January 15, 2024 11:22am
Students at Maritime Academy have earned an international accreditation this academic year, recognising their amazing work in making their school more environmentally friendly and raising eco-awareness among fellow students.
The Eco-Schools programme was established in 1994 and is now delivered in more than 70 countries across the globe. More than 1 million students attended an Eco-School in England in 2022-23.
Maritime Academy’s values are Strength, Pride and Unity. For this campaign, students explored the strengths in researching different challenges to support sustainability, took pride in recognising the importance of saving the planet and the effects of climate change, and worked together in unity to support a sustainable future.
Students first formed an Eco-Committee, then collaborated with the school’s Head of Science, Ms. Dash, to conduct an environmental review, assessing how eco-friendly their school is. They enthusiastically gathered their evidence during their Horizons Sustainability lessons, covering everything from biodiversity within their school grounds to how students and staff members travel to school. Building on their findings, students and Ms. Dash then planned a year of action designed to advance their school’s green credentials, improve their local environment, and protect our planet.
The Eco-Committee started with a home sustainability project during the summer break, which saw many students and families working together to recycle at home. They took part in a number of challenges throughout the year, including Keep Britain Tidy, a plastics challenge, and The Big Battery Hunt, while they also started growing their own trees and vegetables and learned why it is important to use peat-free compost.
The committee built a green house on site and began growing a beautiful meadow to improve the level of pollinators visiting the school green areas, supported by the student-made bird houses and bug hotels. Students also provided staff with leaflets outlining ways they can save energy in the classrooms and started a recycling campaign at the school.
Head of School, Matt Evans praised: “We are so proud to have received this recognition for our work to embed sustainability into everyday life here at Maritime while we continue to build a sustainable, carbon neutral school for our students.
“We understand that many young people share concerns about climate change and the challenges it might present in the future, which is why we have ensured that as a community, we work together to be responsible and respectful for where we live and learn.”
Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: “The Eco-Schools Green Flag award is an internationally recognised symbol of high environmental standards. The students and school staff that earn the award deserve immense credit for their hard work, determination, and creativity. Their passion for protecting our planet is an inspiration to us all.”
To learn more about Eco-Schools, head to www.eco-schools.org.uk