FEE Education Awards: Apply now!

 

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is excited to announce the launch of its new FEE Education Awards, created to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of teachers and educators who are leading the way in environmental education. The awards aim to highlight outstanding efforts that inspire students to become environmentally conscious citizens and promote sustainable development.

The FEE Education Awards include two categories:

FEE Teachers Award: This award honours teachers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to integrating environmental education into their classrooms and communities. These educators inspire their students to take action and lead by example, fostering a deeper understanding of environmental challenges.

Lesson Plan Competition: This competition invites educators to submit innovative lesson plans that incorporate environmental themes and engage students in creative, hands-on learning. Winning lesson plans will be featured as best practices on FEE’s platforms, providing inspiration for other educators worldwide.

If you are passionate about environmental education and have made a significant impact, we encourage you to apply! This is an incredible opportunity to showcase your work and inspire others to join the movement for a greener future.

Applications are now open! For more information on how to apply, visit FEE’s Education Awards page.

Eco-Schools in 101 Countries

As we approach our 30th anniversary in 2024, we're proud to celebrate the incredible growth of Eco-Schools, now reaching 101 countries worldwide with Azerbaijan the latest country to start the programme!

From classrooms to communities, Eco-Schools has been empowering students with hands-on, sustainability education for three decades.

Together, we are building a greener future, with schools in 79 countries through FEE member organizations and 22 countries through International Schools. Here’s to 30 years of action-based learning and global impact!

The latest addition country to establish Eco-Schools is Azerbaijan, with the national organisation EkoSfera coordinating Eco-Schools nationally.


“As a pioneering Azerbaijani NGO with over 25 years of experience in environmental education and advocacy in the region, “EkoSfera” Social-Ecological Center is deeply honored to join the Foundation for Environmental Education as its 101st member.

This partnership represents a remarkable opportunity for us to amplify our efforts in promoting environmental awareness and action through education, building on our extensive experience and deep-rooted commitment.

We look forward to collaborating with fellow members to inspire and empower learners of all ages to become active contributors to a sustainable future. Together, we can cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious citizens who will drive positive change in Azerbaijan and beyond””
— Parvin Azizli, Coordinator EkoSfera

Pramod (FEE Senior Director of Education) with Azerbaijan EkoSfera Team


👉Head over to our Anniversary page to check out how different countries are doing their own celebrations!

New partnership ensures funding for new Eco-School educational materials

Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and PPG have announced a two-year collaboration to expand climate education and empower future environmental leaders

Through this collaboration, PPG (NYSE: PPG) will provide a $150,000 community engagement grant to enhance FEE’s efforts in promoting climate change education as part of UNESCO’s Greening Education Partnership (GEP).

This generous grant from PPG will support FEE’s mission to address the urgent need for climate change education in schools around the world. As part of PPG's broader commitment to invest $5 million in environmental sustainability education by 2030, this partnership will help expand FEE’s reach and impact in classrooms globally.

The funding will facilitate the creation of new educational materials, including Eco-Schools handbooks, instructional videos, online courses, and teacher training materials. These resources will be made available in multiple languages—including English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and French—to ensure global accessibility and impact.

For more information, read the full press release on FEE’s website.

ISSD NGO launches Eco-Schools programme in Armenia

The Foundation for Environmental Education’s (FEE) member organisation in Armenia, “ISSD” Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities” NGO is launching Eco-Schools programme thanks to the financial support of Synopsys, Inc.

On March 28, 2024, ISSD announced the official launch of the programme during its 7th anniversary celebration organized in Yerevan, Armenia, which was attended by the representatives of the government, donor organizations, local and international partners, schools and others. During the official launch, the co-founder of ISSD and the programme manager of Eco-Schools programme Irina Mkrtchyan, presented the programme, its mission and purpose, as well as the benefits the programme will bring to Armenia. As the team starts the establishment and growth of the Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation programme in Armenia, it has targeted 50 schools in Armavir region and the capital city – Yerevan that will undergo a set of trainings and other activities.

ISSD has also started raising awareness about the programme, and organized an introductory presentation of the programme during the launch of its environmental game, developed in partnership with School #194, during which the programme coordinator presented the benefits of the programme and planned actions for 2024.

The mission of ISSD NGO is to promote sustainable development through innovative projects in waste management, agriculture, education, circular economy, business, and women empowerment. ISSD was established in 2017 and since its operation the organization has implemented over 20 projects across the country serving over 310,000 people and partnering with over 800 organizations and educational institutions. ISSD follows these values in its everyday activities:

  • Environmental Care: We prioritize preserving Armenia's environment.

  • Education & Empowerment: We educate and empower for change.

  • Innovation for Impact: We innovate to solve environmental, social and economic challenges.

  • Community Collaboration: We unite communities for a bigger impact.

  • Accountability & Transparency: We're responsible governors of the resources.

  • Equality & Inclusion: We promote gender equality and inclusion.

  • Sustainability Focus: We work for long-lasting impact.

ISSD is working in 4 main domains:

·        Environment and Agriculture

·        Education and Capacity Building

·        Financial Facilitation

·        Community Development & Citizen participation

Eco-Schools Conference in Prague - Let’s change the climate!

Earlier this year, TEREZA (FEE member in Czech Republic) held their annual Eco-Schools Conference with 100 young people joining in person and even more following online. The conference targeted key shortcomings of traditional education and its approach to climate education.

