First Flag – Litter and Waste: Presentation College are working towards achieving our first Green Schools Flag. Green Schools is the leading environmental management and education programme for schools operated by An Taisce. It promotes long-term, whole school action for the environment. 

There are eight themes that schools can work towards. The theme that our school is working towards at present is the first theme of Litter and Waste. This theme is a great starting point for encouraging a sense of personal pride and responsibility in tackling two visible issues in schools and communities.

As this is a student led programme, a Green Schools Committee has been established for the academic year, 2017/2018. Already this academic year, the Green School’s committee have been working tirelessly, meeting every Wednesday during lunchtime to establish an action plan to raise awareness and to reduce the amount of litter and waste produced in our school. In an effort to raise awareness they have created a Green School’s Noticeboard and have also had the opportunity to take part in a workshop by the ‘Bin It’ company which was highly entertaining and informative. 

In addition, they have surveyed both staff and students to gather baseline data which will highlight target areas that need to be addressed around the school. A poetry competition is taking place in the school at present on the theme of litter and waste in which students from all year groups are encouraged to enter. There are great prizes to be won with the winning poem being published on the school’s website and social media outlets. 

We hope to continue this work throughout this school year and for many more years to come so as to achieve our first Green Flag and many more thereafter.