Youngsters at Victor Scott Primary are making a big difference by finding ways to reduce the amount of trash being thrown out, and switching off lights and air conditioning when rooms are not in use to save electricity.

“We’re using 1,000 kilowatts per hour less than we were in January,” said Principal Valerie Williams.

The lower energy bills are only part of the success the school is enjoying having embraced a green initiative late last year.

“We are very excited. We did a trash audit last November and after we got the results we saw our consumption of paper and avoidable trash was very high in all our classes,” said Ms Williams.

“We encouraged the students to bring ‘trashless’ lunches and now we are seeing a big difference in the trash audit.”

The students are spearheading the green initiative, with enviro-team leaders at the forefront. Other students have been lending a hand as was evident at a clean-up of trash and litter around the school buildings and grounds this month.

Trash audits have shown the progress made in reducing the amount of waste produced at the school. Coupled with that have been efforts to reduce energy bills by switching off unnecessary lights and appliances. The school has achieved a bronze Gorham’s Enviro Schools award as one of two in Bermuda, alongside West Pembroke Primary, involved in the initiative.

The schools embarked on the environmental stewardship initiative after being introduced to the concept by the Bermuda Environmental Alliance’s Sangita Iyer late last year. With further encouragement from Gorham’s, which adopted the schools to help them achieve their go-green goals, the schools are reaping the benefits.

Ms Williams said: “We chose two specific pathways, one was reducing trash and one was reducing energy consumption.”

The school has, through the efforts of the environmentally-aware students, lowered its energy usage. Ms Williams said: “I hope it will spill over at home with the students showing them how they can save energy and create less trash.”

As the school became a hive of activity with students scouring the grounds collecting trash during a beautification day, supported by local MP Michael Weeks, Ms Williams said: “We decided to have a clean-up of certain areas around the buildings. We want to create a butterfly garden, and Andrew Mackay from Gorham’s is going to help us with composting and creating some square foot garden areas.”

She added that MP Mr Weeks and the Parks Department have indicated further assistance to clear out some of the heavier items of trash and undergrowth so that garden areas can be created.

Gorham’s has given students bags containing reusable lunch boxes and drink bottles to further reduce the need for lunches to be brought to school in unnecessary wrappings and throwaway plastic bottles. The firm has also given the school recycling bins.

Mr Mackay, CEO of Gorham’s, said: “I’ve been encouraged that the children have embraced it and are really thinking about how they can make changes. I’m encouraged by the sense of pride they are showing.”