Six young people each had 8 minutes to explain the things they are doing for the climate, how are they dealing with frustrations, and how they overcome obstacles. This was followed by a interactive panel discussion and participants had lots of opportunity to talk to the speakers and each other during long breaks.

Reflecting on the importance of these kind of youth events, the team at TEREZA highlight that:

“Talking directly to young generations about climate change is valuable: it allows us to transfer respect, validation and information we want to give them. That is why we focused our conference directly on young audiences aged 12–19 instead of teachers. Very soon we realised that this will be done best if young people participate in the organisation as well. Who else will more authentically speak the language of a 19-year-old and be more credible to them, than another teenager?”

Learn more about the event on TEREZA’s website here.

Celebrating the Winners of Eco-School Estonia's International Photo Competition!

In the autumn of 2023, the Estonian EcoSchools programme held an international photo competition. The competition was organised in cooperation with the “Growing with Your Food” project which is part of the activities of the 2024 European Capital of Culture Tartu.

The competition was open to children, youth and adults, and invited people to capture moments in the garden, to show others the magic and the pain of growing food. Individual photos and photo essays from educational and community gardens, as well as home gardens, were welcome. More than 1,100 photos were submitted from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Georgia, Montenegro and Wales.

The gallery of the winning photos can be found HERE.

During the project, two guidebooks have also been created for Estonian schools and kindergartens. The first guidebook "From Autumn to Autumn - How to Create a Learning Garden" is a step-by-step guide on practical gardening in all areas, including for example composting. Currently only available in Estonian, we’ve included it here as a source of inspiration. The other guidebook is a methodological collection of gardening games, creative and laboratory tasks and practical materials which to use in a classroom. It can be viewed in Estonian here.

Congratulations to all the winners and this fantastic initiative!

Launching the Second Edition of the FEE Teacher Award!

On Thursday 5th October, we will be opening the FEE Teacher Award application window to educators from across the globe who deliver on our Eco-Schools, EcoCampus, YRE or LEAF programmes.

The FEE Teacher Award is the perfect opportunity for educators to showcase and celebrate on a global platform, the work they are doing to support young people become environmental advocates of the future. We are very keen to see in applications, evidence for how educators are ensuring a lasting impact from the work they deliver on any of our FEE Education Programmes. This could include but not be limited to: positive changes to their school’s sustainable footprint, improved attendance or academic performance of Eco-Committee members or Young Reporters, young people feeling more confident to take part in climate action or even students progressing on to further studies or careers in the sustainability sector.

For details on how you as an educator can submit your FEE Global Teacher Award application, eligibility requirements to apply and the award evaluation process please visit (and share with your network) this link:

 
 

Greening STEM and Climate Action through Alcoa Warming-Waste-Water-Watts-Wildlife (Alcoa W5) Project

On August 12th, the world celebrated International Youth Day, with this year’s theme being green skills for youth. A green transition towards a more environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical, and depends on fostering green skills for everyone, and especially youth. Initiatives like the Alcoa Warming-Waste-Water-Watts-Wildlife (Alcoa W5) project do just that. Wrapping up the fifth phase of the Alcoa W5 project offers an opportunity to reflect on the outcomes and experiences of participating students and teachers.

Students at Liknes Primary School in Norway regularly visited a nearby stream and learned about water quality and pH levels as well as local biodiversity.

Implemented by our local member organisations, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and FEE Norway, this phase of the Alcoa W5 project involved a total of 20 schools across the U.S. (New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana) and Norway. Participating schools focused on the themes of warming (climate change), waste, water, watts (energy), and wildlife (biodiversity). The aim of the Alcoa W5 project has been to support teachers in greening Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education by engaging students in nature-based learning. The Seven Steps methodology of our Eco-Schools programme provides the ideal framework to support this type of learning through its student-centred, project-based pedagogy.

This phase of the Alcoa W5 project saw students of all ages involved in green STEM projects across all five W’s. High school students in Indiana tackled waste by developing a recycling strategy for their school that kept 30 bags of plastic bottles out of landfills, while preschoolers in Norway built birdboxes especially for the smaller, native bird species around their school. Students in New York organised an Energy Patrol contest to reduce their school’s energy consumption through heating and lighting. In Norway, students visited their local stream and learned not only about testing water quality and pH levels, but also about the flourishing biodiversity in their own backyard. A common outcome throughout all the Alcoa W5 projects was not just that students learned more about environmental issues, but that their attitudes and behaviours towards these issues changed as well.

Students from the Environmental Charter School in Pittsburgh, PA planted native pollinator species in their school garden.

“Over the past year, the Alcoa W5 project has served to support both teachers and students in exploring issues of sustainability and making connections to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG”s).  This collaboration with the Alcoa Foundation, FEE and NWF has provided schools on a global level to engage in environment-based education that has led to student-led, solution-based actions at their schools and in their communities. This year in the U.S., schools in Massena, NY, Pittsburgh, PA and Newburg, IN addressed issues such as stormwater runoff, gardening for climate action and developing habitat to support biodiversity.  It is always wonderful to see how this type of learning can create engaged and inspired learners,” stated Elizabeth Soper, NWF Senior Director of K-12 Education.

The impact of the Alcoa W5 projects goes beyond students, supporting teachers by providing critical resources and funding to facilitate their students’ learning both in and outside of the classroom.

