Green-Schools, known internationally as Eco-Schools, is an international environment education and awareness programme. It promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment.
- The aim of Green Schools www.greenschoolsireland.org is to increase students’ and participant awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community.
- It is a long-term programme that introduces participants (students, teachers, parents and the wider community) to the concept of an environmental management system.
- It fosters a strong sense of citizenship and leadership among participants that spreads far outside the school into the wider community. It also promotes a strong sense of teamwork among teachers, students and the wider community to reach a common high level goal.
Green-Schools is a themed and ‘seven step’ programme. Schools undertake various activities on each of the following themes:
1. Litter & Waste
2. Energy
3. Water
4. Travel
5. Biodiversity
6. Global Citizenship Litter & Waste
7. Global Citizenship Energy
8. Global Citizenship Marine Environment
Schools that have successfully completed all the elements of the programme are awarded the ‘Green-Flag’. This award has now become a well-recognised Eco-Label. The award has to be renewed every two years. Green-Schools is a co-ordinated initiative on an international level.