Green School’s Programme 2010/2011

Tubber N.S.

Our Green School Committee

• Our Green School Committee was formed in October 2009 and is made up of Ann Comyn, (Principal), Patricia Lee (Teacher), Mary Clancy (Secretary) and Mary Fogarty (Caretaker) Paddy Fahy& Patricia Taaffe (Parents) and the most important members are the pupils from Tubber N.S.

We decided to have all the pupils from Tubber N.S. on the committee as we are a very small school. The pupils attend monthly meetings and share their ideas.

Environmental Review

The committee felt that the Green-School Environmental review booklet was the basis for our third review.

Four areas were identified for attention: Water Awareness/Conservation

Waste Management/Litter Management

Ongoing Maintenance of School Landscape

To Reduce Heating loss in Tubber N.S.

Action Plan

• Our school prior to registering with an TAISCE had already been working on environmental issues.

• The committee made a list of all the areas needing attention and activities that would promote the campaign in our school.

• We identified targets and action to be undertaken to attain these targets. We assigned roles of responsibility to people to oversee these targets and a reasonable timeframe for the implementation.

• Monitoring methods are also included in our action plan along with any progress to date which is being updated regularly.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Yes, we think monitoring and evaluation is a great idea.• It makes us go back to looking at our action plan and

examine how we are doing.• It has helped us to see where we are doing well and where

are there areas for improvement.• Our Action Plan helps us to monitor and evaluate the work

being done also by carrying out the various surveys.

Dripping Tap Water LogWater Wastage Tap 1

Junior RoomTap 2Girl’s Bathroom

Tap 3Boy’s Bathroom

Amount of water wasted in one minute

55ml(0.055L)

15ml(0.015L)

20ml(0.02L)

Amount of water wasted in one hour

3.3L(3,300ml)

0.9L(900ml)

1.2L(1,200ml)

Amount of water wasted in one day

79.2L(79,200ml)

21.6L(21,600 ml)

28.8L(28,800 ml)

Amount of water wasted in one year (365 days)

28,908L 7,884L 10,512L

Total amount of water wasted in one year

47,304L

Daily Average (365 Days) 129.6L

Hourly Average 5.4L (5,400 ml)

Minute Average 0.09L (90 ml)

Toilet Flush Survey(based on 2 teachers+18 children)

 

Old system (Pre Sept 2010)

Day No. of flushes

Old volume per flush

Water used per week

Green Schools Action Week

11(small)

2(big)13(total

)

9L 585L

New System (Sept 2010)

New volume per large flush

New volume per small flush

Water used per week

Water saved per week

6L 3L 225L 360L

% reduction in water use = 360/585 x 100/1 = 62%

Urinal Sensor DeviceBefore implementing the programme, the urinals were on

constant flush, they flushed automatically with water continuously flowing through them. A urinal without controls will simply keep filling and flushing water 24 hours, seven days a week and are very wasteful.

As a result we applied for a water conservation grant and have now installed a battery operated urinal sensor device. Thus

water is not wasted when the urinal is not used.

Litter & Waste SurveyLitterWe carried out a litter survey in October 2010 in both

classrooms and around the school grounds. We followed this up with a further survey in January 2011.

After the initial survey the committee felt that the message needed to be driven home about the disposal of rubbish in the bins provided. The results of the second survey showed an improvement in attitudes to littering and a decrease in the amount of littering

WasteA waste survey on our wheelie bins was carried out in

February 2010. A further waste survey was carried out in February 2011.

We are very happy that we have maintained our initial targets to reduce the recycling bin to ¾ full every fortnight and the general waste bin to ½ bin every fortnight. We recently set up battery collection points (sponsored by E.R.P. Ireland) in each classroom.

Lunchbox SurveyLunchbox Survey

In January 2010 the committee decided to carry out a lunch box survey to get information about primary packaging and secondary packaging used for lunches. The information gathered was used in the classroom by the teachers to educate the children about different types of packaging and how we as members of our community can contribute to the reduction of packaging going to landfill.

A follow up survey was carried out in January 2011. The results told us that the children of Tubber N.S. are very keen to take an active part in our Green School’s campaign and have taken on board the recommendations of the committee following on from the first survey.

ESB Energy Use

Reduction: 232 units% reduction 232/1612 = 14%

Period Reading Reading Units

Oct 09-Feb 10 25,479 27,091 1,612

Oct 10-Feb 11 29,125 30,503 1,380

Heating Energy Costs

Period Litres Total Cost Total

2009 730L1,092L

1,822L 376.99613.31

990.50

2010 657L802L

1459L 380.30593.49

973.79

Reduction 363L 16.71

% Litre Reduction 363/1822 = 20%

Display Energy Certificate

We obtained our first DEC on the 6-1-10. We were delighted this year when we renewed our certificate with the more recent energy improvements, to discover that our BER is now a B1, a substantial improvement from our first D1 rating.