Daniel Schaffer, CEO of the Foundation for Environmental Education’s CEO shared that, “The Alcoa W5 project has been a fantastic initiative that has supported hundreds of students and teachers in engaging with STEM education through an environmental lens within the holistic, project-based framework of the Eco-Schools programme.  It’s incredibly rewarding to hear from teachers about how enthusiastic students are about learning and their environment when they get the chance  to develop and lead their own projects.”

 

Students participating in an experiment at Jefferson Elementary School.

Teachers participating in a ESD workshop in Norway.

 

Key to the Eco-Schools programme and an important element of Education for Sustainable Development is also the engagement of the wider community to ensure long-term sustainable action. This year’s Alcoa W5 projects illustrate just that, showcasing how the environmental efforts of students and teachers are able to achieve an even greate impact with the support of community members; families, businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers.

As Marit Kjellesvik of FEE Norway said, “We see enormous value in participation of another cycle of the Alcoa W5 project. FEE Norway has been a partner in the project since 2016, and with support from Alcoa Foundation thousands of students and teachers have been supported and facilitated in interdisciplinary work with education of environmental sustainability. It has been fantastic to follow students of all ages in Farsund and Mosjøen with forward-looking approaches to highly current and very important sustainability themes. Skilled teachers have given students inspiration and room for exploration and investigation. With a high degree of student activity and collaboration with local partners, the project has contributed to creating innovation at the school and far beyond its borders. The project has made visible for the whole community the importance of education for environmental sustainability and that everyone can contribute to make a difference.”

The W5 project would not have been possible without the support of Alcoa Foundation. 

“Alcoa Foundation has proudly supported the Alcoa W5 project since its inception in 2016. In addition to preparing kids globally for new STEM jobs, it has been rewarding to see how the program has contributed to an improved understanding of the world around them and inspired students and educators to be stewards in their own communities. We thank our partners from carrying out this impactful initiative.” Kayla Branch, Program Development & Communications Manager, Alcoa Foundation.                                                

Students at Vanse Primary School in Norway sharing their work with Farsund's mayor.

Turtle Creek Elementary STEAM Academy participated in the Unwrap the Waves candy wrapper recycling program in partnership with the Loggerhead Marine Science Center.

About Alcoa Foundation: Alcoa Foundation invests where Alcoa has a presence, partnering with communities to address local needs in a sustainable manner. With our nonprofit partners, we contribute to programs that protect and preserve the environment and promote equitable access to education and skills-building opportunities. https://www.alcoa.com/foundation/en

About the Foundation for Environmental Education and the Eco-Schools Programme: Established in 1981, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world's largest environmental education organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries. The internationally recognized Eco-Schools programme developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) engages young people in quality environmental education and meaningful action. Through a simple, seven-step framework, pupils are empowered and motivated to drive change and improve environmental awareness in their school, local community and beyond. www.fee.global | www.ecoschools.global

Green Flag for Terra Moyo International School, Kenya

We are honored to share that Terra Moyo International School has become the newest school in Kenya to be awarded the prestigious Green Flag! Sustainability initiatives form part of the school’s soul, with the name ‘Terra’ derived from Latin to mean ‘earth’ and ‘Moyo’ is a Swahili word meaning ‘heart’.

The school’s main focus is on biodiversity protection and reducing pollution. Situated next to the famous Karura forest (one of the main legacies of Africa’s first female Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai), the school radiates hope and a vision of hope that sees students walking in the footsteps of one of the greatest environmentalists of our time.

The school buildings themselves are not permanently constructed and outdoor walking pathways have not been paved, all ensuring minimum disturbance to the soil and living organisms. Classrooms have large open windows to maximize the use of natural light and allow students to experience biodiversity and the nearby forests from inside their classrooms.

Terra Moyo International School embraces both creativity and community in their environmental initiatives, contributing to acquisition of their Green Flag. One such initiative is their unique alternative to regular paint! To keep the students’ creativity flowing and the school’s waste to a minimum, local restaurants supply the school with flowers, from which the students and teachers squeeze out color to use for painting. Making the most of the nearby Karura Forest, the school also has a partnership with the Kenya Forest Service, giving each class the opportunity to spend one lesson in the forest, allowing the students to find meaning in the beauty of forest ecosystems and in the need for their conservation.

Congratulations to Terra Moyo International School on receiving the Green Flag!

Green Flag for Olginskyj Lyceum (Ukraine)

There is hope even in the darkest time 

It has been a challenging school year for Ukrainian schools. Air-ride sirens, missile strikes, drones, and electricity cuts have interrupted everyday life and study processes in the country. It has now become almost normal for students and their teachers to have lessons taking place in shelters, or to run to a shelter during the day. However, it was essential to show the light at the end of the tunnel, which is why Olginskyj Lyceum and Kindergarten “Rozumka” worked hard to implement projects related to a better future. The implementation of the Eco-Schools programme became one of such positive outlook projects. Well-deservedly, on the 2nd of June, 2023, Olginskyj Lyceum received a Green Flag from the Ukrainian Eco-Schools Programme National Operator, Modest Aleyev, as a recognition of their inspiring achievements.  

