Global Citizenship Marine Environment

Green-Schools

An Taisce Environmental Education Unit

Green-Schools

International Environmental Programme Award Scheme

Holistic

Ethos Whole-School Action

Long Term Programme

GREEN-SCHOOLS IN IRELAND

3,742 schools registered Over 93% of all schools in Ireland

46,342 teachers 637,174 pupils

3,212 schools awarded

Green-Schools Themes

Green- Schools Themes

1:Litter and Waste

2: Energy

6: Global Citizenship Litter and Waste

5: Biodiversity

4: Travel

3: Water 7: Global Citizenship

Energy

8: Global Citizenship Marine Environment

Schools

Industry

Local Authorities An Taisce

Sponsors

Partnership

2016/2017 In Review

Global Citizenship

• Long Term schools • Maintenance programme • Reduced workload • Draw on existing expertise • Link to curriculum as much as possible

1. Global Citizenship Litter & Waste 2. Global Citizenship Energy 3. Global Citizenship Marine Environment

Why is the Marine Environment important to us?

Climate regulation

Oxygen production

50%

50%

Why is the Marine Environment important to us?

Production of food

Production of raw materials

Why is the Marine Environment important to us?

Employment

Tourism

Why is the Marine Environment important to us?

Sport and recreation

Well being

Threats to the Marine Environment

Marine Litter and Pollution

Overfishing Climate change

Invasive Species Offshore gas/oil exploration

What is Marine Litter?

Marine litter is any man-made material that has ended up in the marine environment after being lost or discarded at sea or on land.

It is estimated that 15% of marine litter is found on the shore

Marine Litter what we see

15% of marine litter is floating in the oceans

And 70% of marine litter is found on the seabed

Types of Marine Litter

Top 10 marine litter items (Clean Coasts, 2014)

Where does it come from?

• Fishing Boats

• Beach visitors

• Washes in from rivers and streams

• Blown from streets

• Industry

• Agriculture run off

• Unprocessed sewerage waste

• Carried along storm drains

• Cargo ships

• Illegal dumping

Why should we be concerned about Marine Litter?

Can be harmful to Beach users e.g. broken bottles, food packaging may attract rats

Coastal & marine wildlife can: • Ingest marine litter • Become entangled in it

Plastics can carry toxins (microbeads) Floating debris can carry invasive species Harmful to our economy (tourist industry)

Implement the 7 steps to help protect the Marine Environment

2. Environmental Review 3. Action Plan

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

5. Curriculum Work

6. Informing and Involving

7. Green Code

1. Green-Schools Committee

Step 1: Green-Schools Committee

Step 1: Green-Schools Committee

Essential Students (N.B. student led) Co-ordinator

Optional Sec. Schools could look at the feeder schools Sub-Committee for previous theme Teaching Staff Non-teaching staff Principal Caretaker Parents Community Members

Remember! Whole school involvement!

Eg: St Cronan’s Sec. school, N. Tipp. 58 pupils, teachers, parent rep & community rep.

Step 2:Environmental Review

Essential Actions: 1. Conduct a Marine Litter Awareness Survey 2. Investigate sources of Marine Litter and promote an

action to reduce it. 3. Take part in a 2 minute beach clean or 2 minute street

clean.

Marine Litter Awareness Survey Year 1

Date Survey Conducted Survey 1

What % of students and staff ever heard of the term Marine Litter ?

What % of students and staff can list 3 sources of Marine Litter

What % of students and staff can list 3 reasons why marine litter is bad for the marine environment ? What % of students and staff can list 3 ways we can prevent Marine Litter entering the Marine Environment?

What % of students and staff can list 3 ways in which Climate Change affects the Marine Environment all over the world?

Step 2:Environmental Review Investigate sources of Marine Litter

Step 2:Environmental Review

Promote an action to reduce Marine Litter • generally caused by land-based activities • vast majority is plastic

Buy less plastic items

Litter reduction campaign

Promote reusable bottles

Investigate what products use microbeads

Step 2:Environmental Review

Take part in a #2minutebeachclean or #2minutestreetclean

https://youtu.be/ic5l5hitNr8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WNnt0dj8rE&feature=youtu.be#t=107.181

Step 3: Action Plan

• Use findings from Environmental Review to set realistic, quantifiable targets

• Table format

• Person/group responsible

• Timeframe

• Ongoing

• Display on Notice Board

Step 3: Action Plan

Two overall objectives

1) Increase levels of awareness

2) Practical improvements

Step 3: Action Plan

1)Increase levels of awareness • Share marine facts with school community (ezine, newletter?) • Develop new Green Code (poster/slogan competition/projects) • Analyse surveys from the review • Carry out litter surveys(beach/local area) • Develop a connection with coast or local river • Find out about marine species • Learn about currents and gyres

