After we had thought about why waste was so important,

we thought about what we could do about it.

Just as an example, we started by looking at waste water.

Water

Bathrooms

Kitchens

Grounds

Leaky taps

Urinals flushing all

night

Taps left on

Leaky hose / connectors

Rainwater not collectedSprinkers /

hoses left on

“grey water” from dishwashers,

washing veg, etc

Taps

Water fountains

Leaks

Playing with

water

For example, water. Where is it wasted?

Water

Bathrooms

Kitchens

Grounds

Leaky taps

Urinals flushing all

night

Taps left on

Leaky hose / connectors

Rainwater not collectedSprinkers /

hoses left on

“grey water” from dishwashers,

washing veg, etc

Taps

Fit a detector so only flush when needed

Check hoses. New connectors. Patch

leaks.

Install a water butt and use to water

grounds.

Talk to caretaker. Timer switch?

Talk to kitchen staff. Collect grey

water?

Monitor them for leaks. Repair.

Automatic taps?Signs next to taps.

Water fountains

Leaks

Playing with

water

Repair

Assembly

..and how could this waste be prevented?

For a project to cut waste consider…..

So how would we apply this to waste water?

1.How big is the problem?

2.Who needs to be involved? How do we get them involved?

3.What needs to be done?

4.How will we know it’s worked?

1. How big is the problem?– Spot check all taps and hoses– Speak to the caretaker: what

have they noticed?– Speak to the finance manager:

how big are the water bills?– Is there a water butt? Is the

water used?– Do the urinals flush all night?

Water

2. Who needs to be involved?– Caretaker– Headteacher– Finance Manager– Kitchen staff– Pupils

Water

3. What needs to be done?– Depends on your school.– For example:– Install a water butt– Buy a new hose attachment– Run a special assembly

Water

4. How will we know if it’s worked?

– Water bills drop– Do another spot check

Water

In the Waste Workshop, you came up with ideas about how to tackle other types of waste

• We only had a short time for the Waste Workshop so these are only a few ideas.

• With lots more time you will be able to look at the problem in more detail at your school.

Your ideas on electricity….

Where is it wasted?Classroom: Smart board and computers (switch off at

break and after school- classroom monitor? Convince the teacher? Put on timer switch? Have an energy monitor in each class and have a competition to see which class can use least electricity?)

Office: Photocopier (teachers copy less? make copies smaller? Talk to teachers and office staff?) Printer (have a “don’t print” policy for e-mails?)

Whole school: Lights (motion sensitive switches or timers? Persuade pupils, staff and caretaker? Put up signs?

Your ideas on heating….Where is it wasted?• Windows: draughty (insulate), open in cold

weather (thermostats on each radiator), through glass (fit double glazing)

• Walls and ceilings: (insulate)• Radiators on when classroom empty (timers)• Doors: Left open (signs, automatic closing),

draughty (add porch, draught proofing, curtain)

..and making a plan to waste less heat

• How big’s the problem? Look at gas/oil bills.• Who needs to be involved and how? Meet Head

teacher and governors (funds might be needed), talk to the caretaker , assembly to explain to pupils, newsletter?

• What needs to be done? Signs to shut doors and windows, draught proofing, plumber to fit thermostats and timers, get professional advice on insulation, appoint monitors for each class

• Look at bills to see if measures worked

Your ideas on food and packaging…•Break time: Peelings and cores (start a wormery/compost bin), wrappers (ask pupils to only bring in fruit/veg) Drinks bottles (all bottles to be re-useable? PET recycling?)

•Packed lunch: Wrappers (ask parents to put things in reuseable tubs) leftovers (to be taken home so parents can see what children don’t eat) bottles (let packed lunch children have glass of water).

•School lunch: Food not liked and so left (Have an ordering system so children always get a choice they like), leftovers (children asked about portion size. Compost/wormery)

..and making a plan to cut down on food waste

• How big is the problem? Collect the waste and break time, for packed lunches and school lunches for a week. Weigh it each day, sort it to see what it consists of.

• Who needs to be involved and how? Pupils (assemblies, posters, competitions), parents (letter home), lunchtime assistants, catering staff, caretaker (sorts bins etc)- talk to these staff.

• What needs to be done? Talk to waste disposers about composting and new bins. Buy a wormery/compost bin. Letter home about snacks, water and packed lunches. Investigate school lunch ordering system.

Your ideas on paper and card

• Paper not used fully- use both sides of paper. Scrap paper kept in box. Use mini wipe clean boards more. Teacher hands out paper rather than help yourself system.

• Paper towels- use dryer instead.• Paper and card goes in landfill- have separate

bins in each class and monitor to ensure used properly

• Printer- have an “only print when necessary” policy.

…and making a plan to cut down on paper and card waste

• How big is the problem? Ask how much paper and card does the school buys. Find out how much paper and card we put in the bin each week.

• Who to involve? Head, teachers, eco-committee, paper buyer, cleaners, pupils, school council.

• How to involve them? Meetings, assemblies• What needs to be done? Locked paper

cupboard for each classroom, scrap paper box, mini wipe clean boards for everyone.