We talk about leaving a better planet for our kids, what about leaving better kids for our planet?

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2014 will see Greenrock offer an expanded and deepened environmental education programme in Bermuda’s schools. In October, 2013, Greenrock became Bermuda’s representative member of the international Eco-School accrediting body, the Foundation for Environmental Education; and we have started to offer this United Nations recognised programme to schools in Bermuda. In joining this collaborative network of more than 11 million students across 57 countries, Greenrock can bring its action-oriented learning approach to empower students and school communities to be the change our Island (and the world) needs.

This programme fits very well with Greenrock’s overall mission, and with a proven track record of active results-oriented project delivery, Greenrock is well placed to represent Bermuda on this global scale.

Greenrock recognises the immense value in engaging young people, particularly in their places of learning, to catalyse positive environmental and social change.

The Eco-Schools programme helps students to realise that they can personally have an impact, and instills in them the desire to take responsibility for the environment and the community. This is vital if the children are to have the kind of future we would like them to have. Reducing our environmental footprint, and working with our Earth’s resources in a sustainable way will take more than just reducing the environmental footprint of school; we need a change in our collective behaviour, beliefs and connection to the environment, and our school communities are critical to this change.

An Eco-School is as much about the community, the school’s economic sustainability, and the students’ learning environment, as it is about the ecological impact. In fact these things all work together: for example reducing electricity bills allows more money to be focused on the children rather than the facility. Helping children to feel powerful and effective in their immediate environment builds citizenship, self-esteem and responsibility as well as boosting classroom results through experiential learning. This helps to combat the lack of connection and poor classroom results that can lead to youth disenfranchisement.

The Eco-Schools programme in Bermuda will build upon Greenrock’s success at Elliot Primary, the pilot Green School. The Elliot school community experienced significant improvements for the school, including saving electricity and reducing waste, installing a school produce garden, and enhancing student-teacher relationships by expanding the range of ways children can access the curriculum. Greenrock has begun the expansion of the Eco-Schools programme by offering support for Green/Eco clubs and school sustainability initiatives in general. We are also working closely with our partners in the Bermuda community, such as the Bermuda Environmental Alliance, KBB, and the Department of Energy, to ensure that as many schools as possible have the support they need. This year and going forward, Greenrock will be able to access the international knowledge and network of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), to support schools in Bermuda.

The approach builds on both research and practical experience: each school team will tackle one ‘pathway’ at a time (ie. energy, waste, food) and progress from creating an action plan to incorporating it into their curriculum to involving their community. Greenrock and our partners will provide support every step of the way, including case studies and resources, to ensure that they make an impact, and at the end of the process will award the school a “Green Flag/Mural”. Schools around the world who have achieved Eco-School status report increased environmental awareness of pupils, staff and communities, as well as financial savings and a stronger school-community relationship. The message and the impact reaches well beyond the walls of the school.

The good thing about environmental problems is that we know what many of the solutions are, and many of them are very simple. Children are very quick to grasp problems and are able to apply great energy and enthusiasm to putting solutions in place. We are working to support Bermuda’s students to be stewards of our planet; and our New Year’s resolution is to give them a vision of a bright future and how they can be part of that. Our hope is that they will be better stewards of the environment than our generation has been!

Students, teachers, parents, businesses or community members wishing to get involved or find out more about the Eco-Schools programme are invited to contact Abbie Caldas via:

abbie@greenrock.org

Or visit:

www.greenrock.org

“For Schools”:

www.fee-international.org, and www.eco-schools.org