php
   
For more information: Anna Normann (anna.normann@hsr.se), The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation,
Tel: +46 8 505 263 46, Fax: +46 8 505 263 01

   
A Sustainable Development in Education conference was held in Stirling, Scotland at the beginning of June to celebrate the launch of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. During the conference, Peter Peacock, the Scottish Executive Minister for Education and Young People, reiterated the Scottish Executive's commitment and support for the Eco Schools programme in Scotland by stating that the Eco Schools programme was 'A fantastic programme, doing truly wonderful things'. Mr Peacock then went on to say that: 'At present 65% of schools - around 1,950 - are registered Eco Schools. This is good, but not good enough. We are actively working towards having 80% of all schools registered on the Eco Schools Programme by January 2008.'
We're delighted to announce that since the minister's speech, another 70 Schools have signed up to the Eco Schools programme here in Scotland.This means that we now have over 2,000 schools registered on the Scottish Eco Schools programme.
We also recently celebrated another 'milestone' with the award of our 200th Green Flag. Fir Park School in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, a special school for pupils aged 3-18, became the 200th Scottish School to be awarded its Green Flag. We're delighted by the school's success, which further demonstrates that the Eco Schools programme is a truly inclusive initiative suitable for pupils of all ages and abilities. This fantastic achievement recognises the hard work and determination of pupils towards implementing a more sustainable way of life and our assessors were very impressed by the way in which pupils and staff had integrated eco activities into their curriculum. Pupils were working on 'enterprise' projects which involved selling notepads and greetings cards crafted from their own hand-made paper and have set up their own eco website. They had also started a healthy-eating tuckshop serving a variety of fruit and healthy snacks and the whole building was filled with posters and photographs depicting the school's commitment to the Eco Schools programme.
We're now into the new school term and with 27 Green Flag assessments already in our diaries, it may not be too long before we're celebrating the award of our 300th Green Flag. Watch this space…!
   
For more information on the Eco Schools programme in Scotland, log on to http://www.ecoschoolsscotland.org
To see the Fir Park Eco Site, log on to http://firparkeco.freewebpage.org/index.html
The Scottish Executive are fully committed to and fund the Eco Schools programme in Scotland: (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2005/01/19165201
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/921/0013242.doc)
   
For more information: Ms Kirsten Leask (kirsten.leask@ksbscotland.org.uk), Eco-Schools information officer, Keep Scotland Beautiful (Scotland)

   
The "Eco-Schools" project in Greece continues to grow every year, with more schools participating and more schools becoming awarded with the Eco-Schools' green flag. Starting 2005-2006, Greek Eco-schools will have the opportunity to widen the scope of their projects since "school grounds", a 4th main theme following "water", "waste" and "energy", is being introduced with its own information leaflet, application, an 82-page book of educational activities and 40x50 poster. All material is beautifully designed and printed in colour.
The National Steering Committee has been working on expanding the educational material of "Eco-Schools" in Greece for the last two years. The members of the Steering Committee concentrated on the school grounds, since it is the place where students and educators spend time daily and they can do so in an environmentally creative way. The 1-year sponsorship by the National Bank of Greece has made possible the production of the educational material and the overall implementation of the new theme for its initial year.
The proposal of the "school grounds" theme is that school teams include the schoolyard as well as other open-air spaces of their school, in their environmental action plan: not only keep them clean and tidy but also upgrade them through a series of initiatives and activities where the students are highly involved. The school teams will explore and map the schoolyard, will define needs, objectives and the means, and then engage in action: selective planting of trees, brush and medicinal plants, building a pond, composting, building nest for the birds, are just some of the options. They will also commission the maintenance and the remodeling of the school grounds, they will budget their activities and will seek financial support from the local community and their municipality.
The educational material includes a 28-page section with the methodology of the "school grounds" theme, destined specifically for educators who will have the opportunity to design their project according to their own specialization and interests, the students' needs and the pedagogical requirement for a safe, healthy, pleasant, useful and well cared-for school environment, suitable for creative learning and environmental education.
   
