A to Z of sustainable schools
It can be as simple as recycling, or as complex as moving your classroom outdoors. IB World Schools are taking environmental causes seriously, as Katie Jacobs discovered while collecting the brightest examples of green practice from across the world. Prepare to be amazed and inspired…
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
“Watching clouds. Listening to birdsong. Getting dirty. Finding tiny frogs in the strawberries.” Barbara Roether, humanities teacher at Pacific Rim International School, California, USA, lists the enriching experiences her pupils have outside the classroom, thanks to the school’s partnership with a local farm. Students visit the farm every week to learn first hand about sustainable agriculture by planting crops, sewing seeds and harvesting plants. As urban dwellers, the trips help students appreciate a lifestyle far removed from their own. “They gain an understanding of the amount of labour that has been put into the things they eat and use every day,” says Barbara. “They learn that nothing appears out of nowhere.”
B
Time at the seaside is more than just a simple pleasure – beaches are a great place to promote sustainability. Collecting waste along the Costa Brava, 11th grade students from the American School of Barcelona, Spain, filled more than 40 refuse sacks in three hours. The success was two-fold, says teacher Victoria Cole: “Not only did the students reflect on how much waste there was, it also caused beach visitors to consider how the area was being spoiled.” The West Island School, Hong Kong, delved even deeper into nautical issues, donning snorkels and flippers to investigate ocean quality around the island. Fifteen students and two teachers took part in the three-day assessment, studying the amount of rubbish in the water and on beaches to help local organizations target clean-up operations more effectively.
C
Do you know your school’s carbon footprint? The International School Bangkok in Thailand made sure it had its vital environmental statistics, thanks to the efforts of intrepid student scientists who collected and analyzed data to discover they produce 7,400 metric tons annually. “We weren’t shocked by the size,” says CAS coordinator Christine Tananone, “but we were shocked that air transport was the largest contributor.” The students recommended scaling back on overseas travel for sporting events and learning programmes — and new energy-efficient air conditioning units and lights have been installed which should reduce emissions by 30%.
Efforts like this are being replicated on an IB-wide basis. The IB is people-driven and some international travel will always be required, but minimizing the amount and its impact has become a priority. Holding training for new examiners online in spring 2009 saved 8,740 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to 38,700 hours of flight. Standardization meetings for senior examiners in summer 2009 were also ‘virtual’, saving another 342 tons in flights to Cardiff, UK. Meanwhile, the 2009 IB Asia Pacific regional conference in Beijing, China, was the first to be classified carbon neutral, thanks to the sourcing of ‘green’ hotels, reduced use of paper and encouraging participants to offset the carbon impact of their travel.
D
Developing the perfect ecosystem for fishing is normally the preserve of scientists and politicians. But students at the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia, are collating and analyzing data to be presented to the country’s Ministry of Fisheries, which determines when and how much to fish. “Fish is a major source of protein for Zambians,” explains teacher Francois de Ryckel. So helping establish a sustainable model for fishing is crucial.
E
Environmentally friendly tourism is helping Mexico City College create greener travellers. A series of trips has introduced students to cultures that couldn’t be more different from their own, helping them make sustainable choices when holidaying. “They are not pleasure trips as much as learning trips,” says IB Diploma Programme coordinator Elynn Vazquez. Destinations include an alternative energy research centre and a self-sufficient indigenous community.
F
Famous flashmobs include the world’s largest pillow fight and a silent disco, but students at St John’s, Wiltshire, UK, harnessed the power of the craze to persuade British prime minister Gordon Brown to take part in the Copenhagen Climate Conference. They joined other young people around the world in calling their country’s leader at a pre-determined time: 33 students rang Brown through the Downing Street switchboard, and that same day he confirmed he would be present at the crucial meeting.
G
At Yew Chung International School, Shanghai, China, students aren’t throwing away rubbish – they’re wearing it. The school held a green fashion show featuring clothes made from bottle caps, coffee filters and corks. “The clothes are visual reminders of the power of recycling,” says art teacher Daun Yorke, who points out that in Shanghai refuse workers sort objects for recycling rather than householders, meaning students may not realize how important it is.
