Green-Schools and Water
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In Ballymoney National School, the pupils are working towards the Green-Schools flag for the Water theme.
Step 1: Green-Schools Committee
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Our Green-Schools Committee is made up of 10 pupils ranging in age from 6 to 12 years and from 1st class right up to 6th class.
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We also have a coordinating teacher on the committee.
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We all have different roles such as litter wardens, water wardens and leaky detectives. These roles will be rotated so that everyone gets to experience them all.
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We meet every Friday afternoon at approx. 2 pm in the outdoor shelter.
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The committee promises to make sure all 7 steps of the programme are achieved; take responsibility and share ideas for our water theme; and make sure the views of all pupils in the school are listened to and that actions will be taken where possible.
Step 2: Environmental Review
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The pupils on the committee undertook 3 essential actions so as to assess the initial situation regarding water in our school.
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This review helped the committee to decide on the best course of action for improvement within our small school.
Essential Action 1: Calculate your water usage
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The water meter was read once a week for a number of weeks.
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The committee was able to get an idea of how much water was used per person per day.
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Water bills were also examined but it was difficult to get an accurate picture from these due to school closures with holidays and Covid.
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The pupils also made some manual estimations by keeping tick sheets for 5 days and working out how much water is released from the push taps.
Essential Action 2: Conduct a manual water audit
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The committee counted the number of taps, toilets, urinals, outdoor taps and kettles. Our school does not have a dishwasher or a washing machine.
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All of these items were shown on a map of the school.
Essential Action 3: Conduct leak tests
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Committee members checked for any drips or leaks in the taps and toilets.
Step 3: Action Plan
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The pupils on the committee have decided on a list of targets for our Action Plan. These include:
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Raise awareness about water conservation
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Run a water photo competition 'Ways We Use Water'
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Create a poster of our school's water cycle, showing where our water is sourced, where it is treated and where the waste water is treated
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Conduct a Water Use Survey amongst the pupils in school and analyse results
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Send home a Behavioural Survey for each family to complete and analyse results
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Compile a list of detergent and cleaners in the school and try to make Eco-friendly ones
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Adopt the River Bandon and do a river clean-up over at Riverside Garden
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Fix our water butt and collect rainwater for our school garden
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We have 3 dual-flush toilets in the school. We hope to put 500ml bottles into these cisterns and 1L bottles into the boys' toilets so as to save on water with each flush
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Run a water poster competition
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We have water-saving taps but one tap in the girls' bathroom needs to have the water flow adjusted
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Turn off the urinals at the end of the school day and at weekends
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Learn more about the local water treatment facility
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Place 'Turn it off' signs over the lever head taps
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Design a leaflet of tips for saving water
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Organise a 'Water Action Day'
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Set up a Green-Schools notice board
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Place a suggestion box near the notice board so that pupils outside of the committee can post their ideas