October Newsletter
We’re delighted to announce the new school portal and Eco-Schools Green Flag application are now live!
Our new custom-built portal reflects the new, annual programme with a points-based Green Flag application and an array of new resources to help support you and your Eco-Committee through the Eco-Schools Seven Steps. The new Eco-Schools Green Flag Application will also allow us to report on some fantastic stats nationally and internationally to showcase the impact our schools are having over the course of the academic year. In less than 72 hours since the application went live, we already know that over 60,000 young people attend an Eco-School in England!
We are also very excited that for the first time in the 27-year history of the Eco-Schools programme in England; our hardworking, longstanding schools who go above and beyond to lower their ecological footprint will now also be recognised at the end of this school year with our new Eco-Schools Green Flag with Merit or Distinction.
Please remember if you have any problems registering as a new user on the school portal for the first time just get in touch and we will be able to guide you through the process and help you access your school’s information and new application.
International Litter Less Campaign
After 4 highly successful years of running the Litter Less campaign in schools across Leicester (who collectively picked the weight of a hippo in litter!), the campaign is now being opened to all nurseries, schools, colleges and youth groups across England. From Monday 18th October to Thursday 28th October 56,000 Eco-Schools from across the globe are invited to take part in 10 days of #LitterLess online actions. To register with the campaign and be in with a chance of winning USD100 for your school follow the link below.
National Eco-Committee Members
To emphasise how important it is that the Eco-Schools programme is youth-led we are recruiting 25 young people, from Year 5 in primary to Year 13 in 6th form/college, to form the first ever National Eco-Committee in England. These determined young people aged 10-18 will support the Eco-Schools Team at Keep Britain Tidy as we try to ensure that all those in education have the opportunity to learn about environmental themes such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Please share this opportunity with your students!
Rag Bag
Raise money for your school by donating unwanted clothing and shoes for reuse and recycling. Rag Bag will pay 40p per kg for all the textiles you collect. By donating unwanted clothing you can help your school raise much needed funds and reduce the amount of textiles going into landfill.
New Time-Saving Hacks Resource
Following recent feedback from Eco-Coordinators, we have identified time as the biggest barrier to Eco-Schools Green Flag success! In response, Eco-Schools manager Lee Wray-Davies has created an Eco-Schools, Seven Step, Time-Saving Hack resource. The ideas in this resource are based on Lee’s own experiences working in environmental education for over 21 years: 16 years as a Geography teacher, subject leader and Eco-Coordinator and 5 years as Eco-Schools manager… We hope you find these ideas useful!
Eco-Schools and COP 26
Finally, we can now announce that our Eco-Schools Manager, Lee Wray-Davies will be presenting alongside our international colleagues at COP26 on Tuesday 2nd November 15.30-17.00pm – “Climate Action – Harnessing the Power of Network.” Of course, if you are attending COP26 then please come along!
During her speech Lee will showcase and celebrate all our schools in England, so invites you to share your Eco-Schools Green Flag photos with her via eco-schools@keepbritaintidy.org, so that they can be displayed in an Eco-Schools Green Flag montage during the presentation. Let’s show the world the power of the Eco-Schools programme and the amazing volunteers and young people who are leading environmental change everyday!