During the year, the members of the Eco-Committee did their best to involve their whole school in biodiversity protection activities, recycling waste, and other important activities related to the Eco-Schools programme. Teachers of Olginskyj Lyceum’s Gymnasium A+ and Primary School A+ were among the first teachers to re-establish the study process in severe conditions a year ago and re-started the Eco-Schools programme this school year. Additionally, Kindergarten “Rozumka” is successfully developing biodiversity, health, and well-being themes at their school. Gymnasium A+, Primary school A+, and Kindergarten “Rozumka” are in the final stages of their Green Flag award application.   

 
 

Celebrating Environmental Educators with the FEE Teacher Award!

Monday, 5th June: On the occasion of World Environmental Day, we are proud to highlight the amazing work of teachers from our global educational network and promote their excellent contribution to sustainable education.

 
 

The first-ever call for the FEE Teachers’ Award was opened in 2022, so we are incredibly excited to be announcing the winners today!

The FEE Teachers’ Award highlights teachers who have been engaged in the Eco-Schools, Learning about Forests (LEAF) or Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) programmes for five or more years and whose institution has been awarded a Green Flag Award, a LEAF Award or has produced a finalist/winner for a national YRE competition.

The selected teachers exemplify excellence in environmental education and commitment to our young people and planet. We are sincerely grateful for the energy they continuously dedicate to empowering the next generation to tackle the world’s environmental challenges and hope they serve to inspire others in doing the same.

We are proud to announce the following winners of the 2022 FEE Teachers’ Award:

  • Andrea Tláskalová - Š J. V. Sládka Zbiroh (CZECHIA)

  • Bindu Chona - Nand Vidya Niketan Jamnagar (INDIA)

  • Draženka Kolonić - 1 st Primary School Varaždin (I.Osnovna Škola Varaždin) (CROATIA)

  • Inés Nancy Acolt Ariano - Colegio Contadero (MÉXICO)

  • Kate Doyle - Everton Nursery School (ENGLAND)

  • Liliana Zepeda - Colegio Contandero (MÉXICO)

  • Ľubica Noščáková - Narnia Church Elementary and Middle School  (SLOVAKIA)

  • Maria Manuela Moura dos Santos Costa - Escola Cidade de Castelo Branco /Agrupamento Nuno Álvares (PORTUGAL)

  • Marianthi Giannakopoulou - Athens College Elementary School (GREECE)

  • María Olivia Pérez Esquivel - Colegio Contadero (MÉXICO)

  • Monica Murphy - Presentation Secondary School, Castleisland (IRELAND)

  • Nuray Eran Türedi - Captain Altay Altuğ Kızılay Kindergarten (TÜRKIYE)

  • Özge Karaevli - Şehit Öğretmen Nuriye Ak Kindergarten (TÜRKIYE)

  • Poonam Tiwari - Nand Vidya Niketan - Jamnagar (INDIA)

  • Saziye Bekdogdu - Narlıdere Kilicaslan Secondary School (TÜRKIYE)

  • Sibel Ünlü - Private Akdeniz Birey Secondary School (2017-2022) Private Akev Secondary School (present) (TÜRKIYE)

  • Victor Moreira Martins - Agrupamento de Escolas Andre Soares (PORTUGAL)

Congratulations to all the incredible teachers making a difference every day!

Video from awarded teacher Ľubica Noščáková - Narnia Church Elementary and Middle School (SLOVAKIA)

Eco-Schools highlighted as essential to achieving goal of the UN Greening Education Partnership

Yesterday, May 3rd 2023, the first webinar of the UNESCO-UNFCCC series, Climate change education for social transformation: Whole-institution approach to greening every school, took place to discuss the question “What is a Green School?”

The webinar highlighted the United Arab Emirates strong commitment to reaching the ambitious goal of Pillar 1 of the Greening Education Partnership, calling to have at least 50% of all schools, colleges, and universities registered with a green accreditation scheme by 2030.

With its long-standing expertise within Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its extensive network of schools across more than 90 countries, Eco-Schools has been recognised as one of the key ESD programmes to reach this goal. Out of the 50 member states already committed to the partnership, the UAE is one of early movers, spearheading the Green School movement leading up to COP28 in Dubai and beyond.

“Going forward, we hope to continue to register and certify schools to become Eco-Schools under the model of FEE”.
- H.E. Dr. Amna AlDahak Alshamsi, UAE Ministry of Education

 
 

The Greening Education Partnership aims to “prepare every learner to acquire the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to tackle climate change and to promote sustainable development.” The contribution of Ms Kaelyn, an Eco-Schools student from Malaysia, highlighted the positive impact that the programme has had on her:

“Being part of the Green Squad has helped me improve my communication, leadership and academic skills”

- Ms Kaelyn, Student, Convent Butterworth High School

Over the next year, UNESCO will work on a Green School Quality Standard in consultation with Green Schools Working Group members. The standard aims to provide a progressive, context-relevant minimum quality standard for green schools. As a supporting member of the Greening Education Partnership and the co-lead of GEP Pillar 1 on Greening Schools, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is looking forward to supporting this work. 

Webinar Panelists:

  • H.E. Dr. Amna AlDahak Alshamsi, Assistant Undersecretary, Care and Capacity Building Sector, Ministry of Education, UAE

  • Dr Pramod Kumar Sharma, Senior Director of Education, The Foundation for Environmental Education, co-coordinator of Pillar 1 on Greening Schools of the Greening Education Partnership

  • Ms Kaelyn, Student from Convent Butterworth High School, Eco-Schools, Malaysia

The recording of the webinar is available n English, French and Spanish

 
 

About Eco-Schools

Launched in 1994, Eco-Schools is a globally recognized programme within the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) implemented in over 90 countries worldwide. Using a Seven Step project-based learning framework and a whole-school approach, students engage in hands-on, active learning to drive positive environmental change in their school and local community.