H
Many education systems are beginning to devote lessons to sustainability. But while the IB Diploma Programme environmental systems and societies course spreads the green message to thousands of students, an holistic approach ensures every student in an IB World School can learn something green. Whether it’s debating the price of pollution in economics or pondering eco-poetry in language classes, the key is context, says head of MYP development Malcolm Nicolson: “Students should be meeting environmental subjects every year, in every part of the curriculum. Change starts in the classroom, by finding the issues that provoke emotions and make students jump out of their seats.”
I
Turning junk into interactive art
is the most creative way of getting students to engage with how many items we accumulate. Donnah Ciempka, art teacher at the Western Academy of Beijing, China, says: “Initially, the boys were most excited about smashing up the old electronics, but soon they realized they could make a difference through
their art.” Northfields International High School in Mauritius added an element of competition when students created art from plastic bottles: the most creative items won the artists canteen privileges.
J
Two heads are better than one, so no wonder students in Thailand are joining together to take action. “Saving the planet does not have to be serious – make it fun,” says Karan Khanijou of the British International School in Phuket’s G-Force club. Siauliai Didzdvaris Gymnasium, Lithuania, has a Green Submarine Club: “The environment doesn’t have time for us to work separately,” says Donara Barojan.
K
Knowledge has become powerful at the American School of Puebla, Mexico, a pioneering environmental beacon. The school began recycling 20 years ago, placing a box in each class. Wednesday is ‘Recycling Day’ and families are invited to bring in rubbish. The school even has an industrial paper blender, allowing students to make their own recycled paper. Environmental coordinator Teresa Concha says that alumni who are now parents themselves tell her how grateful they are for being taught to be green at an early age.
L
It might sound like a diet, but Silver Oaks School, Hyderabad, India is ‘living life the lean way’ to trim its environmental impact. Principal Seetha Murty explains that the philosophy, which focuses on the difference between needing and wanting, has been part of the curriculum for three years. “It’s our top priority,” she says. “Conserving resources is important, but so is preventing people from acquiring unnecessary things which add to the garbage.” Extensive recycling, promoting sustainable gifts and discussions about the damages of impulse buying are key. And students enjoy lean. “They call themselves the Salvation Army of Silver Oaks,” says Seetha.
M
“We think that mass media is one of the strongest tools to use to change people’s behaviour,” says Jesus Ortiz, head of English at Gimnasio Del Norte, Bogota, Colombia, explaining why his students have taken part in a 24-hour online radio transmission entitled ‘We speak on behalf of the planet’. Talking about environmental issues, presenters encouraged listeners to go out, plant a tree and send in a picture of it. “We think we can create an international debate and spread our ideas globally,” says Jesus. By inviting people all over the world to listen, they may get their wish.
N
The Sperrgebiet National Park is one of the most untouched areas in Namibia. IB students at Windhoek International School were allowed rare access, collecting specimens, clearing forests and painting a research centre as part of a field trip to get closer to nature. “The environment is the essence of a country,” says biology teacher Sue Huck.
O
We all know it’s important for learning to continue outside school, but Upper Canada College in Toronto has taken the idea literally by constructing an outdoor classroom. A new amphitheatre forms a permanent classroom in the school’s grounds, which will attract wildlife, improve drainage and include a ‘living’ green fence with solar panels. Meanwhile, a pond, as well as vegetable and butterfly gardens, provide the American School of Paris, France with an outdoor learning space where students study ecology and environmental science.
P
Every minute, one million plastic bags are used globally. Most are not biodegradable and they are rarely reused. Keen students at the American International School of Bucharest, Romania, have joined Jane Goodall’s ‘Reusable Bag Campaign’ to encourage people to keep reusable bags. They have already produced posters for the school and designed and sold cloth bags. “If the students can help influence people to think twice before they use a plastic bag, they will know they have achieved their goal of making a difference,” says teacher Janice Myles.
