Since the launch of Green Transition Crowborough, there have been a group of Crowborough teachers who have engaged in discussions and actions to promote greater sustainability in their own schools.
The Moths to a Flame project at the time of COP 26, led to an exhibition at the Community Centre with messages on the urgency of the climate crisis from over 700 school children. There were also impressive exhibitions of schools’ environmental actions in the Eco Hub at CrowFest. Ashdown School and St Mary’s are also co-operating with the Community Orchard and other schools have gardening projects. Other initiatives include promoting the use of recyclable pens and other materials in schools and encouraging pupils to walk or cycle to school rather than being taken by car.
Schools are already doing a lot to make themselves more sustainable, not least in order to respond to the concerns of their pupils about climate change, but GTC is urging schools, as important institutions in our local community, to adopt more systematic policies and action by:
- Having their governors and management teams adopt ambitious sustainability policy statements
- Developing clear Action Plans that can deliver effective implementation of the sustainability policies
- Taking inspiration from the Eco-Schools initiative and aiming to achieve a Green Flag award
- Working with GTC and other Community organisations to improve both their school’s and Crowborough’s sustainability action.
Teachers, pupils, parents and governors can all contribute to making local schools great champions in our community of our campaign against climate change.