A dedicated Environmental Committee has been set up here in the College comprising of Ms O’Sullivan, Mr Conroy, Ms Bradshaw, Ms Studdert and Ms Rebecca Kelly. Our objective is to co-ordinate issues relating to environmental issues here in the school and liaise with both teaching staff, students and Maintenance staff. These work closely with the school Bursar, Ms Alisha O’Hanlon to co-ordinate activities.
All of our staff and students are focused on reducing our carbon footprint, by reducing our food waste, using the dedicated recycling and waste bins located throughout the school and by being more aware of our impact on the environment by the little things that we do eg recycling all batteries used in the school, using less paper in the classrooms and reducing the electricity use where possible.
Our TY’s, in conjunction with Ms Studdert, do a litter pick every Tuesday around the school grounds. This was brought about by joining Neat Streets, which is an anti-litter programme for Secondary Schools, run by An Taisce. It has been a huge success and has highlighted litter black-spots, making the students an integral part in their own learning. TY Geography teachers teach a module on Sustainability to all TY classes and the weekly litter-pick is an active reminder to them of sustainability issues.
The ‘Bin It’ Roadshow gave an interesting afternoon to all of our 1st years on November 28thdoing some fun and worthwhile interactive presentations that tackle the anti-social issues regarding discarded litter.
A group of TY students have entered the Young Environmentalist Competition, with a project to analysis the waste data that is given to the school on a monthly basis by Bord na Mona and, from the results come up with strategies that can be done within the school to reduce this waste going forward. This group is comprised of Isabel Connolly, Maeve Kinsella and Clodagh Lanham.
Three of our 2nd year students, Amira Curran, Lucy McCarthy and Grace Joyce are taking part in the inaugural Bord na Mona Green Schools Competition that focuses on coming up with practical ideas to solve one of the 2025 UN Sustainable Development Goals. They are working closely with Bord na Mona's Brand Marketing Manager, Shane Mackay and we wish them the best of luck in their solutions to such a worthwhile cause.
By the end of the school year, we hope to have come up with a Green Code by which all those here in the college will abide with. This code, once ratified, will see sustainability at the core of all aspects of college life.