The Advantages and Disadvantages of Eco-Schools - Essay Example

Running head: Eco-schools Eco-Schools Eco Schools Introduction Eco-schools have been conceptualized as an international program guiding schools towards sustainable trends in education and learning. It has been established as a program in order to integrate ecologically sustainable learning activities into the educational system. This paper shall now discuss the essential details about eco-schools, the advantages and disadvantages of these schools, and whether or not these schools are fair. Discussion Eco-schools as described by the Eco-schools website as “one of five environmental education programmes run internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)” (Eco-Schools, n.d). Eco-schools are managed in England by Keep Britain Tidy; in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful; in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy; and in Northern Ireland by Tidy Northern Ireland (Eco-Schools, n.d). This programme is free and thereby helps to ensure that sustainable issues are easily managed – in the nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools, or special education schools. Schools placed under this programme follow a seven-step process which focuses on addressing environmental subjects, including littering and managing waste, promoting healthy living and ensuring biodiversity (Eco-Schools, n.d). In this programme, the children are chosen to lead the eco-committee and assist in implementing an audit in order to evaluate the environmental performance of their school. After the proper consultation with other schools and the community, the pupils opt for environmental goals which they want to focus on and how they would choose to focus on said goals (Eco-schools, n.d). Monitoring is a crucial part of the Eco-schools programme and it provides different educational institutions with the necessary evidence in order to gain environmental progress with their themes and activities (Eco-Schools, n.d). In this programme, schools aim for three awards – the Bronze, Silver, and the Green Flag award which refers to excellence in environmental activity. Bronze and Silver are considered to be self-accredited through the Eco-Schools website and the Green Flag is evaluated through Keep Britain Tidy (Eco-Schools, n.d). Different types of schools can join Eco-schools, including nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, special schools, children’s centres, and pupils’ referral units (Eco-schools, n.d). Funding for such Eco-schools are found in the “Switched on Communities” grant scheme with grants of up to 5,000 pounds awarded to schools, as well as different energy-saving white goods. Different schools can opt to go through the different award stages, from Bronze, Silver, and Green Flag, however, this is not compulsory (Eco-Schools, n.d). Schools may be granted the Green Flag award through registration, based on the level of work which has yet to be completed. The focus of Eco-Schools is sustainable development and sustainable development is clearly about ensuring that people around the world fulfil their basic needs and have a good quality of life – while not compromising the life of future generations (Eco-Schools, n.d). In effect, sustainable development focuses on finding ways in order to improve their lives without destroying the environment, without creating future problems and transferring such to other parts of the world. This sustainable schools strategy is used by the Department for Children, Schools, and Families (DCSF) and focuses on encouraging schools to consider the principles of sustainable development in their daily activities, achieving educational excellence in line with healthy living, environmental awareness, community participation, and global citizenship (Eco-Schools, n.d). In effect, these sustainable schools use less energy and water in running their programmes; and they also produce less waste. They are efficient schools and healthy environments for learning (Eco-schools, n.d). They encourage care in different aspects of school life, including caring for oneself, caring for each other, and caring for the environment. Eco-schools present with major advantages to the environment and to the overall sustainable development of the world. These schools improve student and adult lines of communication; it also unites the school under a common cause. These schools also develop and increase the students’ sense of responsibility – allowing the views of others, which are valued, to thrive. These schools also improve the behaviour and demeanour of students – helping them develop a sense of belongingness and pride in their school and their community (Sheffield City Council, 2010). They provide opportunities for the use of real local issues in the delivery of cross-cultural themes, integrating more purpose to studies, improving pupil engagement and participation in lessons, as well as helping them in comprehending the different issues involved with each other. In effect, these eco-schools assist in the improvement of schools and their community’s carbon footprint, but they also help these schools save money through the conservation of energy (switching off campaigns and door shutting to insulation); reduction of energy usage; resource conservation (limiting amount of paper used through double-sided paper use and water conservation); resource selection (purchase of A-rated electrical appliances which are recyclable and repairable); recycling (paper recycling); waste management (anti-litter and vandalism campaigns and walk to school campaigns); and biodiversity (wildlife rich sites and allotments within walking distance in order to improve learning opportunities and to reduce the cost of travel) (Sheffield City Council, 2010). These are the various advantages of eco-schools. These schools however, may also have several disadvantages. In terms of disadvantages, there seems to be a major disconnect between the goals of the eco-schools and the integration of such goals to each pupil. In a study by Krnel & Naglic (2009), the authors were able to point out that although the goals of eco-schools presented lofty and highly beneficial aims, teaching these goals to students has been another matter – and has been a major challenge for these schools. In terms of pupils’ awareness and environmentally-sound behaviour, those studying in eco-schools did not present much difference with those studying in non eco-schools. In other words, studying in eco-schools has not impacted much on the behaviour of pupils (Krnel & Naglic, 2009). In relation to some of the projects in relation to Eco-schools, these projects have not raised the knowledge of students in terms of living responsibly. These students have yet to integrate the goals of their eco-schools into their lives. In assessing whether the goals of such eco-schools are fair or not, there is decidedly a major deference to the importance of preserving our environment and sustaining it for our children and for other generations which would follow. These eco-schools portray important goals which help ensure that the products, the management, and the implementation of programmes in the education sector would not contradict the important goals of environmental preservation. Conclusion Eco-schools are a part of an international programme which aims to ensure that children and learners are taught, from a very early age, the importance of preserving the environment. It helps incorporate sustainable means of learning and later of applying such information into their personal lives. It is a beneficial programme because it helps ensure that the future generations would still get to enjoy our resources. There is a need to improve the implementation of this programme in the school curriculum in order to ensure its effectiveness and improve its impact. Works Cited About Eco-Schools (n.d). Eco-Schools. Retrieved 20 December 2010 from http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/about/ Frequently Asked Questions (n.d) Eco-Schools. Retrieved 20 December 2010 from http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/faq/ Krnel, D. & Naglic, S. (2009) Environmental literacy comparison between eco-schools and ordinary schools in Slovenia. Science Education International, volume 20, number 12, pp. 5-24 What’s in it for you (2010). Sheffield City Council. Retrieved 20 December 2010 from http://sheffieldismyplanet.co.uk/getinvolved/sheffield-eco-schools/benefits-of-eco-schools Read More