Litter and Waste

Litter and Waste is the first theme of the Green-Schools programme.  The theme is a great starting point for encouraging a sense of personal pride and responsibility in tackling two visible issues in schools and communities.

In 2010 we were delighted to be awarded our first Green Flag – for litter and waste.

We have maintained our strong tradition of reducing the litter in the school grounds permanently, which has been made all the easier for us since moving in to our new school building in 2013.

Recent Initiatives include

  • Recycle a Bike
  • Toy Swap Shop
  • Autism Awareness Mobile Phone Collection
  • Liberty Clothing Collection

We have also continued to manage our waste successfully by regularly monitoring our recycling and reminding ourselves of the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” measures (listed below) in place at St Francis.  In 2015 we launched the Golden Bin Award, a monthly award given by the School Caretaker, Jonathan, to the class who demonstrates the best recycling.

Reduce

  • We always ask whether we really NEED a product before we buy it.
  • We use waste paper (sweet wrappers, etc.) for art and as scrap paper.
  • We use the double sided facility on the photocopier – and we try to photocopy as little as possible by sending documents by email.
  • We always buy reusable containers, batteries and energy saving bulbs.
  • We recommend pupils use a reusable box for lunch instead of cling film or tin foil.
  • Wherever possible we buy products that are made from recycled materials and can be recycled again or composted.
  • We buy products that have less packaging and we highlight the issue to suppliers.

Our new garden composter – September 2015

Reuse

  • We use old bottles, jars and containers for storage and for use in art class.
  • We use refill packs of detergents and coffee where possible.
  • Re-use plastic drinks bottles for your lunch instead of cartons or cans.
  • Use lunch boxes instead of tinfoil or cling film for your lunches.
  • Leave a box for scrap paper beside the photocopy machine.
  • Swap clothes, books, video games and music with friends instead of throwing them away.
  • We operate a School Uniform Swap Shop every term where parents can exchange outgrown items of school uniform.
  • We regularly have a charity clothes recycling collection (organised by our Parent’s Association) in conjunction with Liberty Recycling.
  • We have a second hand book area in school where visitors can exchange paperback books, or buy a second hand book.
  • We avoid buying disposable products i.e. cameras.
  • We always get machines regularly serviced to ensure long life.
  • We reuse school books and workbooks where possible and operate a book rental scheme to reduce the amount of books parents have top purchase every year.

We split our waste in to Compost, Recycling and General Waste – in every classroom in the school

Recycle

  • We recycle (plastic, cans, paper, card, clothes and organic waste) in every room in our school. Every month our Caretaker, Jonathan, awards the “Golden Bin” to the class who excel at recycling that month!
  • We compost our organic waste and use it in our school vegetable gardens.
  • We always rinse out bottles, tins and cartons before recycling.
  • We collect batteries for recycling (for Batteries for Barrettstown).
  • We collect stamps for charity (for the NSPCC).
  • We re-cycle old spectacles.
  • We re-cycle old mobile phones (for Autism Ireland).
  • We try to buy products that are recycled where possible.