Q
Inspiring students to question the world around them is crucial, and with over 4,000 IB Diploma Programme students now taking the environmental systems and societies (EES) course, curiosity about the environment is taking centre stage. Piloted in 2001, EES has been fully available since 2008. It aims to give students a coherent perspective on the relationships between the environment and human societies, teaching them to evaluate the issues from scientific, socio-political, economic and ethical viewpoints.
R
Why stop at recycling paper when you could reuse water and sunlight to create enough renewable energy to run your school? The Anglo-American School of Sofia, Bulgaria has such a sustainable campus it was named most ecological building in the country. All waste water is filtered, mixed with rain water and used to irrigate the grounds. Solar panels heat water for the bathrooms and radiators, while 68 skylights and 40 side windows maximize natural light.
S
“Sustainability is more than reduce, reuse, recycle,”
says Marcia Behrenbruch, deputy head of campus
at St Leonard’s College, Melbourne, Australia, which is why the school has developed its own model for sustainable thinking. Based on Harvard University’s ‘artful thinking dispositions’, it consists of four ‘rings of sustainability’: natural, personal, urban-technological and socio-cultural. Each comes with guiding questions, allowing students to structure learning in any subject. In lessons, questions based on the ring subjects aid philosophical thinking and encourage students to “consider all their actions in context of the health of the planet.” The rings are visible throughout the school and planning documents open by asking teachers how the unit will develop students’ understanding of sustainability. “We want sustainability to become a life-long learning goal, not a slogan,” says Marcia.
T
The American poet
Lucy Larcom wrote: “He who plants a tree, plants
a hope”. Students at Auckland International College, New Zealand agree, planting more than 10,000 trees in the city over five years. It’s testament
to their dedication, according to geography teacher Karen Lile, who says that even though it means giving up a weekend, there is “a mad rush” to sign up for planting: “They love being out in the community getting their hands dirty.”
U
Mangroves are carbon-storing plants. One hectare of the trees consumes 1.5 metric tons of carbon a year. Renaissance College in Hong Kong has come up with an underwater planting scheme to offset its carbon footprint by planting mangroves along the coast in Starfish Bay. Student Louis Kang, who thought up the plan, explains: “Mangroves are so versatile. Developing a mangrove ecosystem is a good way of combating climate change.”
V
“Think Green, Act Green” is the mission statement of Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Lima, Peru, and to communicate the message, the ‘green team’ has gone online, starting a virtual conversation on a blog. “We set it up as an environmentally friendly way to keep our community informed about our goals,” says communications coordinator Mary Nakada. The site contains information about the school’s green goals and eco tips.
W
Meal times in schools inevitably mean unnecessary waste. The Children’s World Academy in Quebec, Canada is using composting to ensure today’s trash nourishes tomorrow’s vegetables. “As many families have compost systems at home, it was a natural extension,” says principal David Meloche. Lunch waste is sent to an outdoor bin for composting, and each classroom has a compost can for snacks.
X
The IB curriculum encourages students to be xenophiles, and the Osaka International School (OIS), Japan has embraced the philosophy by forming a partnership with SMK Payangan High School in Bali. Students are fundraising to build a sustainable training centre, run only on renewable energy, to provide careers education. So far, US$3,000 has been raised, but the gains are more than financial: students visit each other’s countries to take part in environmental projects and learn about different cultures.
Y
When students at Western Hills High School in Texas, USA, applied for a grant to develop a recycling programme, they were amazed when Fort Worth’s environmental services department said yes, awarding them US$1,500. The school previously had no organized recycling effort, to the dismay of student Kim Riddle, who wrote the proposal. Now, you can find a designated paper bin in every classroom – which really is democracy in action.
Z
At the International School of Bogor, Indonesia, classes share their space with cats, dogs, fish, horses, insects and a cockatoo, all housed in a special mini zoo, or ‘multispecies zone’. Special after-school clubs encourage students to spend time with the creatures. As PYP coordinator Muria Roberts says: “We need to teach how to share Earth and its resources with other species, as well as other humans.”
