Half of all our schools have achieved Green School status under an international initiative that is teaching invaluable lessons - environmentally and socially, writes Frank McDonald, Environment Correspondent.

Since 1997, a quiet but potent revolution has been taking place in schools around Ireland, according to Dr Michael John O'Mahony, An Taisce's Green Schools co-ordinator. Indeed, it has been described as the "most exciting thing happening in environmental management".

Green Schools is an international environmental education programme that promotes long-term action for the environment by introducing students, teachers, parents and the wider community to the concept of good environmental management.

It was the brainchild of the Foundation for Environmental Education (Fee), in response to the United Nations call for "actions for sustainable living".

Patricia Oliver, An Taisce's director of education and Irish representative of Fee, knew at first glance that it was a winner.

Unlike a once-off project, as Dr O'Mahony says, Green Schools is an investment in the future because it fosters a strong sense of citizenship and leadership among participants that spreads far outside the school into the wider community. It also promotes teamwork among teachers, students and parents to reach a common goal. It even "flattens and democratises" school management structures by bringing children into the decision-making process and making them responsible for their actions.

Internationally, about 13,000 schools in 31 countries in Europe, Africa and South America are participating in the programme. This equates to three million students and 200,000 teachers. To date, 3,500 schools have been awarded the Green Flag for reaching the required standard.

In 1997, An Taisce's education unit introduced the programme to a handful of schools in Ireland. Just eight years later, 1,975 schools are involved - nearly 50 per cent of all schools in the State. This equates to more than 300,000 students and 20,000 teachers.

More than 650 primary, secondary and special schools have now achieved the coveted Green Flag. "It is now almost impossible to travel anywhere in Ireland without seeing it flying. Everybody knows somebody who is involved in the programme," O'Mahony says.

At the current rate of growth, An Taisce expects that a further 300 schools will join the programme over the next 12 months and the number of Green Flags will grow to more than 1,000. By any measure, that would represent a significant achievement.

Initially, schools taking part in the programme tackle basics such as waste and litter and then move on to wider issues such as energy, water, transport and healthy living. This ties in well to the renewal of the award every two years, encouraging schools to keep going.

Every type of school, from the smallest rural primary school to the largest secondary school with over 1,500 students is implementing the programme. Once they have successfully completed the seven-step programme (see panel), they can apply for a Green Schools flag.

It has been a huge challenge for An Taisce's education unit to develop the programme in Ireland and now to manage its phenomenal growth - particularly as it receives no direct financial support from either the Department of the Environment or the Department of Education.

Some €200,000 a year is provided by local authorities, with private sponsorship from Greenstar, one of the leading waste management companies, Coca Cola and Wrigleys. Obviously, they have their eye on corporate social responsibility and on good public relations.

"We're between the devil and the deep blue sea," O'Mahony conceded, in response to criticism of Coca Cola's agenda of installing vending machines in schools and Wrigleys trying to wriggle out of point-of-sale levies on chewing gum, which often ends up on our streets.

A funding application has been submitted to the Department of the Environment, but with no response so far. Extraordinarily, the Department of Education has shown little interest in the programme, other than sending a representative to awards ceremonies.

"The most important aspect of Green Schools is that each school fits the programme to its needs and circumstances and not the other way around," says O'Mahony. "This allows them to innovate and develop solutions to their own environmental impacts."

Research shows that Irish schools successfully implementing the programme are diverting on average 60 per cent of their rubbish away from landfill, with some close to zero. This would amount to around 4 tonnes per day of school waste being directly diverted from landfill.

More importantly, the research also found that Green Schools is having a strong impact on participants' attitudes and behaviour towards the environment - offering some hope that future debates about major environmental issues will not be as myopic as the M3.

"It is often said that young people only ever make up 20 per cent of the population. However, they comprise 100 per cent of the future," O'Mahony says. "There is also an Irish seanfhocal that says 'Mol an óige agus tiochfaidh sí'. Green Schools truly makes this a reality."