Teachers are often passionate about the environment, we have lots of conversations with teachers who share this keen interest. One teacher, we coached, grew flowers over Covid to give to her neighbours to brighten up their day, she now works for the Royal Horticultural Society in Educational Outreach. Many teachers try to live in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way outside of school.

This got us thinking, about how teachers can use their passion for environmental issues within their working life. Teachers can make their classrooms more eco-friendly, and we have enjoyed researching this topic and finding solutions from the small changes to the large inspiring stories.

We work with many organisations that share these values and who actively promote sustainability and low carbon emissions.

But why create an eco-friendly classroom?

It benefits the environment but also instils sustainable values in students. 

“You are never too small to make a difference” Greta Thunberg 

There are several strategies we think teachers can implement to make their classrooms more environmentally friendly, how many do you do already and what could you start doing today?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Paper Usage: Minimise paper consumption by utilising digital resources and encouraging double-sided printing when necessary. Ensure recycling bins are accessible in the classroom to promote proper waste segregation.
• Recycled Materials: Opt for recycled paper products and classroom supplies. Many suppliers offer eco-friendly options, such as recycled notebooks and stationery. This blog from Eco School Ideas contains many great and simple ideas to inspire you.

Energy Efficiency

• Lighting: Maximise natural light to reduce reliance on artificial lighting. When artificial lighting is necessary, use energy-efficient LED bulbs.
• Electronics: Turn off electronic devices, such as computers and projectors, when not in use. Encourage students to unplug chargers and devices to prevent energy wastage.
• The Department for Education has provided a guide: Tips to reduce energy and water use in schools

Sustainable Classroom Supplies

• Eco-Friendly Products: Choose biodegradable cleaning products and non-toxic art supplies. This reduces the environmental impact and creates a healthier classroom environment. 
• Refillable Items: Encourage the school to invest in refillable stationery items (Refillable highlighters)
• Reusable Items: Encourage the use of reusable water bottles and lunch containers to minimise single-use plastics, include guidance for parents and carers on packing a waste-free lunch.

Nature Makers, a franchise we work with, only uses eco-friendly and vegan-inclusive products during their sessions.

Incorporate Environmental Education

• Curriculum Integration: Embed environmental topics into various subjects to raise awareness and foster a sense of responsibility among students.
• Outdoor Learning: Depending on the school and subject you teach, you could utilise outdoor spaces for lessons to connect students with nature and teach them about local ecosystems. If this isn’t practical during lessons, then this could work as an extracurricular activity and it could be student-led. Take a look at UCL Student Union for inspiration.
  

Waste Management

• Composting: Implement a composting system for organic waste, such as fruit peels and paper towels. This can be used to enrich school gardens.
• Recycling Programmes: Establish a comprehensive recycling programme within the school to effectively manage paper, plastics, and other recyclables. 

After participating in The Green Schools Project “Year 5 pupils have been speaking to younger students about not wasting food, and being wiser with using paper. They’ve taken the responsibility for educating the younger year groups about how their generation can make a change” Aqsa Khan, Year 5 Teacher

Green Initiatives and Certifications

• Eco-Schools Programme: Participate in the Eco-Schools programme, which provides a framework for schools to become sustainable. Over 4,300 schools in the UK are already involved, taking action on climate change through this initiative. It is the biggest environmental education programme on the planet! (keepbritaintidy.org)
  
• Green Schools Project: Engage with the Green Schools Project, which offers programmes to help schools reduce their carbon footprint and educate students about climate change. Zero Carbon Schools is a cross-curricular programme for Years 4 – 8 with links to science, geography, maths, English, PSHE and art, designed by teachers, this programme is the most comprehensive set of climate education resources available. (greenschoolsproject.org.uk)
  

Highlighting Exemplary Schools and Educators

• Dunfermline Learning Campus: This campus in Scotland has achieved the Passivhaus Classic Certification, featuring sustainable measures such as triple glazing, solar power, and extensive insulation. It serves as a model for eco-friendly school design. (The Times)
• RHS Wisley’s Green Initiatives: The Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley has introduced a composting toilet to educate visitors about sustainable waste management practices. This initiative can inspire schools to explore innovative sustainability projects.

“I’m really passionate about it. It’s great recycling and it’s a great source of organic material that can feed our soils – but it also saves water and helps prevent sewage spills going out into rivers, which occur because of the capacity problems of our sewage system. This is one of the ways we can be much more responsible about our waste and get something really beneficial from it. So for me, it’s a no-brainer.” Lewis George (theguardian.com)

Making a conscious effort to live and work more sustainably doesn’t just happen overnight, but one step at a time we can use these strategies to create a more sustainable classroom environment and empower our students to adopt eco-friendly practices, contributing to a greener future for all.

Extras

• Download a free Greta Thunberg poster to use in your school, also includes one suitable for colouring in, thanks to SKOOLGO.
• Read the Eco-School Impact Report 2023 – 2024 and see why they have had their biggest year to date thanks to young people and the staff that empower them.