Warwickshire News Mine

Warwickshire County Council’s ‘Green Apple’ award for Environmental Best Practice for its Eco Schools programme has brought with it additional success, and has lead to one of Warwickshire’s Eco Schools being filmed for a television programme.

Teachers TV spotted the award and was quick to invite Warwickshire to become involved with the making of its ‘Going Green’ programme to be televised next year.

Warwick’s Myton School, an Eco School now for almost two years, was identified to take part in the filming.

The challenge began when Teachers TV threw down the gauntlet to Castle Vale School in Birmingham to improve their environment; and for a couple of months now the school has been working hard to become environmentally friendly. The school was thrown in at the deep end to try and raise their environmental performance from a standing start, and Jordan Kelly a teacher at the school quickly rose to the challenge and visited Warwickshire’s Myton School to find out how things are done.

Pel Grier, a teacher and environmental co-ordinator at Myton School has been taking part in interviews with Jordan to explain what has been done so far.  Students at the school have also been taking part, and have been telling everyone about their involvement in the Eco Schools programme.

They explained how it has helped their school reduce the amount of waste going to landfill as well as reducing the amount of energy they use.  Barbara Golding, Warwickshire County Council’s Eco Schools Officer, who also took part in filming, explained how these measures also save schools’ money in reduced energy, waste and water bills. She also spoke about how the programme integrates into programmes already taking place in schools, such as the Healthy Schools agenda.

Barbara Golding said: “Reducing energy consumption in schools is particularly important especially with increased energy costs, as even without using any more electricity or gas, schools will be faced with large increases in energy bills this winter unless they do something about it.  However, they can take simple measures to start reducing energy such as turning off lights when not needed, and making sure doors and windows are not left open when the heating is on.”

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Warwickshire’s Green Apple Award for its Eco Schools programme has really put Warwickshire on the map as delivering an excellent environmental agenda for its schools.

“If it is now being picked up by television for broadcasting to a national audience, then we really must be doing something right.  I am very proud of what has been achieved and never tire of being impressed by the commitment and work of our schools.  It is something we should be shouting about, and passing on as expertise to others.”

For more information on Eco Schools go to http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ecoschools email: barbaragolding@wwarwickshire.gov.uk or contact 01926 418065.

Link to WCC