Sustainability

Sustainable development is an issue that it becoming increasingly important for everyone and an issue that has become paramount in schools in recent years.

Schools are uniquely placed in securing the future for young people; as places of teaching and learning they help pupils understand the impact that they have on the planet, and as models of good practice they demonstrate sustainable living and working to young people and the local community.

Experts believe that introducing children to the principles of sustainable development at an early age can embed the principles of sustainability into their daily lives and prepare them to be responsible citizens, and consequently the government wants all schools in England to become sustainable schools by 2020.

The government’s Sustainable Schools Strategy gives school leaders a series of specific goals that they should aim to achieve by the 2020 deadline. The strategy is divided into eight headings termed ‘doorways’ which explain the ways in which schools can initiate or extend their sustainable schools activities across different areas of school life.

In response to this document, schools across Britain are now making changes to their policies, buildings and buying practices, with over 10,500 now working towards an Eco-School award and many more starting to purchase sustainable products and services.

There is much that schools can do to become more sustainable and the government is encouraging schools to address sustainability in the school curriculum, campus and community, thereby creating a whole-school approach to sustainability. There is no single measure that schools have to adopt in order to become ‘sustainable’ but more and more schools are realising that sustainable measures can transform the experiences and outcomes for pupils whilst building sustainable communities.

This section looks at some practical steps that schools can take to become more sustainable. Waste treatment experts Graphite Resources explain how waste can be used as a valuable resource, and SCEMES Ltd. explains the importance of sustainable procurement in schools, and outlines the benefits of the Handbook of Sustainable Procurement.

In This Section

Graphite Resources Ltd. - Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
Waste treatment specialists Graphite Resources Ltd. explains why waste should be viewed as a resource rather than a burden and outlines the benefits of steam autoclaving technology.

SCEMES Ltd. - Through the Sustainable Schools Doorway
SCEMES Ltd, the number one resource for sustainable purchasing, explains how they can help schools get a head-start on their sustainable schools journey.