As an accreditation scheme, the Eco-Schools programme recognizes the progressive changes made by educational institutions through the Seven Steps. The prestigious Green Flag is awarded when significant environmental and educational improvements have been achieved. The Green Flag is renewed periodically to ensure continuous positive development.

On a tertiary level, the programme is called FEE EcoCampus.

 

Click on the image to download the leaflet

 

About Foundation for Environmental Education

Established in 1981, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world's largest environmental education organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries.  Eco-Schools is one out of five programmes coordinated internationally by FEE.

FEE is a supporting member of the Greening Education Partnership and the co-lead of GEP Pillar 1 on Greening Schools. 

Greening with Protective Forest Belts in Uzbekistan

The lack of green spaces and an increase of air pollution are creating major environmental issues for those living in Uzbekistan. According to the United Nations, deforestation, and wind- and water erosion, resulting in biodiversity loss, are some of the most serious environmental problems threatening Uzbekistan’s natural environment. Forests play a crucial role in protecting surrounding land, combatting desertification, and preventing erosion. Deforestation in Uzbekistan therefore not only impacts the biodiversity in forest, but also that of numerous fragile ecosystems, such as river basins. Furthermore, Uzbekistan is facing extremely high levels of air pollution, especially in the Tashkent region, which also contribute to ecosystem degradation through the acidification of water and soil.  

Tackling these growing environmental problems is the Zamin Foundation, which implements several projects focused on restoring ecosystems and ecology in Uzbekistan. One such project is the Yashil Zamin project (which translates to Green Land). Yashil Zamin aims at greening cities and creating forest belts, which have numerous benefits for their surrounding ecosystems. Forest belts help protect ecosystems, and therefore biodiversity, from wind and dust, as well as helping neighboring agricultural land combat drought, and wind and water-erosion, which contributes to more stable and high crop yields. Forest belts also help protect against atmospheric and noise pollution.

 

Green Barrier planted by the Zamin Foundation (source: Zamin Foundation)

 

The Yashil Zamin project combines numerous different activities, with a common aim of greening urban spaces. In the Syrdarya region, one of the project activities consisted of planting forest belts to create a green border. The efforts of the volunteers have resulted in the planting of 175km of forest belts in the region. North of the Syrdarya region, in the capital city of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 11,500 local varieties of trees and shrubs have been planted. The project has covered an area of over 19 hectares, and there are plans to plant more trees, covering an even greater land extension.

 

Children participating in tree planting activities (source: Zamin Foundation)

 

The Yashil Zamin project is, however, not only a planting project but also aims to support the future of greening in Uzbekistan. The Zamin Foundation contributes to this goal by digitally monitoring the planted trees, logging the type, age, trunk, and height of each tree. Education also plays a key role. The project also works to educate those in the field of gardening and landscaping, in the hopes of raising awareness about the value of urban green spaces, trees and forests.

The Zamin Foundation is also educating an environmentally responsible generation through the implementation of the Eco-Schools programme. Students in the 41 Eco-Schools of Uzbekistan participate in several of the Zamin Foundation’s projects, gaining practical skills by taking care of their schools’ greenhouses, where they learn about tree planting, biodiversity, and ecosystems. They then offer seminars to other schools about tree planting, sharing their knowledge on greening with others.

Lastly, through the implementation of Yashil Zamin, the Zamin Foundation further hopes to draw the attention of the public and authorities to the pollution environmental problems and the value of ecosystem restoration in Uzbekistan.

The greening of urban spaces is incredibly important to local biodiversity and ecosystems. Projects such as Yashil Zamin promote the introduction and restoration of ecosystems in areas where human activities have caused severe habitat fragmentation and a significant decline in local biodiversity, altering many ecosystem services. These projects show how humans can nurture surrounding ecosystems and how vital these ecosystems are in combatting air pollution, wind- and water erosion, and mitigating climate change. By working intensely on restoring local ecosystems, projects such as Yashil Zamin align with the objectives of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

If you would like to learn more about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and how you can get involved, please visit the following link.

This article is part of our UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration series which highlights the projects and activities of FEE members that contribute to the UN Decade.

 
 

Building Playgrounds with a Future in Flanders, Belgium

The ‘Playground with a Future’ Poster

Green school playgrounds offer endless advantages; from climate education opportunities to becoming local biodiversity steppingstones, as well as local air temperature and air quality regulation. In many urban areas, however, playgrounds are often made of grey concrete, turning their back on local biodiversity while also being uninspiring places for children to play. Tasked with solving the problem of lifeless areas, a partnership between the government of Flanders, five Flemish provinces, and the VGC in Brussels (Dutch-speaking schools) was formed, leading to the start of "Playgrounds with a Future" (Een Speelplaats met Toekomst in Dutch).

