Eco-Commitee

**** Exciting News****

Some super keen students in KS2 decided to spend their holiday collecting litter from around their local community.  They collected a whole wheelie bin full of rubbish just from the street that they live in.

They are very keen to try to do something to reduce the impact that we are having on the environment and to #savetheplanet.

Working with Mrs Stone they have emailed Councillor Elaine Hatton to seek support from the Town Council.   Councillor Hatton is going to meet with us to discuss plans for a Carterton Wide Community Project - all inspired by Gateway pupils. 

 

WE ARE SILVER ECO WARRIORS

We have been awarded our SILVER Eco Award.

 

 

The Eco committee is made up of representatives from each class in KS1 and KS2.

 

We meet during lunchtimes and talk about how we can improve our school environment and look after our world.

During our meetings we have completed an Environmental Audit and have identified our priorities for this year.

 

We would like to - 

 

• 1.  Reduce Waste

        We talked about the amount of rubbish generated in each classroom.  We would like to introduce a                scrap paper drawer in every classroom.   We would like to have recycling monitors in each class to help          ensure our waste paper is put into the correct bins.

       We were worried about the amount of plastic that we throw away each day.  We calculated that we are         throwing away over 10,000 straws each year by using milk cartons.   We are going to contact the milk             provider and ask for our milk to be provided in recyclable containers with beakers to drink from.

       The Eco commitee wrote to our milk supplier to request our milk was delivered in less                                     packaging.  As a result of the letter the milk is now coming into school in plastic containers that can be         recycled.  We  have earned our BRONZE ECO AWARD!

       During March 2019 we  took part  in WASTE WEEK - and arranged a litter pick.

 

       Term 5 Update - We have installed specific bins in every classroom, the staffroom and the teachers             PPA room for paper and card to be recycled.  We will monitor their use. 

 

       Term 6 Update - The bins are being used in each classroom and even in the office.  We need to monitor        what is being put in them.   We have made signs and labels for the bins so that everyone knows what              goes into them.

 

• 2.  Reduce Energy Wastage                                                                                                                        We are concerned about the lights being left on in empty classrooms and equipment not being switched off when not in use.  We are going to take part in 'Switch off Fortnight.                                                  UPDATE - The Eco Committee were detectives and made secret visits to classrooms during break and lunchtimes.  We left postcards for classes asking them to make improvements.  When they revisited the rooms at the end of Switch off Fortnight they found that classes had acted upon the suggestions made.                        

 

• 3.  Improve our gardens.                                                                                                                            We would like to use our school grounds to grow fruit and vegetables - which we could then use for baking (and raising money) to buy more plants for our gardens.  We will need to ask parents to help us with this project later in the year

 

        We have been working with the Carterton Town Council to support Carterton Open Gardens .  We have          planted some plants to sell, have decorated posters and made an Eco Warrior scarecrow.   The                      children  in the EYFS have been growing produce including potatoes and beans.  In KS1 everyone grew           a  bean as well.

 

        We have done litter picking around the school - we used our lunchtime to tidy up our school and sorted         the rubbish into the correct bins.

 

        By completing our audit and creating our action plan we are working towards our ECO AWARDS.  We             received our Bronze Eco Award during Term 2.  We received our Silver Eco Award at the end of Term           6.   We are going for GOLD next year.

 

We have a display board in the main corridor - have a look and see what we are up to 

(and how you can help us)