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Talking rubbish
Schools generate a large proportion of the refuse processed by local authorities and waste contractors. Reducing the amount spent on waste disposal can have financial as well as environmental benefits. Rubbish is also a source of valuable learning material: waste management issues feed into citizenship and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and recycling projects provide an opportunity for the entire school to work together as a team.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Waste Watch suggests ways in which schools can cut waste production by more than 50%, saving money on waste disposal costs which can then be fed back into other school budgets. For example:
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thinking about how staff and students use paper and why schools generate so much food waste
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making sure that old furniture, computers and tools are given to charities rather than lobbed into a skip
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setting up a school recycling bin and composting scheme.
You can use the Think Leadership website to carry out an environmental assessment of your school.
Recycling schemes exist to help schools save and raise money while disposing of their waste more efficiently. For example, Collect4school and InkXpress collect used printer cartridges, while Cash for cans deals with aluminium cans. Schools can set up their own bottle bank, by getting in touch with their local councillor.
Buying recycled products 'closes the loop', keeping reusable materials in the economy and ensuring that recycling collection schemes are viable. The UK Recycled products guide includes details of products useful to schools, such as stationery and furniture.
Awards and competitions
Recycle More runs a competition aimed at secondary schools looking to send five students aged 14 to 16 from the winning school on an all-expenses-paid trip to Prague in May 2008 to represent the UK at the next Youth Eco-Parliament (YEP). To enter schools need to submit an environmental project proposal by 01 August 2007. Further details can be found on the Youth Eco-Parliament section of their website and you can also download their flyer.
The Eco-Schools programme encourages the involvement of staff, pupils and the wider community in setting up and running a school environmental management system. Find out about their award scheme. Envision helps students in schools and colleges aged 16 to 18 to develop and implement their own social and environmental projects, (e.g. running a fashion show of clothes made from recycled materials).
Stimulating learning
What better way to learn how to care for the environment than by experiencing it at first hand? The Growing schools initiative aims to stimulate students' interest and involvement in nature and farming through the outdoor classroom. Organic Gardens for Schools has advice on making organic gardens and compost, case studies and activities.
If you're looking for inspiration for indoor classroom activities, follow the links below for materials and lesson ideas specific to waste and recycling:
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Waste Watch: A wide range of education materials including schemes of work.
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Recycle-more: Key stage activities, rubbish facts, recycling games.
- Global Footprints: Years 3 to 6. Exploring global citizenship issues through numeracy and literacy.
- Eco-Schools: Teacher tips, downloadable action sheets, and Compo the compost worm.
- British Glass: Free CD-Rom for teachers: facts, games and a quiz.
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US Environmental Protection Agency: Activities include transforming Dumptown into Recycle City.
Education for sustainable development (ESD)
Waste management is part of the wider issue of sustainable development, which provides both a stimulating context for learning across the curriculum and a rewarding approach to school management.
Schools have a crucial role to play in educating for the future, by helping students understand the impact of their actions on their own lives, the lives of others, and on the environment. They also have the potential to set an example.
You'll find a wide range of information and resources on the TeacherNet Sustainable Schools website, including information on the National Framework for Sustainable Schools and on teaching sustainable development. The QCDA National Curriculum website has a section on Education for sustainable development for Key Stages 1 and 2 and one on Global dimension and sustainable development for Key Stages 3 and 4.
Beyond the classroom
Finally, why not keep on recycling at home? The Green Choices website provides a product by product guide to recycling everything from books and shoes to Christmas trees.
Last updated: 02 December 2009
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You're looking at an archived page, which may not reflect our current policy.