MOS Vlaanderen, a Belgian member organization of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), got involved in the project back in 2018 when they joined the "Movement for Friendly and Shared School Playgrounds" focus group along with GoodPlanet and the Flemish Government. They worked together to develop a shared vision for the design of greener, more environmentally friendly, and inspiring playgrounds and school environments. The efforts of the focus group later evolved into the current "Playgrounds with a Future" network and the subsequent design of the “Playground with a Future” poster which integrates the common vision of the network stakeholders. On the ground, using the vision set out by Playgrounds with a Future as a guide, MOS continues to actively support school greening initiatives by providing guidance on how to improve playgrounds so they become areas where students can learn from, about, and in nature. This is done through offering grants, coaching about education for sustainable development (ESD), and providing support to schools willing to undertake the schoolyard greening process. The partnership still exists and comes together to discuss the steps required to provide schools with as much support as possible.

The "Playgrounds with a Future" vision also advocates for green spaces to be handled in an environmentally friendly manner, avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides. These environmentally friendly practices make the school playgrounds inviting spaces for local biodiversity and help combat habitat loss and fragmentation in urbanised areas. “Playgrounds with a Future” are therefore outdoor spaces with living nature, giving children a chance to spend time outdoors, discover and learn about their local biodiversity, and develop a connection with the natural world. All these are vital skills which allow the students to acquire nature preservation and conservation values.

With 366 greening projects currently underway around Flanders and Brussels, the “Playground with a Future” project has thus far been a success, but the work doesn't stop here. Every year in May, an Open School Garden Day is held to further encourage schools to take on this schoolyard greening process. The Open School Garden Day gives schools an opportunity to exchange ideas and recommendations about their own greening experiences, including how to adequately maintain the outdoor green spaces, the observed advantages, which the greener playgrounds bring to students and local biodiversity, and how the playgrounds can help promote outdoor education. To provide further support and encouragement, MOS has released also a set of good practices in order to offer additional direction and inspiration to schools, as well as offering vital training sessions to schools that already have taken part in school garden maintenance.

 
 

In addition to the local benefits for wildlife, air quality and air temperature improvements green "Playgrounds of the Future" also give future generations a chance to connect with the natural environment. Exposing students to nature provides opportunities to increase awareness and knowledge of climate and biodiversity education. Thus, projects like "Playgrounds with a Future" play a crucial role in educating future generations who have a lot to say about the future of our planet.  The purposes of initiatives like "Playgrounds with a Future" aid in promoting and restoring local ecosystems in urban areas, which aligns with the objectives of the ongoing UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

If you would like to learn more about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and how you can get involved, please visit the following link.

This article is part of our UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration series which highlights the projects and activities of FEE members that contribute to the UN Decade.

 
 

Overseas School of Colombo becomes the first school in Sri Lanka to achieve the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award

The Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) is situated in the Western province of Sri Lanka and has become the first International School in the country to achieve the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award.

Despite being a tropical island with lavish biodiversity and home to many endangered species, Sri Lanka faces considerable environmental challenges. The country suffers from a myriad of ecological impediments; poor solid waste management, air pollution due to serious traffic, significant habitat loss, and the burning of plastic to name a few.

OSC decided to address these environmental issues and find active solutions for the broader ecological problems that are prevalent, and so their Eco-School journey began in November 2020, with a group of passionate students, teachers, parents, and other representatives of the OSC community. The debut meeting drew the interest of 65 attendees and students started meeting weekly in early morning sessions before school. This soon became the basis of OSC’s Eco-Schools Committee which now consists of students, teachers, parents, operations staff, and the wider OSC community.

The Eco-Committee carried out a school-wide audit following the Eco-Schools Seven Steps Methodology and selected three themes that would be the school’s focus: Biodiversity, Climate Change and Pollution. These themes would be exploring how to drastically reduce the school and its community’s environmental impact, enhance biodiversity, reduce and omit pollution and waste, and implement actionable initiatives to tackle climate change.

Below are just a few highlights from OSC’s Eco-Schools journey:

Students from OSC examined the flora and fauna present on the school grounds and focused on discovering ways to increase the levels of biodiversity around the school while raising students’ awareness of local biodiversity and nature. To improve biodiversity, students proposed building several gardens around the school. They considered the best locations for the gardens and considered factors like sunlight and rain, tree coverage, shade and proximity to the school’s cafeteria and compost system.

The gardens project is a great example of students working together. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 have different roles. Different groups of students have designed, built, and planted garden beds within the school grounds. OSC students are also in charge of maintaining and fertilising the gardens with fertilizer from the school’s biogas plant and compost system. The different garden beds are used to grow vegetables and herbs to be used by the school canteen and reduce the need for acquiring these from outside the school, helping to reduce carbon emissions.

Students also examined the impact of waste on the environment and explored actions to minimize the amount of waste that the local community at large produces and disposes of daily. Students carried out ‘street sweeps’ around the school and in local wetland areas to remove plastic from the environment. OSC students also introduced themselves to their local neighbours and discussed the delicate topic of burning plastic waste in the area. Since the community-building work began, students haven’t seen any plastic burning around the school.

Waste management initiatives were also carried out through actions associated with the school biogas plant, compost system & worm farm and the very active Recycling & Sustainability Service Group. The OSC Biogas Plant is an initiative where the food waste from the cafeteria (amounting 2kg to 5kg per day) is utilised in the plant and converted to biogas. The students test the potency and quality of the biogas, which allows students to cook yummy popcorn and make delicious hot chocolate for everyone to enjoy!  

