[INSPIRATIONAL] Yes, a school can do it too.
“The Chase School is a school of excellence – and that should apply to all areas…” – including excellent climate emergency response.
The Chase School in Malvern, UK, is planning an official launch day for September 2019. The principal wrote this to all staff, students and parents:
“The IPCC delivered a stark warning that we have just two years to keep temperatures from warming above 1.5 C. We’ll be living with the consequences of climate change for generations to come, and our children need to know about the future they face, especially as they will experience its impact first hand.
We want to raise awareness of climate change, acknowledge the crisis, and lead the way in action.
In declaring an emergency, we strive to reduce our carbon footprint, and keep the “reduce, reuse, repair & recycle” motto in our minds at all times.
Key Actions:
1. Increase knowledge and understanding of climate change across the school community
2. Reduce volume of printing and offset the school’s annual printing consumption by planting trees on the school site or by pledges made by others
3. Increase overall recycling and seek a reduction in energy consumption through improved recycling facilities and improved behaviour across students and staff
4. Improve drinking water facilities around the school in order to reduce single use plastic water bottles
5. Increase number of pupils and staff cycling and walking to school to create more sustainable transport
In addition to the above goals, we have compiled a short list of questions to encourage staff and students to act in accordance with a crisis, that can be displayed around the school.
Students:
* Can I walk or bike to school? Can I take the bus or train? Can I car-share?
* Do I need to buy single use plastic? Do I have a re-usable water bottle?
* Do I strive to look after my pens, books and other belongings in order to avoid unnecessary waste?
Staff:
* Resources – do I need to print it? Can I reduce it to use less paper? Can I reuse it at a later date?
* Do I recycle, and encourage the pupils to recycle?
* Do I positively promote the “reduce, reuse, repair, & recycle” motto? Do I positively promote the required shift in mind-set?
We want to improve the school’s awareness of climate change, and empower students and staff to help make a difference.”
→ School home page: www.chase.worcs.sch.uk
→ See more schools, universities and other non-governmental climate emergency declarations
→ See also: www.cedamia.org/schools