How to Make Schools More Eco-Friendly

Written by BFIS Staff

As educators, and as a school, there are many things we can do to make our daily lives and our school greener.

Organizations as large as schools can have a big impact on the environment, there are many ways in which schools can make small improvements to reduce their carbon footprint. Add them all up and you start to make more than just a small contribution to a better future.

From recycling to planting gardens, to powering the school with solar panels, to teaching students about green practices and instilling a lifelong interest in conserving the planet, these are all decisions we can actively make to encourage sustainability and improve our local community.

BFIS is one of the few international schools in Spain to have been awarded the green flag award, a visible indication of our school’s commitment to education to Learning for Sustainability and an internationally recognized accreditation for excellence in sustainable education.

BFIS Going Green Club 2022-2023

How to make schools more sustainable

Sometimes simple ideas can go a long way in reducing a school’s carbon footprint. At BFIS we have implemented the EcoSchools program, an ideal methodology for schools to embark on a path towards improving the environment both at school and in the local community while having a lifelong positive impact on the lives of young people, their families, school staff and the local community and authorities.

We are committed to helping save our planet:

In 2018 a group of students created the BFIS Going Green Club and decided to make the school a more sustainable place. Through the Going Green Club, BFIS joined the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) as a member and adopted the Eco School Program.

The FEE has been recognized by the United Nations Education Programme and UNESCO as a leader in the field of Environmental Education and Education for Social Development.

BFIS Eco-Committee 2022-2023

BFIS Eco-Committee

Additionally to the Going Green Club, which meets on a weekly basis and works hard to achieve BFIS sustainability goals, at BFIS we have a group of community members (parents, students and staff) joining the BFIS Eco-Committee. The Eco-Committee main objective is to ensure the school is committed to Learning for Sustainability and is actively working on its yearly school-wide sustainability goals necessary to maintain the Green Flag designation.

The Eco-Committee meets several times during the year, makes sure the rest of the school is kept up to date on the progress of our Eco-Schools work and designs the action plan for the following school-year.

The Green Flag Award

Through the BFIS Goin Green club, our school worked hard on the seven Eco-Schools steps and was assessed on a yearly basis.  These are the seven Eco-Schools steps:

1. 1. Form an Eco-Committee

1. 1. Carry out a sustainability audit

1. 1. Action Plan 

1. 1. Monitor and Evaluate

1. 1. Curriculum work

1. 1. Inform and Involve

1. 1. Produce an Eco-Code

After two consecutive years of program implementation, we applied for the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. After an online visit and presentations, the school was awarded the Green Flag and it will be re-evaluated again in 2023-2024 for re-accreditation (every three years).

Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or a student, here’s our guide on how to make your school greener and more environmentally friendly.

• • Educate one another

• • Stop using single-us plastic

• • Minimize the use of paper in all its forms

• • Turn lights on only when absolutely necessary

• • Ensure responsible water use

• • Separate garbage and place it in the appropriate container, so that it can be recycled

• • Obtain as much energy as possible from renewable sources

• • Use public transportation or environmentally friendly means of transportation (electric car, walking, cycling)

• • Be an ethical consumer by buying from local businesses

• • Create a garden with native plants

• • Do not waste food

Objective Zero Waste

Our goal is for the school year is to achieve ZERO WASTE by end of school year 2023. We constantly analyze our environmental impact and propose ideas to minimize it and improve waste management.

Some of the activities implemented to follow our path to becoming a Zero Waste school are:

• • Improving recycling collection and education.

• • Introducing a composting system with appropriate education.

• • Mushroom farming using coffee grounds from the coffee machines at school

• • Organizing and participating in a beach cleanup

• • Educating the school community (staff and pupils) about zero waste and other green actions

• • Beewax Wrapping sales

• • Second-hand clothing sale

• • Exhibition of eco-friendly fashion and art

The Goin Green Club objectives for the school year 2022-2023 are related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals No. 12 and No. 13.