Making Sense of Sustainability

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Making Sense of Sustainability?

• National Governors Association Conference
• Birmingham 2007
• Stan M Terry
• Heads Teachers and Industry HTI

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Sustainable Schools

• Being part of the solution rather than the
  problem.
• Governors need to ensure their schools are
  addressing this issue NOW.

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Sustainable Development

• An issue of fundamental importance at national,
  community and school level.
• Our current rate of development is not
  sustainable.
• We are at a tipping point in the history of the
  World

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What is Sustainable Development?

• No one knows what the future will be, except
  different from what life is today. Decisions
  about whether the future is a sustainable one or
  not depends on changes in human behaviour.
• Underpinning all our images of a sustainable
  future is the key principle that sustainability
  is about 'thinking about forever'.

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One Planet!

• The free services that the Earth provides- air
  fresh water, disposal of waste, recycling of
  nutrients, provision of food etc - are being
  eroded rapidly by humanity's destructive impact
  on the complex biological network of the planet.
• We are living on Earths capital, while
  destroying the natural systems that are its
  principal source of income.

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Carbon Footprints
UK 5.35 hectares
Bangladesh 0.53 hectares
Global Average 2.28 hectares
Source WWF Living Planet Report 2002
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An Option We Dont Have
No 3 planet solution exists!
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Defining Sustainable Development.

• Development which meets the needs of the
  present without compromising the ability of
  future generations to meet their own needs
• Brundtland Commission, 1987

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Education for Sustainable Development

• ESD enables people to develop the knowledge,
  values and skills to participate in decisions
  about the way we do things
• individually and collectively,
• locally and globally,
• that will enhance their quality of life now
  without damaging the planet for the future.

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Sustainable Development

• It is a Vision and a Process.
• It rests on the 3 pillars of-
• Environmental protection
• Economic Development
• Social Progress.

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Why Bother?

• Its someone elses future problem
• We are OK
• We dont need to concern ourselves with the
  problems of the rest of the World or their
  possible futures.

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FACT

• By 2050, global energy demand will double as
  populations rise and developing countries expand
  their economies.

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Is the solution more of this?
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CO2 UK 2006

• Education responsible for 15 of all CO2
  emissions in public sector!

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Schools carbon emissions.
SDC Schools Carbon Footprinting Scoping study
2005.
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CO2 emissions from direct energy consumption in
educational buildings.
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School Facts

• UK schools are estimated to deliver 9.245 million
  tonnes of CO2 Sec.4.73mt/Pr.3.68mt
• Energy Consumption attributable to ICT doubled
  in 5 years.
• 1.3mt of CO2 attributed to transporting children
  to school
• 26 of Govt emissions attributed to school
  consumption patterns goods/services 16.5mt

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WASTE

• The cost of wasted natural resources to UK
  manufacturing industry is equivalent to around 7
  of profit, and energy efficiency improvements by
  business and individuals alone could save 12
  billion annually across the UK economy.
• Q.HOW MUCH WASTE OCCURS IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR?
• A.839,500 tonnes 2003.

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FACTS.WATER

• Since 1950, global water use has more than
  tripled within 25 years, half the worlds
  population could have trouble finding enough
  freshwater for drinking and irrigation
• WHAT is the consumption level in your school?
• Average Pr.7.3m3 SEC. 11.m3 per student
• Cost.?

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Building design?

• More than 80 of all product-related
  environmental impacts are determined by product
  design.
• What environmental impact will your BSF project
  have?
• Should you demand a sustainable BSF project? YES

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Schools and ESD
Why be a sustainable school?
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Cost of Education UK

• 23 Billion Annually
• State sector 5 of Government expenditure
• Increasing consumption of physical resources
•    Paper
•    Furniture
•    Construction materials
•    Cleaning materials
•    Increasingly large volumes of energy and
  water
• ICT associated cost e.g. Air Conditioning
• Extended schools

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Doing nothing?