Eloise Golding, a Diploma Programme student who leads the Eco-Schools Committee, explains what the Green Flag Award means to the school:

“It's important to us to cherish what we have left of nature and to take care of it to the best of our abilities. Being part of Eco-Schools helps to push us towards those goals, keeping us motivated to stay on track. Getting this award has created a stronger feeling of community.”

In November this year, OSC students organised a school relay as part of the Running Out of Time Global Schools Action Day. As shown in the video below the whole school joined efforts to collectively demand quality climate education.

Exploring Green STEM through the Alcoa Warming-Waste-Water-Watts-Wildlife (Alcoa W5) Project

12  December 2022, Copenhagen: The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is pleased to announce the continuation of the Alcoa Warming-Waste-Water-Watts-Wildlife (Alcoa W5) Project, funded by Alcoa Foundation. Launched in 2016, the Alcoa W5 project is now entering its fifth phase and will be implemented in the United States (U.S.) and Norway by FEE’s members, the National Wildlife Federation and FEE Norway respectively.

This new phase of the Alcoa W5 project will engage 20 Eco-Schools in the U.S. (New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana) and Norway in focusing on one or more of the following themes: Warming (Climate Change), Waste, Water, Watts (Energy), and Wildlife (Biodiversity). The Alcoa W5 project is an opportunity for students and educators to improve their environmental literacy, connect their teaching and learning to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and decrease the environmental impact of the school.

Furthermore, the project places an emphasis on fostering environment-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education, also known as Green STEM. The curriculum and activities of the Eco-Schools program offers the ideal framework to immerse students in practical, real-life experiences that are easily connected to their communities and the world at large, preparing them to enter an emerging and innovative workforce, where technology prevails. It allows for new and creative ways to engage students in mathematics, reading, science, and critical thinking through the lens of sustainability.

 
 

“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see thousands of students over the years not only develop their environmental literacy skills through the Alcoa W5 project, but also apply these skills to tackle topics in STEM. The Alcoa W5 project perfectly illustrates the value of the Eco-Schools programme - that the Seven Steps framework allows for environmental education to be embedded in a holistic way through various disciplines and is not restricted to just a single class or subject, “says Daniel Schaffer, CEO of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

The impacts of the Alcoa W5 project also extend beyond the classroom. Marit Kjellesvik of FEE Norway shared that, “We are delighted to be part of yet another cycle of the Alcoa W5 project. FEE Norway has been a partner in this project since 2016, which has given us the opportunity to support and inspire many schools, and now the latest years kindergartens close to the two Alcoa sites in Norway, in Farsund and Mosjøen. With the support of Alcoa Foundation, a wide range of innovative, important, and inspiring projects and activities have been carried out, and students of all ages have been involved, learned and been able to influence in matters related to sustainability in their local community.”

“In the U.S., the Alcoa W5 project has served to support both teachers and students in exploring issues of sustainability at their schools, as well as in their local communities.  This program has allowed students to develop important leadership skills, enabling them to take informed action on key issues such as climate, biodiversity and waste.  NWF is excited to continue this collaboration with the Alcoa Foundation and our partners and look forward to the stories of success over the coming year,” stated Elizabeth Soper, NWF Senior Director of K-12 Education.

“Alcoa Foundation is proud to support another cycle of the Alcoa W5 project that allows students in communities where Alcoa operates to develop skills to address key sustainability challenges. This project is one more step to advance the Alcoa Foundation mission to invest where Alcoa has a presence, partnering with communities to address local needs in a sustainable manner We thank our partners for their continued collaboration and look forwarding to hearing stories from classrooms,” stated Rosa Garcia Pineiro, President of Alcoa Foundation.   

About Alcoa Foundation: Alcoa Foundation invests where Alcoa has a presence, partnering with communities to address local needs in a sustainable manner. With our nonprofit partners, we contribute to programs that protect and preserve the environment and promote equitable access to education and skills-building opportunities. https://www.alcoa.com/foundation/en

About the Foundation for Environmental Education and the Eco-Schools Programme: Established in 1981, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world's largest environmental education organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries. The internationally recognized Eco-Schools programme developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) engages young people in quality environmental education and meaningful action. Through a simple, seven-step framework, pupils are empowered and motivated to drive change and improve environmental awareness in their school, local community and beyond. www.fee.global | www.ecoschools.global

Eco-School with 4 Pupils Awarded the Green Flag

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is represented in Australia by Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) who runs the Eco-Schools network nationally, as part of the international network of members implementing FEE’s programmes in 80 countries worldwide. Last week KAB announced the of newly awarded Green Flag Eco-Schools, in recognition of their work towards the Seven Steps Methodology through actions and focusing on environmental themes. Included in this list was Belltrees Public School, with a total of just 4 highly-motivated students in New South Wales, Australia!

You can read the Press Release from Keep Australia Beautiful below

SMALLEST AUSSIE SCHOOL YET ACHIEVES PRESTIGIOUS GREEN FLAG ACCREDITATION!

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 28 NOVEMBER 2022

Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) is thrilled to announce the smallest school to achieve Green Flag Accreditation through Eco-Schools Australia, Belltrees Public School, NSW. The Green Flag is an international accreditation that has recognised and rewarded young people’s outstanding environmental actions for over 25 years.

