NLRSS ECO-SCHOOLS NEWSLETTER I APRIL 2007

Welcome to NLRSS’s first Eco-School Newsletter.

NLRSS received their bronze award in November and our Action Team has been working very hard to ensure we are well on our way to a silver award.

Presently our Action Team members are: Jackie Goodwin, Debora Collister, Rachel Millson, Samia Nelson, Krishna Ramamurthi, Gabriele Woelfle & Imelda Dempsey.

New members/contributors are very welcome!

ABOUT OUR ECO-SCHOOL STATUS

The Eco-Schools scheme is rooted in a genuine desire to help children become more effective citizens by encouraging them to take responsibility for the future of their own environment. Through this scheme (and the funding available) we will be able to introduce further eco-friendly solutions to our school.

The initial stage in achieving our Eco-School status was to carry out an ‘Environmental Audit’ in the form of a questionnaire supplied by the Eco-Schools organization. From this we identified the degree of impact that the school has on the environment at present. The resulting Bronze award therefore reflects the current good practice of the school in this area.

The next stage involved the creation of an action plan with the aims of further reducing our environmental impact. In addition it involved the creation of a specific project with the aim of raising ecological awareness within both children and adults. This action plan has now been submitted in order to (hopefully) gain our Silver award and to obtain the funding we need to carry out our aims.

OUR ACTION PLAN

The action plan consists of the following four areas:

Recycling and Composting

We are increasing recycling and composting practices within the school.

We will also be providing information about recycling facilities for parents. (See ‘Things you can do’ below)

Energy Efficiency

We are hoping to install taps that reduce our water consumption, install a self-closing mechanism on the garden door to conserve heat, install energy-efficient light bulbs and replace the old fridge with a new energy efficient model. There may also be an opportunity to also get a washing machine and dishwasher.

Transport to and from school

We are hoping to cut down on car usage by parents on the school run (see ‘Things you can do’ below) and will be promoting a ‘walk to school day’ during ‘walk to school week’ (21st-25th May 2007).

Education for sustainable development – our Eco-Schools Project

Our aim is to educate children and adults towards a more sustainable life style. This includes promoting the understanding of how nature works and why respecting and looking after it is an important responsibility for the future of our environment. Our project therefore has two aspects:

Children-focused: Developing the garden & outdoor classroom

Install removable wooden panels on outdoor classroom for shelter from the wind and sun
Extend current practices of composting, seed sowing, vegetable growing, harvesting and cooking/eating and composting again to emphasize sustainable systems
Create a raised ‘herb-spiral’ with seats: a quiet garden-area for the children to experience nature at a more intimate level.

Adult-focused: Spreading the message to the wider community

Organize talks by external speakers on ecological topics (e.g. biodynamic gardening)
Invite project teams from other Eco-Schools to present their projects and learn from ours and encourage other local schools to join the scheme.

THINGS YOU CAN DO!

Fill out and return your transport and recycling questionnaire please! (To Rachel Millson – see your class lists for contact number)

Recycle and compost more!

Whilst Haringey council do provide a fairly comprehensive recycling service, there are still some common items that they do not recycle. For example, CD’s, videos and cassette tapes are not currently recycled in Haringey but can be recycled at Barnet council’s Summers Lane depot and we are proposing to set up a ‘parents’ recycling box’ and organize ‘recycling trips’ for such items. Watch the notice board for further information.

Council web links (for what you can recycle and where):

http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/environment_and_transport/refuseandrecycling/recycling.htm

http://www.barnet.gov.uk/index/environment-planning/rubbish-waste-and-recycling/household-waste-disposal-sites.htm#what-recycle

Also see your council websites for cheap composting bins for home composting.

Increase energy efficiency at school and at home!

There are several ways we can all conserve energy within the school and at home. Closing doors and switching off lights are simple solutions that most of us already do. Replacing light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs is not only energy efficient but also saves money on bills in the long run. Thursday 22 March 2007 was United Nations World Water Day. Here are some water saving tips from Thames Water

Fitting a Save-a-Flush (a bag of harmless crystals) in your toilet cistern can save up to 1 litre per flush
Installing a Hippo (designed to work in toilet cisterns with a 9 litre flush or greater) could save up to 5,000 litres per person per year (contact Thames water to obtain one)
Having a 5 minute shower (not power shower) instead of a bath can save over 300 litres a week
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
Fix leaking taps
Use an energy efficient dishwasher once instead of washing dishes throughout the day
Wait for a full load before using the washing machine
Cool water in the fridge means you don’t have to run the tap for ages to get a cold drink
Only fill the kettle with enough water for your needs
Lag your pipes and leave your heating on low when you are out
A water butt in your garden can collect rainwater that can be used on plants and lawn

Help reduce our carbon footprint!

We are looking at the different ways we travel to school and are hoping to reduce the number of car journeys to and from school. If you haven’t already done so, look at the map on the eco-schools notice board and see who lives nearest to you. If you have room in your car please consider taking turns with your ‘neighbour’. This will obviously free up more time for you and encourage more of a school community.

KEEPING YOU INFORMED

We are aiming to send out an Eco-Schools newsletter once a term during each half-term break. In addition you will also be kept up to date via the Eco-Schools notice board (outside the Rosehip room).

Please feel free to contribute in any way with your ideas. You can contact Samia Nelson on 0208 362 8170.

The next meeting will be on Friday 18^th May 2007 at 1pm. Everyone is welcome!

Eco Schools website:http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/

Thanks for helping make our school an eco-school! Rachel Millson & Samia Nelson