Curriculum Work-Junior Room

Weather-Geography-  Water Conservation Posters-Art  Story of Saint Brendan –History  Commotion in the Ocean big book-English-ocean wildlife Frogs-Life Cycle of a frog  Litter Survey tally-maths Toothbrush demo- Electrical appliance audit Water and health- Comenius Project Toothbrush Demo-Science Lovely Water video-world of water Aquatics-Water Safety

Water Conservation Posters

Curriculum Work-Senior Room

• Something Fishy – Learning about Fish & Fishing• Bradán (A Salmon tells her story)• Water Based Experiments / Surface Tension / Salt Water /

Fresh Water• Environmental Awareness / Science in the Environment• The Geology of the Burren and its impact on sourcing water• The Titanic – visited the Titanic Exhibition in City West in

Dublin in June 2010. • Famine Today / Examining Cause / Effect / Famine in Ireland

in 1800s• Water Experiment - Salt Water

Water Poems

We all need water to survive.And fix leaking taps.Together we need to save water.Environmental care is our responsibility.Really tell others about this.

Water Water looks a glittering ocean.Water feels hot or cold and relaxing.Water sounds swishy and sometimes harsh.Water smells salty if it is at the beach.Water tastes refreshing.Water is extremely important to us because it keeps us alive.

Informing & Involving

• Green School’s Noticeboard• Green School’s Newsletter• Website-www.tubberns.com• Water Conservation Tips• Water Action Week• Our parents and the members of

the Board of Management are also informed.

Water Saving Tips (1)

Water Conservation Tips for Home Bathroom: • Turn off tap while brushing your teeth/washing

your hands/lathering your hair/shaving.

• Take a shorter shower. • Share a bath with younger children.• Use the half flush in the dual flush toilet when

possible

Water Saving Tips (2)

Kitchen/Utility:• Make sure the washing machine/dishwasher is full• Use the economy wash.• Use a stopper/basin if washing. • When buying new electrical appliances try to buy

an A rating.• Fill the kettle for the amount you need.• Wash vegetables in a basin and reuse the water

in your garden.• Chill a jug of water in the fridge instead of

running a cold tap.

Water Saving Tips (3)Garden: • Invest in a hose, which can be turned off and on at the head.• Turn down the pressure on the hose.• Use a bucket instead of a hose.• Use a rake/brush to clean the path instead of a hose.• Use sprinklers in the garden according to the time of year.• Water your plants in the morning or evening.• Use wastewater to water plants e.g. fishtanks or vegetable

water.• Invest in a rain water harvester.Dripping taps and leaks:• Fix the dripping taps. • If there is a leak you get the advice from a plumber

Water Action Week / Days of ActionJanuary 31st – February 4th , 2011

Monday • Conduct a Waste Survey. Examine results. • Conducted a Water Survey to find out where the

water in our homes is coming from.• Water Experiments to be carried out

Tuesday • Conduct a litter survey.• All classes worked on tips for water conservation.• Tips to be sent home group Activity / Uploaded onto

website Finalise Green Code

Wednesday

• Toilet flush Survey carried out / Data Correlated.• Learn all about Water Treatment and the steps

involved.• Class Big Book – Commotion in the Ocean- Learning

about Sea Life

Thursday • Use compost from composter to make raised bed.• Plant flowering spring plants. • Water Conservation Posters

Friday • Organise a water quiz. • Plant window boxes with spring flowering plants and

flowering bulbs.• Appliance Audit.• Develop a Green School’s Newsletter specifically

dealing with Green School Activities towards this Flag.

Working in our Garden

We all enjoy working in the garden. We plant bulbs in autumn for spring flowering. We plant window boxes in spring. We take care of our flowers by weeding and keeping the garden neat and tidy.

Titanic Exhibition

On June the 9th the Senior room went to the Titanic Artefacts Exhibition in Dublin as their school trip.

Galway AtlantaquariaIn May we visited Galway Atlantquarium in Salthill, there we

looked at all different types of sea creatures and carried out some experiments.We carried out a series of experiments with all classes in the school to achieve the Discover Primary Science award.

Visit to the Rine with John Murphy Birdwatch Ireland

A ringed plover’s nest Studying a jellyfish withJohn Murphy

Comenius ProjectWe are currently involved in a Comenius Project focusing on

healthy eating and raising activity levels amongst other European schools in England, Spain and Turkey.

A Health Professional visited it our school over a few afternoons talking to us about the food pyramid and making a healthy menu.

Links to Wider Community

• John Murphy from Birdwatch Ireland• Sherkin Island• Atlantaquarium in Galway• Coole Park Education Programme• Comenius Project Partnership• Joan Tarmey & Sean Hartigan

Environmental Awareness Officers• Enda O’Connor Tubber Gun Club

Our Previous Green slogans:

“Litterbugs need not applyChange your act and then retry”

“Be energy smart, Be energy aware,

Let’s all work togetherFor a future to share”.

Water Code

Water is preciousAlways conserve itThink before you use Every living thing needs waterResponsibility for our environment.

Thank you for watching our Green School’s Presentation.