Recycling in our school - 7th Primary School of Thebes, Greece

Sustainability is not just something to learn, it’s something to live. Our whole school approach to sustainability brings together what is taught, how it’s taught, extracurricular activities, teacher training, decision making processes, the physical buildings, the environment, and the wider community. We are a Sustainable School… Our students are growing their own food in school gardens and learning for sustainability in the school grounds. The school is creating awareness by labeling food options in the canteen menu so that students are aware of the environmental impact of their choices. School management have partnered with suppliers, caterers and canteen staff so that food offered is in season and can be locally sourced lowering their own carbon footprint. Our school buildings are safe and sustainable, conserving water and energy and reducing waste. Recycling bins are placed in each classroom and office. We hold recycling contests between classrooms or grades to see who can collect the most recyclable materials in a week. We encourage students to bring their food from home in reusable containers. We encourage students to use recycled materials in their art projects, from water bottles to paper to beads. With this method, we turn waste into useful materials and aim to protect nature, make our lessons more attractive and ensure permanent learning. We post assignments and documents online rather than printing them. Local and national campaigns, such as the Eco-Schools program provide a way to refresh our approach to waste education, as well as the challenge of competing with other schools to reduce a particular type of waste. We established a recycling club that encourages recycling throughout the school. Staff and students are working with local charities to donate clothes to those in need. We create ebooks with instructions for students and the local community on reducing, reusing, and recycling.