Schools celebrate sustainability achievement

Environmentally aware schools across Auckland are being recognised for their long-term commitment to sustainability.

Facilitated in the Auckland region by Auckland Council, Enviroschools is a national environmental education programme that encourages children, their schools and their families to think and act sustainably.

The programme gives young people the opportunity to become role models and make a difference in their communities by applying their ideas and energy to real life situations.

This involves working on a range of sustainable community projects including community gardens, native tree planting and stream cleanups.

As well as helping their wider community, students introduce initiatives to improve their own schools such as reducing waste going into landfill by recycling, saving water by installing water tanks and planting their own vegetable gardens.

The programme also teaches important life skills and encourages young people to become the environmental leaders of the future by making informed decisions and taking appropriate action.

Three stages of the Enviroschools programme, Bronze, Silver and Green Gold are achieved by schools that have integrated environmental learning into their programmes.

Signs to acknowledge Silver and Green Gold schools are being presented across the region over the next two months.

Silver Sign presentations will be made to the following schools:

Churchill Park School, Glendowie, on Monday, 15 August at 10am
Green Bay Primary on Friday, 9 September at 9:45am
Wakaaranga School, Farm Cove, on Wednesday, 21 September at 1:30pm.

Presentations of Green Gold Signs will be made as follows:

St James Kindergarten, Grey Lynn
Bayview Primary
Bayswater Primary
Beachlands School
Henderson Valley
Onehunga Primary School
Owairaka District School
Northcote College.

The presentations will be made by local board members and celebrations will be attended by current and former pupils, teachers, parents and Enviroschools representatives.