For more information: Mr Panos Mathioudakis (hspn@hol.gr), Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (Greece)

   
In South Africa funding for some groups of Eco-Schools comes from combining forces with another Environmental Education (EE) programme sponsored by Old Mutual called "Out of the Box". Schools receive a box of apparatus containing compasses, thermometers, a resource file, stopwatches, seeds, tape measures, a variety of measuring instruments, and even a wormery for earthworms! Tjis box greatly assists teachers in developing learning and action projects, which they then report on in their Eco-School portfolios.
During 2005 there are 40 Eco-Schools around South Africa working with Out of the Box kits. Small groups of schools are supported by 6 co-ordinators. One of the groups is based in the KwaZulu/Natal Midlands and their co-ordinators combine tourism initiatives (the area is well-known for its Midlands Meander Association of craft shops and country restaurants and hotels) with environmental education support, and also receive funding from a nearby toll road that runs through the area (the N3 Toll Road Concession Company). These partnerships illustrate how the Eco-Schools programme in South Africa works: by combining forces everybody wins!
Co-ordinator for the Midlands Eco-School project, Louine Boothway becomes Bheki-the-Beetle during school visits and Nikki Brighton, co-ordinator of the Midlands Meander Education Project, spreads her wings to assume the role of Bongi-the-Butterfly. Bheki was inspired and initiated by a local principal named Bheki whose shape resembles that of a beetle! Bongi-the-Butterfly represents the endemic Karkloof Blue butterfly which is the symbol of the Midlands Meander Association.
Since the start of the project this year, learners at the seven participating schools in the Midlands have had the opportunity to do hands-on exploration of environmental topics such as water pollution, soil erosion, food webs, endangered bird species, wetlands and many more. The project aims to not only provide teachers with more environmental resources but also to conduct practical fieldwork sessions at the schools to demonstrate techniques useful in encouraging new ways of learning and teaching.
Participating schools have to show improvement in three focus areas of their choice, for example: Resource Management, Health and Safety and School Grounds and Fieldwork. At the end of October the schools are required to submit a portfolio with evidence of improvement in these areas. A successful school will then receive the much-coveted Eco-Schools green flag.
Says Ms Antonia Mkhabela, deputy-principal of Nottingham Road Combined School: "Since our involvement with Eco-Schools I have learnt another approach to teaching. The learners want the lessons to be more practical." Not only has enthusiasm for learning markedly increased, according to Antonia, two learners who were previously branded as "trouble-makers" are now in the process of establishing a craft enterprise to generate an income for the school. Sub-committees consisting of learners working for the improvement of various facets around the school are sparking off a sense of purpose and excitement which is clear even to an outsider.
The beauty of Eco-Schools is the holistic, all-embracing nature of the programme. Educators who have been working for years on various projects to improve their teaching and school environment can now for the first time, claim recognition for their efforts through the Eco-Schools portfolio.
Hopefully a bit of beetle-magic will give wings to these inspired Midlands schools helping them to be successful in this worthy endeavor and greening the Midlands with Eco-Schools flags.
   
For more information: Ms Kim Ward (ecoschools@wessa.co.za) and Ms Louine Boothway, WESSA - Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (South Africa)

