Somersfield Academy’s P6 Students Launch Green Awareness Initiative

Litter-less lunch: it's not only a delicious, home-prepared nutritious lunch it is also environmentally-friendly, as the plastic packaging can be re-used instead of ending up Tynes' Bay incinerator.

P6B students

February 03, 2011 — In an attempt to become green, a group of P6 students at Somersfield Academy are starting a ‘green awareness’ project in the school. In preparation for the launch of the project, they have been investigating Somersfield’s sustainability practices.

The class has focused on three key behaviours that can easily be improved. These behaviours are turning lights off when classrooms are not in use or when natural light is available; carpooling; and having litter-free lunches.

Currently, 85 percent of Somersfield students bring litter-free lunches or reusable containers to school for the hot lunch programme. Most classrooms are managing their lighting efficiently, but some improvement is needed. Carpooling is more difficult to encourage and has not been readily embraced; the group is actively seeking solutions.

The class spoke with Mr Palmer, the operations manager of Somersfield, to see what is being done at the institutional level. Somersfield has invested in centralised climate control and more efficient lighting systems and has plans to further upgrade the facility to be more efficient and earth-friendly.

We would like to hear from other classes about their green-school initiatives.