Coláiste Bride is based in Clondalkin, Co. Dublin and was awarded the Green Flag for Global Citizenship – Litter and Waste in 2015. The school has 80 teachers and 950 students in attendance.

Step 1: Green-Schools Committee

The Green-Schools committee consists of three teachers, Science and Environmental Prefects, Multi-Cultural Prefects and pupils from all year groups. The committee meets once a week, usually on a Thursday and is held over lunchtime. Further meetings are held on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings where work needs to be done with minimal impact to students within the school. An announcement is made by the Environmental Prefects each Thursday to remind the committee members of the lunchtime meeting. Another announcement is made on Friday as a reminder regarding the emptying of recycling bins. Minutes are taken at each meeting by senior students and members are updated on current projects. Also, the school newsletter publishes Green Flag work and progress every month and general messages are communicated via school website and email system/e-portal.

2. Environmental Review

The school carried out the essential actions required of the Global Citizenship – Litter and Waste theme as well all the recommended actions. For example, they picked an item they use, wear and/or eat everyday and researched its impact on the global environment, investigated electronic waste, investigated what aid projects the school supports and investigated where their waste is disposed/recycled. They also investigated the topics of ethical consumption and production, global citizenship, sustainable development, fair trade and climate change.

Some of the results from their environmental review are as follow:

• At the start of their programme there was poor awareness of global issues within the school community
• The students were unaware of the number of foods we import into this country and they are now more conscious about food choices and recognise where the food that they consume comes from
• The numbers composting at the start of the theme were quite low
• The school community includes many nationalities and cultures and the students have now become more accepting of this
• Initially some of the bins were used incorrectly and few people were using reusable drinking bottles

Step 3: Action Plan

Some of the actions carried out by Coláiste Bríde on the Global Citizenship – Litter and Waste theme include:

• Applied for World Wise Global schools funding which was obtained
• Officer from An Taisce’s Neat Streets programme visited and presented at a Green-Schools meeting
• Trip to India PCSS Delhi
• Feedback on trip to Indian school – Presentation Day, Multicultural awareness, whole school and community involved
• PowerPoint given by juniors to CSPE classes regarding Indian trip – cultural and environmental awareness
• Presentation to NGO’s on Development Education
• Survey and environmental review
• Fairtrade awareness, poster campaign – Clonborris school link
• Display stand at World Wise Global Shools forum, Croke Park. Display on India link and workshops on Dev Ed involved the coordinator and prefects
• Bob Carley talk on Africa as part of Well Being week, can do attitude, self esteem, Africa awareness
• Eco workshop in Aras Cronain by Trocaire, South Dublin CoCo- link to community, water and environmental issues
• Day of Action ” Deadly Delhi Day” involved the whole School, community, local schools, Presentation sisters and World Wise link
• Follow up on “Deadly Delhi Day” with surveys given to CSPE classes and statistics compiled. All juniors were involved
• Tidy Towns meeting where links were re-established and litter picking was discussed
• Multicultural week carried out where stands were set up, ethnic food provided, workshops etc. Organised by the multi cultural society with whole school exposure
• Drive for recycling of electronics – WEEE collection and Jack & JILL collection – cartridges & toners
• Canal Awareness Day which was reported in the schools newsletter
• Climate Change Forum held in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght which was reported in the schools Newsletter
• Invited to Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce awards and received an award for Environmental promotion
• Visit to Scoil Mhuire – link to local primary school after receiving 6th Green Flag
• #Instabin competition by An Taisce encouraging litter reduction
• Worldwise conference in Athlone. Presentation by principal to delegates on Dev Ed
• Waste audit monitored by caretakers
• Workshop on sustainable produce & climate change with a visit to Organic Garden Trocaire & South Dublin Co Co co-operation

Step 4: Monitoring and Evaluation

The school monitors and evaluates their Green-Schools programme through the following processes:

• Students conducted two surveys in relation to litter and waste
• Staff were emailed a survey in relation to their recycling habits
• Transition year students are in touch with Presentation Convent Secondary School Delhi (sister school) and will be researching how they deal with litter and waste in order to share ideas
• They regularly speak to cleaners and caretakers in relation to the bins and the amount of recycled waste going into them
• Committee meets once a week. Ideas are brainstormed and feedback is given
• Students monitor the emptying of the recycling bins
• Students carried out two global awareness surveys to compare and see if there was a change in knowledge

The school’s monitoring efforts have revealed that recycling amongst students that always recycle has doubled, the number of those who always give unwanted items to charity shops has increased by 15%, those participating in community clean ups more than twice a year has doubled, those buying locally produced goods has also doubled and those who fundraise, or do voluntary work for charity, more than twice a year has nearly trebled. The use of composting facilities by both students and staff has increased hugely and there has been a marked increase in the number of people using reusable drinking bottles. One Home Economics kitchen now completely segregates compostable, recyclable and general waste. This has helped to reduce the overall waste from the subject area and increased the level of organic material for composting in their organic garden. This is amazing work from Coláiste Bride!

Step 5: Curriculum Links

Step 6: Informing and Involving

The school informed and involved the whole school community in many different ways. For example:

• The whole school, local community, local businesses and local schools were involved in the schools action day, Deadly Delhi Day 10th April 2014. It was held to celebrate our link with their sister Presentation school in Delhi, India, their commitment to development education & their next Green Flag on Global Citizenship. The event rooms were decked out with exotic scarves, Indian flags, saris, the smell of incense and spices of India filled the air and Bollywood tunes were played all to create an oriental feel. Stalls included Bindis the traditional red dot worn by Hindus, Saris and other traditional outfits of eastern countries, Henna, Rahkis, Bollywood, Environment, Geography of India, Jewellery sale, Spice expo with traditional food and other artefacts and souvenirs of the teacher’s trip to PCS in Delhi.
• Monthly newsletters are sent home
• Twitter and Emailing
• Green-Schools notice board / posters
• Parent teacher meetings
• The schools website shows all the schools hard work
• Local media e.g. Gazette
• Word of mouth e.g. Chamber of Commerce, Tidy Towns,
• Invites to Presentation day, local workshops
• Presentation sisters links GEE
• World Wise links – NGOs
• Other schools at Trade Fair
• Presentations by our Principal nationwide
• Indian pen pals
• Skype
• Weekly announcements over intercom

Step 7: Green Code

The school’s Global Citizenship code was brainstormed at meetings, ideas were then given to prefects who then decided on the final code:

“Namasté” Locally & Globally