Number of local schools with Green Flag on the rise

All secondary schools and all but three or four national schools in the county are registered with the Environmental Section of Westmeath County Council, according to Aisling Stafford, environmental awareness officer.

She reported that the number of schools receiving the Green Flag was up last year. Fifteen schools received the Active School Flag and flags were awarded for water, travel and biodiversity. Schools in the Minimum Waste Scheme receive litter picker kits and stationary. Secondary schools take part in the Relove Fashion competition.

Westmeath County Council plans to visit five schools in January and to continue the practice throughout the year. Ms Stafford will focus on getting all schools on board. She will be highlighting the importance of composting and waste segregation and getting involved in all local initiatives. She encourages all schools to get in touch with local representatives and Tidy Towns groups to keep up to date with what is going on.

Environment SPC chair Cllr Tom Farrell welcomed Ms Stafford’s report, which was presented at a recent meeting. He said that getting children on board is the best way to change thinking quickly.

Cllr Paul Hogan said the picker pals and Relove Fashion competitions are popular in schools and there is an appetite for such initiatives. Young people are tomorrow’s leaders, entrepreneurs and environmentalists, he said.

Environmental consultant Jack O’Sullivan said he keeps hearing absolute rage from school children around the world about climate change and climate chaos and he wondered if the Environmental Section was seeing that level of fury from local pupils.

Ms Stafford replied that the one thing that strikes her when she goes out to schools is the level of enthusiasm and the awareness of children about climate change. It’s looking good, she reported.