Green School Committee

We received our 5th flag for Biodiversity in May 2020 and now we are on to our 2 year program on Global Litter and Waste Management. Lots of fun projects ahead.
UB Biodiversity for Children Activities

We received our 4th flag yesterday for Travel management 22/5/18 and now begin our 2 year program on Biodiversity management- we have a lot of projects underway for biodiversity already and will start sharing these over the coming months.

carbon emissions convertor
ulla beag curriculum 2017
Travel Committee 20162018
We received our 3rd Green Flag from An Taisce for Water Convservation yesterday 19/05/2016.

All A lot of work underway on our water management program our 3rd Green Flag through An Taisces Green School Program so I wanted to pause and give an overall summary and details here for your information on what we have completed to date.
As you are aware we continue to manage our school greenly with a high priority on energy management; water management; sustainable living and litter and waste management and a big thanks as always to everyone supporting us through the green school program.

Executive Summary Our Work 2010-2015
1. Litter , waste management and recycling program :
•Maintained and grown to meet our growing population from 20 children 2013 /2014 to 30 children 2014/2015 per day.
•Cost avoidance of €1050 annually Growth year on year 2013/1014 to 2014/2015 of €350.

2.ENERGY MANAGEMENT

•Heat Consumption reduced by 1100 litres we saved 1.7 tonne of Co2. €900 saving annually.
•Electricity daily consumption reduced from 20 kW to 15 Kw. €233 saving annually.
•2014 First Low Energy Pyjama Day – no lights on from 8-18 saved 5 kW.
•2015 Second Low Energy Pyjama Day – no lights on from 8-18 saved 5 kw.
•Developed ; documented and rolled out an Energy Management curriculum with 12 individual projects.
•Rolled out a home survey and agreed an Energy Management pledge with our families.

3. Travel :
• Rolled out a Car pooling service with no charge reducing our Carbon foot print by 0.837 tonnes of CO2.
•All our afterschoolers participated and were actively involved in WOW days for OGNS.
•Rolled out a Yoga day for our school-goers/ after-schoolers supporting Active program with OGNS.

4..Water Management :
•Mapped our Water Management program to Aistear Learning Goals.
•Developed ; documented and rolled out a Water Management curriculum with 12 individual projects.
•Expanded our Ulla Beag Green Management code to focus on Water
•Fuinneamh Rapcheol
•Rolled out a home survey and agreed a Water Management pldege with our families.
•Active involvement with out parents
•Developed a dedicated Green Schools Committee webpage on our website www.ullabeag.ie

5. Biodiversity management
•Built insect hotels.
•Planted an edible native hedgerow-2011 in full bloom now.
•Planted native irish cherry trees
•Teaching curriculum teaching our children about native Irish indigenous planting; organic growing for sustainable living and non indigenous plants.
•Child friendly herb garden
•Planted a native apple orchard

5. Natural Playscapes
– recycling our native trees-willow; sally etc in partnership with a local Artist and Sculptor Gerard Bourke we have created natural play areas which are growing with our aging children so the gardens are suitable for 0-12 years now. With lots more plans on the way

By introducing a green program at Úlla Beag we have delivered:

sustainable living and green awareness through our Aistear curriculum and parental involvement;

Continuing to manage our waste management program cutting our waste in two and supplying compost for our garden and art and crafts

A scalable organic school garden producing our own fruit and vegtables

A heat management program reducing our costs by €900 pa.

An energy management program for electricity and heat management.

Life long skills to our children

In 2012 we were awarded our First Green Flag from An Taisce for Litter & Waste management through the Green Flag Program. As a result of our actions and work with the children on Litter & Waste Management we subsequently received the 2012 Early Childhood Innovation in Environmental Awareness award both of which we are very proud of.

On 20th May 2014 we were awarded our second Green Flag for Energy Management while maintaining our efforts and integrating with our litter & waste management program. Here we see some of our afterschool group at the awards ceremony.

Úlla Beag Green School Project – Litter and Waste
Energy Action Plan Úlla Beag 2012-2014
Úlla Beag Green School Energy Management Final

Energy management Tips for home PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Green Schools Photos 2013-2014