Posted: Wednesday 17 September 2008
Eco Schools Groups at Hutchesons' Win Bronze and Silver Awards
The Primary classes at Hutchesons' have been awarded a Silver Award by Eco Schools Scotland in recognition of the progress the school is making towards the Green Flag, the top Eco Schools award. Teacher Anne Smart is delighted. 'The new committee is already starting work on activities for this session', she says, 'and building on all the activities last year's committee organised.'
Secondary pupils at Hutchesons' set up a committee of pupils and staff to discuss environmental issues two years ago, expanding this now to include representatives of all year groups and staff from different areas of the school life, including subject teachers and janitorial staff.
‘We are already well on the way to achieving the Silver Award,' says Cate Hamilton, one of the teachers from the Hutchesons' Eco School Club, ‘and with the continued support and effort from pupils and staff we should be able to apply for that before Christmas.'
The HutchiEco Committee first carried out an Environmental Review to ascertain what measures and practices were already in place in the school. This included reviewing the school's waste management procedures and energy efficiency, amongst other key areas and drew up an Action Plan to focus on what it saw as the main areas of concern.
Pupils and staff are no
w using new recycling bins in school that were bought with the money raised at the two Green Cafés last year. Cate Hamilton: ‘Initially there was such a good uptake with people recycling paper, plastic and cans that the blue bins were full all the time as the council only collect this waste once a month. In fact, we could fill them every week!' The School has now purchased more blue bins, which means that its capacity to recycle has increased. This process of Review, Action and Monitoring is part of what Eco Schools call the ‘7 Elements' and schools have to hit targets in all seven of these to get the Bronze, Silver and then Green Flag awards.
During the 2008-2009 session some pupils continue to manage the waste and recycling scheme, while others are focusing on the school conservation area by the Crossmyloof end of the field; the dining room and healthy eating; outreach projects with the local community and organising events to increase funds and awareness of Eco Schools at Hutchesons'.