   
Energy and Climate change are urgent topics. Every day the news is filled with ending sources and Greenhouse effects. The message is clear, action should be taken. The Kyoto protocol is one step. January 2006 the European Union takes another; the new EPBD (energy performance building directive). Every utility building should have a EPBD certificate. That also includes every school in Europe bigger than 1000 m2. In the Netherlands the Eco-Schools program therefore take energy and climate as starting point for implementation.
Under the name of Check it out! a consortium of four organisations offer products and services to the schools. Ecofys for the technical and management advise on energy. COS Nederland and stichting Oikos guarantee professional support on education and global awareness. SME Advies as national coordinator of Eco-Schools support schools in dissemination of their sustainable awareness and off course the ES certification.
With the EPA-U as background Ecofys advises and support schools about good housekeeping. Some small technical measures and good behaviour easily saves up to 8 or 10 percent on energy. In the Netherlands that's a lot of CO2 and also a lot of money that can be used for sustainable education by COS and Oikos and even a donation to a charity fund for Global projects elsewhere in the world. For the Dutch Eco-Schools coordination it means a guaranteed steady income.
In order to make sure the savings will be used properly for sustainable measures and education, the schools signs a five years contract with the consortium. Within those five years Check it out! make sure the savings are reached and well spend. Within two years the schools lives up to the criteria on good housekeeping, implementation of energy and climate change in the curriculum and the dissemination to local stakeholders. They earn the Green flag and the Bronze certificate. For the Silver certificate the school has to implement waste and water management throughout their school organisation and curriculum. The gold standard can be reached by implementing two sustainable themes at random.
What does the Dutch school get within the 5 year contract:
* An EPA-U advice and official EPA-U certificate
* Annual support on energy housekeeping and management
* Every year: a package of hands on educational materials on energy and climate; support and advice on sustainable education and global awareness; and news about their donation to the charity fund for sustainable project elsewhere in the world
* Every two years an audit and certification by Eco-Schools
* At random sponsorship and support from local governments; and incentives (energy mirrors, solar systems etc.)
Share best practices
We'd like to share our best practices with you all. Therefore Ecofys offers the opportunity to join in a European call for energy management. A good chance to benefit from the implementation of the EPA-U at schools in your country. And as ecofys is expert in benchmarking it can give a extra impulse to the Linking program. Ecofys is a European based organisation with offices throughout Europe.
For more information on check it out! visit www.checkitout.nu
Ecofys and the European call visit www.ecofys.nl or mail g.linthorst@ecofys.nl
   
For more information: Mr Patrick van Lunteren (Lunteren@sme.nl), Eco-Schools National Coordinator, SME MilieuAdviseurs (Netherlands)

   
Gamers all over Europe can now play a pc game and learn about the environment at the same time. The European Environment Agency in Copenhagen has launched the Honoloko pc game in 26 languages. The game is available on the internet and free to use.
Honoloko is designed as a board game. While moving around on an island, the player is continuously asked questions concerning his or her environmental behaviour. Points are awarded depending on the choices made by the player. The game is targeted at the age range 8 to 12. The objective is to raise awareness and promote a change in behaviour.
Earlier this year the EEA launched a multilingual Kids' Zone with environmental information on its website. "In addition to hosting the game ourselves, we are also offering it to environmental bodies and organisations who would like to integrate it as a part of their website", says EEA Executive Director Professor Jacqueline McGlade. "In the long-term, we hope that Honoloko will inspire private games developers to integrate environmental issues into their commercial pc-games".
The Honoloko game is available in the official EU languages plus Bulgarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Romanian, Russian and Turkish. It was developed jointly by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe and the European Environment Agency.
The idea of both the game and Kids-Zone on the website is to demonstrate that there are relations between environment and health, especially for children. It also shows how seemingly small, individual behavioural changes can have a major impact at European level.
The central feature of Kids' Zone is the Eco-Agent. The visitor is invited to become an Eco-Agent. They are then sent out on missions within the areas: chemicals, transport, water, air and climate change. The visitor starts out as an agent-trainee and must gather knowledge and pass tests to finally become a fully fledged Eco-Agent. They can then compare themselves with other agents. The agent can pass tests to raise his/her score - as compared to the other Eco-Agents.
   
Visit Honoloko at http://www.honoloko.com and Kids' Zone of the EEA website at: http://ecoagents.eea.eu.int/

   
The Danish Association for International Cooperation (MS) is together with the 92-Group offering all students from the age of 15 - 19 years to participate in the new round of Global Island, an internet based educational game.
In the virtual world of Global Island, students come together as citizens and parliamentarians of Global Island’s five nations to find solutions to the world’s problems. The goal of Global Island is to get students interested in global issues while strengthening their argumentation technique and educating them about democracy. The game promotes dialogue and understanding across social, ethnic, religious, and geographical boundaries.
The international game round in autumn runs from 31st of October till 27th of November and will put an important global development issues on the agenda: How can we cut down CO2 emissions to prevent a global environmental disaster?
The game is divided into two phases spanning three weeks: during the Candidate Phase (Week 1) students are asked to acquaint themselves with the dilemma – as it presents itself in the real world as well as in the game; during the Parliamentarian Phase (Weeks 2+3) students must defend their views in debate to agree on a solution – in the national parliament at first, and in the global parliament after that.
There are distinct game rounds in English for students aged 15-16 and 17-19, the two groups playing separately. For each game round the National Innovative Center for General Education (SPF) provides an inspirational teacher’s guide with suggestions for exercises, additional material, and concluding work.
   