Belltrees Public School is a rural school, located just west of the Barrington Tops National Park in the Upper Hunter Shire, NSW. The school currently consists of four students, one full-time principal, four p/t teaching staff, and three p/t support staff. The school is the 5th in Australia to be awarded Green Flag Status, an inspiring example proving that size and geographical location are no barrier to what can be achieved.

To be awarded the Green Flag, schools must “go beyond short-term environmental projects and entrench sustainability into the school culture, through democratic youth-led eco-councils, curriculum built around sustainability and working closely with the local community” says the National Eco-schools Program Manager for KAB, Hailey Durham. This is achieved by meeting seven criteria which must also tackle multiple environmental themes.

Belltrees have done just that with their extensive range of initiatives, from building their own orchard, farm, and veggie garden to the installation of solar panels and powerpoint timers, just to name a few. “We get to work with livestock every day and learn about how animals help the environment.” Says Belltrees student Angus, “One of my jobs is to help move the sheep around so that their poop goes into the ground to give the earth nutrients and make the soil better.”

One of the schools’ major projects is their “Ponds System” which was created to alleviate the issue of top-soil erosion run-off into the Hunter River which causes blue-green algae accumulation. Excess Blue-green algae reduce oxygen levels in the water affecting wildlife and means livestock are unable to drink the water.

Belltrees tackled the issue by diverting run-off to the school’s pond where they planted grasses, ferns, and reeds, which have welcomed back frogs, birds, and rich bug life. Once the water runs through the pond, it travels over their orchard for further processing and through “leaky weirs”, which slow the flow of water allowing the system to process chemical build-up and capture vital topsoil before returning the water to the Hunter River.

The school has also been proactively involved with the local community including conducting excursions with regenerative agriculture farms and running field days to pass on their knowledge. “We have done a project called GAIA, which stands for Green Annual Innovation Award. We find problems in our school and make videos with solutions to show what we can do to help the environment” shares Renzy, a Belltrees student, “In March we went on an excursion to visit 7 farms and they introduced us to their ways of helping the environment. At a farm called Taylors Run, they used trees to fence off the sheep to stop them escaping, rather than needing an actual fence and we were able to recreate this idea in our own school”

“I swell with pride about how our students are leading the challenge to become environmentally conscious citizens. Their will and enthusiasm to apply learned concepts, experiment to improve and seek further understanding about problems faced, is inspiring.” – Shane Roberts, Belltrees School Principal.

The Green Flag presentation will take place on Tuesday 6th December 2022 with the Mayor, Cr Collison in attendance. Belltrees aim is to be “the greenest little school in Australia” and hopes to shortly achieve net-zero emissions. We congratulate them on their amazing efforts and know they will continue to achieve wonderful things on their sustainability journey.

“The Green Flag initiative allows us to recognise and reward the efforts of every teacher and pupil who strive to become more sustainable, connecting to their community. We hope this announcement highlights that all schools, big or small, can achieve the Green Flag, inspires others, and leads us all to a greener more sustainable future.” David Carter, Executive Board KAB.

Click here to find out more about the Eco-Schools Australia program

Apply for the FEE Teacher Award Today!

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) aims to recognize the efforts of outstanding teachers from the global network who promote and integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in their schools and communities.

This year is the launch of the first edition of FEE Teacher Award. This award intends to highlight the personal excellence of teachers in FEE educational programmes, celebrate the teachers’ achievements, and spread their inspirational stories throughout the entire FEE network.

This is not a competition with an award for a select few, but a recognition of all teachers’ efforts and a celebration of their work and the impact they have had in their schools and communities.

Applications are open from now until 15 December and teachers from any FEE educational programme (Eco-Schools/EcoCampus/LEAF/YRE) can apply. For all the details and to apply click the button below!

There are some eligibility requirements:

-          The teacher must have been involved in any of FEE educational programmes (Eco-School/FEE EcoCampus/LEAF/YRE) for at least 5 years

-          The institution in which the teacher works has received either a Green Flag Award, LEAF Award or produced a YRE competition finalist/winner at the national level.

More details, application forms, and the submission area can be found here.

UPCOMING WEBINAR: Universalization of Quality Climate Education

Where are we and where do we go from here? 

#HelpUsGetThere

10th October I 15:00-16:30 CEST

We are Running Out of Time.

Quality climate education is critical if we are to equip people of all ages with the knowledge and skills necessary to build a future in which all can thrive. 

Young people need to be recognised as leaders, placed at the forefront of the conversation about climate change and empowered through education. 

We are calling on the world’s leaders to provide us with the skills and training to build a sustainable world. 

Our world is warming and to keep the increase to 1.5 degrees, we need forward thinking, consistent policies and funding to help us reach Net Zero Emissions. 

We are committed to help build a future that is inclusive and sustainable for all. 

Show by your actions, not just words, that you are too. 

Help us get there! 

This is the message that will be sealed in the Running Out of Time baton on the 30th of September in Glasgow, Scotland and carried by thousands of runners, cyclists, and sailors through 18 countries to decision-makers at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.  

In this webinar, you will hear from leading organisations and departments in the field of climate change education, including UN agencies, ministries, and global NGOs. You will learn about the many efforts already being taken to secure universal climate education – and the obstacles we still need to overcome. 

Registration 

Climate change affects us all, meaning that this webinar is relevant to everyone! 500 people will be able to join online. Secure your spot here:  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The webinar will also be livestreamed on YouTube.