Litter is the one mandatory Eco-Schools topic. The schools in the case studies below each adopted a different approach towards tackling litter - and achieved much cleaner schools as a result.
Pupils from Longforgan Primary School in Perth & Kinross encouraged the whole community to get involved in tackling the litter and dog-fouling problem they identified through a survey of the village. They put up posters in local shops and campaigned to raise awareness about the health problems associated with litter and dog fouling. The result was whole community involvement in tackling the issue – and the streets of Longforgan are now a better place for everyone. All the residents do their bit to keep the village tidy and clean. Pupil-power indeed!
Pupils on the Eco Committee at Abronhill High School in North Lanarkshire were fed up with the amount of litter being left in and around their school, so they decided to work with local shops and businesses to produce a video that showed the state of the school, its grounds and surrounding streets ‘before and after’ lunchtime. They then showed the video to the rest of the school at assembly, where there were gasps of horror at the mess that was being created. The Eco Committee also worked with staff to implement a ban on senior pupils using their Common Rooms if these areas were not kept tidy. Things have improved significantly as a result.
Clean Glasgow is a campaign set up by Glasgow City Council, which aims to rid the city of its litter problem. In 2007, they introduced a Schools’ Charter, which encourages schools to work with the Council in a team effort to tackle the litter issue. The Council have now introduced an enforcement programme, with £50 fines for under-16s caught dropping litter, or engaging in other anti-social behaviour such as creating graffiti. You can read more about some of their success stories on the Clean Glasgow website.
Every year, Primary 5 pupils at Ferryhill Primary in City of Edinburgh Council make up the school's litter patrol. It’s their job to make sure that the school grounds and corridors are kept litter-free, so every morning break and lunchtime, they take it in turns to go around the school picking up litter with their special litter pickers and gloves. They get to eat first in the dinner hall as a reward and are very proud of their hard work.
Shawlands Academy in Glasgow City won an award for their international education activities with a project called Litterhitters. This whole-school initiative linked a city clean-up operation with a school litter campaign, while educating students about environmental issues in French. The approach was cross-curricular, and integrated subjects such as citizenship, drama and ICT. Students worked closely with international partners to produce a website looking at the environment in a European context. Highlights of the project included a video diary, a workbook and a French play. Not only were pupils involved in staging and producing the play but they also helped to regenerate the local park in which it was performed. The school was presented with the European Award for Languages at a special ceremony in the Scottish Parliament.
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