See the game on www.globalisland.nu
   
For more information: Helle Løvstø Severinsen (hls@ms.dk), Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke - Danish Association for International Cooperation (Denmark)

   
"Listening to these children voice their concern for the environment and seeing their enthusiasm in sharing what they're doing made me look at the future in a more positive way."   ...   "This is one of the few parliamentary sessions in which I truly felt my responsibility as a people's representative."   ...   "Parliament should have more sessions like this one. For once I attentively listened through everything that was being presented during the debate."
   
These are but a few of the comments expressed by some of the MPs that attended the first special parliamentary session dedicated to EkoSkola. The session, held on the 2nd June, was part of the activities organised for this year's Environment Week. All those attending could feel the vibrant atmosphere created by the 138 students hailing from 12 different schools from Malta and Gozo participating in the EkoSkola programme. The parliamentary session was aimed at bringing these young policy makers face to face with the country's official policy makers in a positive parliamentary debate about ways of improving the quality of life in our schools and in the surrounding communities.
   
After the opening prayer, read by one of the girls, the Hon. Speaker Anton Tabone delivered his opening address. While acknowledged EkoSkola’s efforts to infuse in our schools the values of democracy, citizenship, participation and sustainable development, he pointed out that, as the national guardian of these values, it was the parliament’s duty to support this initiative. He welcomed the students whom he praised for their "strong sense of citizenship" and their "genuine commitment to do something positive for the environment, rather than complaining about what others should do". In his concluding comments he stressed the need to invest in this programme by pointing out that "if these citizens are already fully committed to the improvement of their environment, imagine the greater contribution that they will offer their country in the future". Two students then read the motion that invited MPs to acknowledge the valid work being done by EkoSkola to improve schools and local communities, by pledging their full support. In the debate that followed, students from the various schools amplified on the motion by briefly highlighting the activities that they organised as part of their EkoSkola action plan. The activities mainly targeted waste management and the wise use of resources like water and energy. Class and school environments were also targeted and several schools reported a general heightened sense of belonging and wellbeing. Particularly noteworthy were the various success stories reported about the fruitful interactions that the EkoSkola programme established with local councils. Councillors, who have collaborated with schools participating in EkoSkola, acknowledged the potential of these students in helping the council to take tangible steps towards initiating the local Agenda 21 process in their community.
   
The response by the MPs was very encouraging. The Hon. Carmelo Abela, Opposition spokesperson for Education, recalled what a student had said on the day of the launch of the EkoSkola programme: "Show us the way and we will take up the challenge", and remarked that EkoSkola has really proved its worth in providing students with the means for a holistic education that is not focused solely on the acquisition of knowledge but on developing the whole person. In her address, the Hon. Helen D’Amato: Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care chose to stress and praise the work done by the students in the community. In line with the National Curriculum’s emphasis on establishing school-community links, she encouraged students to further engage in activities promoting the value of community so as to help in the development of a more caring society. The Opposition spokesperson for the Environment, the Hon. Dr Joe Brincat, was impressed by the commitment invested by the students in the care of their environment. He felt duty bound, as a member of the House of Representatives, to formally ask children to forgive adults for the lack of good example that they sometimes give in environmental matters and particularly for ruining most of the environment that the children will inherit. He also encouraged children to continue their good work and show adults how to be more responsible towards the environment. The Hon. George Pullicino, Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment, remarked on the change in culture that this programme is generating in schools: a move towards more sustainable lifestyles. He pointed out that although legislation is important in a nation’s effort to safeguard the environment, environmental education is a more long-term and radical solution that needs to be placed at the forefront of our nation’s educational priorities. He therefore invited his colleagues to approve the motion being tabled and to pledge full support to it. The Hon. Dr Alfted Sant, leader of the Opposition, proposed an annual repeat of the EkoSkola parliamentary session in which the children, rather than the MPs, are the real protagonists. He pointed out that the honest feedback that children provide could be the basis of concrete proposals to promote environmental education that could be tabled for approval by the parliament. The Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr Lawrence Gonzi, further amplified on the need to listen attentively to what the children are saying and actively doing. He invited not only the MPs, but also the general public to heed the plight of these children for a better environment. He urged the Maltese to focus on their lifestyles and actions and to ask what they can do to improve the situation … just like the students are doing in the EkoSkola programme.
   
