Greener Green - Developing sustainability practices in primary schools

5.4 Waste separation and reduction: environmental audit of waste management in the classroom

5.4.1. Introduction

In this section we will see how we can teach our students to cooperate directly in the sustainability of their environment through the reduction and separation of waste and we will do it with an example of an environmental audit in the classroom.

This audit can serve as a guideline so that your students can learn about the management of their waste that they generate at school.

5.4.2. Targets

The objectives of this audit are:

1. Diagnose the environmental impact of waste generated by students in class.
2. Reflect on the need to change some attitudes and behaviors that negatively affect the immediate environment.
3. Discuss, plan and agree on improvement plans that are assumed by all the members involved
4. Contribute to the improvement of the environmental quality of the center and its surroundings.
5. Carry out an evaluative follow-up of the measures taken
6. Encourage teachers to participate in Environmental Education activities
7. Increase the involvement of the entire community in the improvement of the nearby environment.

5.4.3. Diagnosis

The diagnosis will be carried out by analyzing the different types of waste that we generate according to each activity that we carry out at the center:

 

-       School transport: Carbon dioxide and gasses from engine combustion.

-       Classroom: paper, cardboard, batteries for remote controls and watches, projector bulb, pens, Tippex, fruit peels, brics.

-       Breakfast: aluminum foil, plain paper, food scraps, plastic bags, juice jugs, plastic straws, fruit peels.

-       Lunch room: food scraps (organic matter), paper napkins, rests of water, glass and ceramics.

-       Kitchen: fumes from the kitchen, transport of goods, cardboard boxes, plastics and wrapping.

-       Dressing rooms: soap, waste of water.

-       WC: black water, soap, waste of water.

5.4.4. Current management and possible waste management

Once the diagnosis has been made, we will see for each of these activities what management is currently done and what could be done in the future to improve it

Activities/Spaces	currently	Alternative solutions or methods
Breakfast	Common bin or on the floor	- Distribute envelopes or paper bags (boc'n roll custom) - Specific bins for each waste (plastic, paper, organic fraction)
Dining room/ Kitchen	- All the remains are thrown in the same bin. - Poor control of water consumption	- Make a selective separation by separating the organic fraction from its remains. - Individual and reusable cloth napkins. - Put a water meter or that there is only one jug at each table and thus rationalize it.
Classroom	Accumulation of large amounts of paper in bins as well as plastic containers and aluminum foil (absence of organic matter)	- Specific trash in the classroom for each waste (plastic, paper and remains). - Reduce paper consumption with the use of computers and tablets.
school transport	A certain number of students arrive at the center with their own motorized vehicle.	Promote other healthier and more sustainable forms of transport such as cycling, walking or public transport
Dressing rooms/WC	- An abundant amount of soap is used daily. - Toilet paper and paper towels for drying hands are often wasted. - Excessive water consumption in toilets.	- Put soap dispensers (ecological) with a mark that indicates the daily consumption. - Replace paper towels with dryers. - WC buttons with two different water discharges.

 

Activity: Design your own guideline to carry out the diagnosis in your class in accordance with the activities and spaces where the educational activity of your students is distributed.

5.4.3. Actions to be taken

Once the diagnosis of the waste and its management has been carried out, it is time to specify the actions. These are some of the ideas that have emerged from the school environmental audit carried out in a school:

- Make a personalized school lunch box.

- Put in the yards specific garbage for each waste: plastic, paper and organic fraction.

- Take advantage of the organic fraction to create a school composting plant to make fertilizer for the garden or the school garden...

-  Give the youngest students the workshop "reduce, reuse and recycle" to raise awareness, explain and teach students, of all ages, the new proposals and also so that they contribute their initiatives and get involved.

-  Establish an annual award that is given to the class that has achieved the best results in one of the indicators of the audit (for example, the number of students who bring lunch boxes, the one with the most students who come by biking or walking ...).

- Propose to the faculty that the qualification of activities is improved when the criteria of reducing their environmental impact or improving waste management has been taken into account.

Activity: based on the conclusions of the environmental audit, it draws up regulations to achieve these objectives. The school St. Giles can help you with some ideas.