Green Flag Achievements
Green Flags are an international symbol of a school's environmental sustainability and are awarded to schools for their efforts in reducing waste, conserving water and energy and promoting sustainable travel to school.
Fifth Green Flag 2010 - Travel
The theme for the fifth green flag was sustainable travel. Success with the targets from the Travel Action Plan resulted in a new pedestrian crossing and improved traffic parking outside the school. There was a huge increase in the numbers of children walking, cycling, park and striding and carpooling to school. We were also very fortunate to get new cycle racks from An Taisce. Another important part of the theme was educating our pupils about the rules of the road and how to use the pedestrian crossing correctly. Senior classes also took part in a cycle training module. The flag raising ceremony took place on 15th June 2010. Two past pupils Michelle Quilty and Niall Walsh who achieved great success in camogie and hurling helped raise the flag.
Fourth Green Flag 2008 - Green Home
Slieverue N.S. had much to celebrate at their flag-raising ceremony on Friday June 13th 2008.
The environmental work of the school was acknowledged by the raising of our fourth Green-Schools flag. On the same day, a second flag was raised to recognise the environmental endeavours of the householders in the Slieverue community. Slieverue is one of only seventeen community areas throughout the country that raised their Green Home Flag this year. The Green Home flag has been awarded to the school and community in recognition of their tremendous efforts to raise environmental awareness and promote positive environmental actions amongst the householders in the wider community.
This new pilot programme is being developed by An Taisce Education Unit in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency under their National Waste Prevention Programme.
Ms. Eileen Costigan, Manager of the Green Home Programme acknowledged the tremendous efforts of Ms. Katherine Grant, Principal and Mrs. Alice Collins who is the Green School Coordinator. Also present were Mrs. Mary White, T.D., Deputy Leader of the Green Party, Mr. Bobby Aylward, T.D., Senator John Paul Phelan, Bernadette Maloney, Environmental Office, Kilkenny Co. Council, Members of the Board of Management and Reps. from Slieverue Residents Association.
Congratulations to all involved – Slieverue community leads the way for other communities to ‘live lightly' and reduce bills.
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Award Cermony at An Taisce Dublin |
Green School Committee 07/08 |
The ceremony was held outdoors and the weather was very kind on the day and was enjoyed by pupils, teachers and parents. The flags were raised by James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, Captain of Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team, helped by Niamh Buggy, Paul O'Donovan, Josh Phelan, Paul Rellis, Anna Foskin, Shauna Sutton, Cjay O'Brien and Gary Skerritt.
Householders were surveyed on their environmental actions at the beginning of the programme, asked to implement certain various action plans and were surveyed at the end of the programme to monitor any changes.
The change in environmental behaviour in the Slieverue area had improved as follows:
23% more householders are now turning off unnecessary lights
58% more householders are now switching electrical appliances off fully
18% more householders are now using energy-saving bulbs
16% more householders are now composting their waste
Third Green Flag 2006 - Water conservation
Our third green flag for water conservation was presented in June 2006. Two boys from the Green Schools Committee, Jonathan Roche and Glen Colclough travelled to Dublin and were presented with the Green Flag in An Taisce headquarters on May 25th. Mr. Richie Mullally, Kilkenny hurling team helped raise the flag.
Second Green Flag 2004 - Energy conservation
Our second green flag for energy conservation was raised in June 2004. Mr. Peter Barry, Kilkenny hurling team helped with the official launch.
Remember The Following To Save Energy & To Save Money
| CFL Bulbs save 8 times as much electricity as a normal bulb and last 9 times longer | Boil a cup of water rather than a full kettle if you only need a cup |
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| Use re-usable batteries - they can be charged again and again | Turn off unnecessary lights and keep doors closed to keep in the heat |
| Use a toaster instead of a grill to make toast | Photocopy both sides of a sheet of paper |
| Take a shower instead of a bath- uses 70% less water | Eat High energy food- bread, potatoes , etc |
| Draught proofing on doors and windows keep a room warmer | Use bags, boxes and jars over and over again to avoid buying new ones |
First Green Flag 2002 - Litter and Waste management
Our very first Green Flag was launched on Friday March 15th. D.J. Carey, Kilkenny hurling personality was on hand to raise the flag.
DJ Carey Raises the 1st Green Flag 2002