Green Schools

 Our school motto:

 

“It’s not cool to litter our school”

 

 

 

 

 Some information on Green schools:

One of the key success factors of the Green-Schools programme is that it is a themed programme. Schools undertaking the programme work through the seven steps one theme at a time. The themes in sequence are:

1. Litter & Waste

2. Energy

3. Water

4. Travel

Therefore,  for a school to be working on the energy theme they must have completed the seven steps for litter & waste and achieved their Green-Flag. For a school to be working on water they would have to have gone through the seven steps with energy and renewed their Green-Flag and so on.

 

 

We were awarded our very first Green Flag in 2008 and our second one in 2010.

 

We encourage all staff, parents and pupils of Rathoe N.S to join in all aspects of our Green-Schools work:

 

  

                                           Reducing:                                        

· Reduce waste packaging in lunch boxes
· Bring rubbish home in lunch boxes
· Compost at home

Reusing:
· Bring drinks in reusable plastic bottles

Recycling:
· Use our school recycling bins for paper and card
· Use our school recycling facility for batteries and mobile phones

 

 

  

Green schools committee 2008:

Robert, Clíona, Elaine, Jamie, Anna, Laurna,Eoin Robyn and Kirstie
 

 

 

2009/2010

The second green flag theme is energy.

The following are simple steps you can do to be more energy efficient in school and at home. 

 

At home

1. Change light bulbs to CFL’s as they use 80% less energy and last 8 times longer.
2. Use only the lights that are needed.
3. Turn off lights when leaving a room.
4. Do not leave TV’s and other electrical equipment on standby. This uses 20% of the electricity required when fully on.
5. Put heating on timer and use it.
6. Turn heating down by 1 degree as this saves 20% energy.
7. Unplug chargers when they are not being used. They use 20% of the electricity required when fully on.
8. Try to use as few appliances as possible between the hours of 5 and 7.
9. Put only the water you need in the kettle.
10. Turn off dishwasher before it reaches the drying cycle.
11. Turn on the washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full.
12. Air-dry clothes as much as possible.
13. Close blinds and curtains in the evening to hold heat in the house.
14. Ensure that there is a lagging jacket on your boiler; insulate your house.

In School

1. Turn off lights if there will be no one in the room for longer than 30 minutes.
2. Turn off computers in classrooms when they are not going to be used within the following 30 minutes.
3. Turn off computers in computer rooms at the end of the day.
4. Set computer monitors to energy-saving mode.
5. Open blinds in classroom on sunny days. This is the easiest way to benefit from natural light and heat.
6. Do not open windows when the heating is on.
7. If rooms are too hot turn off some of the radiators or open the door.
8. Remove obstructions from radiators.
9. Ensure all bulbs in classrooms are flourescent or CFL bulbs. 
10. Walk or cycle to school

 

 

Green schools committee 09/10

Jason, Laura, Niamh, William, Rebecca, Kyle, Shane, Megan, Ashley, Ellie May, Ms. O Brien and Ms. Finnegan

 

We were awarded our second green flag in May 2010

 

 
 

Green Flag Ceremony- Monday 28th June 2010

Our Second Green Flag was officially raised by Minister John Gormley TD, and in the company of Minister Mary White, TD for Carlow. The weather was disappointing, but in every other respect, it was a great day! Thanks to Ms O’Brien and her fantastic Green Schools Committee, to all our teachers and staff who embraced the whole project thoroughly. Special thanks to Ms Marie McDermott Walsh and Junior Infants, to Emily Kirwan and her lovely dancers, and to Billy Kirwan for providing all the excellent entertainment.

Sincere thanks to  Parents Association and staff members who helped with catering yesterday- it was done quietly and efficiently, and was very much appreciated by all those who stayed on for a cup of tea afterwards. Thanks also to those parents who have supported the project and who came along to support us for the occasion.

 See www.greenschoolsireland.org for more information

2011/2012

The third green flag theme is water.

Water is a valuable resource and should be used wisely. We are thinking about the ways in which we use water and raising awareness that simple actions can cut down water use substantially. We are undertaking an environmental review and are becoming aware of the areas that have the greatest potential for wastage.

Water Saving Tips at home

 

• Don’t rinse dishes before loading them in the dishwasher. Just scrape them or soak them and let your dishwasher do the work it was designed to do.
• Make sure you always wash full loads as the machine and dishwasher use the same amount of water anyway.
• Drop your tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save water every time
• If you’re only making one or two hot drinks, only boil that amount of water in the kettle.
• When washing dishes by hand, fill the basin rather than leaving the tap on and washing dishes under a steady flow of water.
• Replace your shower head with a low-flow fixture.
• When you’re brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing vegetables or dishes, remember to turn the tap off when you’re not actually using the water. The same applies to the time while lathering when you’re washing your hands as well, and you’ll save nearly four litres every time.
• Fix any leaking pipes and taps immediately, inside and outside the home. If you ever spot a leak in the street, be a good citizen and report it.
• Invest in a high-efficiency washing machine as they use less than half the water of many traditional models.