Step 3: Action Plan

2) Practical improvements

Promote campaigns such as: – Think Before you Flush – Beat the Microbead campaign

Investigate topics associated with Marine Environment

1. Climate Change and the

Marine Environment 2. Life on the Rocky Shore 3. Marine Litter and People 4. Marine Litter and Wildlife 5. Microbeads 6. Plastic Islands 7. Sources of Marine Litter 8. Marine mammals

Register your school as a Clean Coasts group

Learn about the Blue Flag or Green Coast Awards

Conduct a study of a coastal or river habitat

Step 3: (Sample) Action Plan

ACTION PERSON RESPONSIBLE TARGET DATE Create charts on the results of the marine litter survey

5th Class October/November

Increase awareness on all questions in the marine litter survey by 20%

The whole school By the start of June

Investigate the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

4th Class February

Show examples of marine litter to infant classes – get them to create some art using the items

Green-Schools Committee March

Do a 2minute beach/street clean All classes April

Research the impact of climate change on the marine environment and also the impact on less developed countries

4th and 5th Class April

Host a marine environment action day - showing off projects that each class did throughout the year and every one dress like a pirate/mermaid

Green-Schools Committee May

Step 4: Monitoring & Evaluation (mini reviews at key stages)

1) Evaluate levels of awareness • Repeat the Marine Litter Awareness Survey

2) Evaluate progress on practical improvements • Continue to organise cleanups of your adopted area • Carry out further litter surveys - has the litter situation improved?

Carried out by students when & where possible Developed in parallel with Action Plan Revise & update Action Plan Keep records of everything! Publicise results! Celebrate success!

Step 5: Curriculum Work

Provide real life situations for mathematical analysis (graphs/charts)

Maths

Poster design promoting clean ups

Art

Study of marine habitats and wildlife

SESE Science

Step 5: Curriculum Work

Essay topics, new Green Code, species names as Gaeilge

Languages

Material composition and degradation Ocean acidification Habitat study

Science

Ocean currents and gyres, coastal physical geography features, human pressures on coastal areas (social geography)

Geography

‘Let our generation protect all creation’

Step 5: Curriculum Work

Create eco-friendly cleaning products Create sea food recipes

Home Economics

Design & construct bins/ signs to inform of adopted beach areas

Woodwork

The invention plastic and other materials Maritime history

History

Step 6: Informing and Involving

• Green-Schools Notice Board • Questionnaires/surveys for home • Intercom –thought of the day • Letters home/Text-a-parent • Parents/Grandparents/Neighbours • Local Press/Local radio interviews Parish/School Newsletter • Website • Quizzes • Open Day • Day of Action

Day of Action

Aim: Raise awareness of the importance of the Marine Environment within & beyond your school

Involve the wider community e.g. Parents/Tidy towns Ideas: • National Spring Clean www.nationalspringclean.org • Clean Coasts event www.cleancoastsireland.org • Open Day • Fashion Show • Concert

Step 7: Green Code

Aim: To state the objectives that demonstrate the school’s commitment to environmentally friendly actions

• Display on your Green-Schools notice board • Theme specific • Developed by the students • Poster/slogan competition • Rap/Song/Poem/Code of Conduct

“Earth is our planet that we must share, So give marine creatures our protection and care”

Phases

Registration (only new L&W schools need register)

Implementation (7 steps)

Application

Renewal

Renewal Process

• Online Application Form – to be submitted by March 2018/March 2019

• Renewal visit can take place at any stage during Year 2 • National Awards Ceremony May • Flag raising ceremony

Green-Schools website

• General information on Marine Environment

• Videos • Presentations • The 7 steps • Case studies • Worksheets • Links to other useful sites

Dates for your diary:

29th September Year 1 schools email survey results to apply for forums Mid October Regional Forums take place 14th November Forum attendees can submit synopsis to compete for place at National Marine Environment Conference 5th/6th December National Marine Environment Conference, Limerick.

Year 1 primary schools

14th November Submit PowerPoint presentation for competition to present at National Marine Environment Conference 5th/6th December National Marine Environment Conference, Limerick.

Post Primary schools

New Climate Action Programme!

• Climate Change, Science and Action! • October 2nd – 6th

Teacher Training

• Call for Climate Action! • October 16th – 20th

Climate Action Week

• Climate Action Teacher Network • Primary & Secondary Teacher Toolkits...

COMING SOON

Resources

Green-Schools Expo 2018

Thursday, February 22nd 2018 Industries Hall, RDS

Free to attend; register for tickets online Apply to be one of 12 schools exhibiting at the Expo

Six themed zones with activities and information Eco Talks Zone

Dedicated Eco Careers area Carefully chosen commercial exhibitors

www.greenschoolsireland.org/events/expo2018

Thank you for your attention!

Facilitator name Green-Schools Officer • Tel: • E-mail:

Any questions?