After the last intervention, the Hon. Speaker moved for the approval of the motion. The motion was unanimously approved by the parliament and the session was closed with the singing of the song “la Preghiera”. As a token of remembrance of this session, all students were invited to take a group photo with the MPs. Furthermore; each participating school will be given a printed version of the motion together with a singed commitment for its implementation by the MPs who participated in the debate.
   
Motion about EkoSkola presented to the House of Representatives on 2nd June 2005 on the occasion of Environment Week 2005
The EkoSkola programme is an international environmental education programme. About 3 million boys and girls from about 13 thousand schools distributed in 33 different countries participate in this programme. EkoSkola encourages the full participation of us children in decision-making, planning and implementation of environmental activities with the aim of improving the quality of life in our school and community. Nature Trust (Malta), in collaboration with the government, introduced the programme in Malta in 2002 as a pilot project. Since then, the number of schools participating in EkoSkola increased from 6 to 26.
From what has been achieved till now, it is quite clear that EkoSkola is helping in the holistic development of our schools. Moreover, EkoSkola is helping us collaborate more with our Local Councils for the benefit of our localities. EkoSkola is becoming more and more popular and it will not be long till certain schools receive the Green Flag, which is a world-renowned certificate testifying that the school that received it is seriously committed for the care of the environment.
As active citizens we have already began contributing for the improvement of our country. We have been working very hard and now, having arrived this far, we do not want to stop here and wish to go on further. So now, in order to proceed further we need your help, honourable members of parliament. We have already given proof of what we are capable of achieving on our own; imagine what we can accomplish together if you give us your trust.
So, at the start of these ten years dedicated by the UN for Education for Sustainable Development and during the European year dedicated to Citizenship through Education, we wish that you support our efforts by:
• acknowledging that the EkoSkola programme is helping us children as citizens to be committed and responsible for the environment around us;
• acknowledging that the EkoSkola programme is helping in the holistic development of our schools; and
• promising that you will support this programme with all your resources.
   
For more information: Dr Paul Pace (paul.j.pace@um.edu.mt), Eco-Schools National Coordinator, Nature Trust (Malta)

   
The Eco-Schools Programme in Northern Ireland, managed by Tidy Northern Ireland, has received funding from The Environment and Heritage Service of the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland and NIE to put the Eco- Schools handbook and Litter module onto one accessible CDRom. This also created the opportunity to bring together a host of partner organisations and schools to create a Northern Ireland relevant source of information and support. It does this through Northern Ireland school case studies and ideas, and by providing links to these partners and other schools already in the programme.
The partners will all be providing information and ideas, while some will also be available for site visits and practical support. The partners include; The National Trust, RSPB, Sustrans, Arena Network, Ulster Wildlife Trust, Bryson House, Action Renewables, Travelwise and Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland.
The CDRom was written and compiled by Paula Flanagan an independent education consultant working for Tidy Northern Ireland, who worked closely with the Advisers of the Inter-Board Panel on Education for Sustainable Development, the Curriculum Council for Examination and Assessment, the Waste Section Department of the Environment Northern Ireland and a crosssection of primary and secondary schools. This ensured that links to the forthcoming revised curriculum were relevant, while also ensuring that the information on the CDRom takes into account what is happening in Northern Ireland in terms of Government initiatives and campaigns. She was impressed with both the level of commitment the schools have for the Eco- Schools programme in Northern Ireland and the wide range of ideas that schools were using to gain their bronze, silver and green flag awards through encouraging student participation, and creating links to their local community.
The CDRom will be available in September to all