Nearly half of the State's primary and secondary schools are competing to win Green Flag awards for environmental management and awareness under a programme launched yesterday by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Roche.
The 2005 Green Schools programme, which is managed by An Taisce in co-operation with local authorities, has attracted participation by 1,811 schools - 45 per cent of the total. Altogether, 435 schools won Green Flags in previous years.
Participating schools examine their own environmental performance on litter, waste and energy, and devise their own solutions to minimise these impacts. Many of these are "outstanding examples of best practice", according to the organisers.
Speaking at St Cronan's National School in Bray, Co Wicklow, Mr Roche said it was "gratifying to see so many Irish students and their teachers taking the environment so seriously" and that more schools needed to be encouraged to get involved. He announced that Greenstar, the waste management subsidiary of NTR plc, was now sponsoring the Green Schools programme with cash support of €300,000 over three years.
According to Ms Patricia Oliver, director of Green Schools, research has shown that participating schools are on average reducing their waste to landfill by half and saving large amounts in energy consumption. Details from (01) 7077067 or by e-mail to greenschools@antaisce.org