• Energy Costs in UK up by 42 in last 12 months.
• Water cost have risen by 23 in last 12 months.
• Waste costs are set to increase at Inflation 5
  for the next 10 years

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What does an Education for Sustainable
Development involve?
An understanding of the key concepts of
interdependence citizenship, stewardship,
environmental awareness, needs and rights of
future generations diversity quality of life
sustainable change uncertainty and precaution.
The development of a wide range of skills, eg
critical thinking, finding information, weighing
evidence and presenting reasoned argument on
sustainable development issues, is central to
ESD
ESD involves personal and social development, e.g
an awareness of the needs of others and an
appreciation of diverse viewpoints
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Understanding of sustainable development is
improved where issues are investigated at a
local, national and global level, and where
pupils are helped to understand the impact of the
global dimension on their own lives
This helps pupils to develop an awareness of the
complexity of sustainable development issues, and
develop their own attitudes towards such issues.
Pupils are encouraged to develop an understanding
of the concept of possible and preferred futures.
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Jonathon Porritt Forum for the Future.
One key aspect is not so much about teaching
about the environment, as living the
environment. How many UK schools get anywhere
near practicing what they preach in terms of
environmental performance?
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Can schools act sustainably?
Many school management teams suffer the common
perception that nothing can be done. Result high
levels of consumption, larger and growing energy,
water and waste bills. Is it inevitable
consequence of the Extended Schools agenda. NO!!!!
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Schools need to Walk the Talk
Schools need to ACT rather than talk. A
significant impact on UK CO2 emissions could be
achieved. Schools could reduce their energy
bills by 20 simply by implementing an
environmental monitoring/management programme.
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MONITOR YOUR PERFORMANCE
Most schools do little to monitor/ manage their
environmental impact. The impact of all of the
tangible goods and services they consume which
are directly controlled by the management of the
school must be monitored. If you dont monitor
it you cant measure it! And without measurement
you cant control it.
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The environmental impact of a school can be
reduced by management decisions to

• Reduce the impact of the mass flows
• e.g paper, energy,water ,construction
  materials,food
• HOW?
• by introducing efficiency measures or
  recycling within the school or changing to a less
  polluting supply e.g local sourcing.
• Reductions in emissions can be brought about
  by improvements in efficiency or changing to a
  less polluting fuel, e.g green energy source such
  as a CHP plant or
• e.g. Switch to a Green Energy supplier and
  save the Climate Change Levy on your energy
  bills. 5 moving to 7

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Sustainable Schools. How to achieve your
Sustainable BSF School!
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ESD is about
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Leadership on sustainability. Campus.
Leadership is about finding and implementing
new approaches. Sustainability in BSF for
example begins with finding out what people need
and want in a new/refurbished school. A school
which does not meet the needs of its community
will not be sustainable.


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Think Differently

• Water Rainwater collection systems, push taps,
  efficient cisterns can reduce water consumption
  by 20 Payback is within 3 or less years.
• Combined Heat and energy Plant CHP or ground
  source heating installations as well as Solar
  collection may significantly reduce energy costs.
  Passive design measures heating/ventilation,
  insulation /automatic controls produce Energy
  savings of 20.

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Leadership on sustainability. Campus
Locally sourced food reduces food miles,
promotes a healthy lifestyle and supports local
producers. Purchase Fair Trade products. Promote
principles of sustainability to students and the
community. Encouraging biodiversity enhances
opportunities for learning experiences. e.g.
Outdoor Classroom. Refurbishment or building work
is underpinned with principles of sustainability.
E.g recycled materials utilised, sustainably
sourced materials. Working with businesses who
understand the principles. BEST VALUE does not
mean CHEAPEST!
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Campus 3
Operating and capital expenses Environmental
management systems save money through energy,
waste, water and purchasing efficiency. Doing
more with less!
Community and Student involvement. in
design/caring for their environment produces
significant reductions in repairs and maintenance.
Staff Morale Evidence shows that staff are
encouraged by the values of sustainable
development, impacts on morale, performance,
retention and recruitment.
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Leadership on Curriculum

• The curriculum provides for the knowledge,
  understanding, skills and attitudes to help young
  people live successful lives now and in the
  future.
• A curriculum for the future?

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ESD Curriculum

• Teaching and Learning.
• The school estate and its local area should be
  used as a resource for teaching about SD as well
  as teaching in core subjects. Is joined up
  delivery part of your school approach?
• Pupil Achievement.
• SD is about real concerns and problems. It helps
  make learning relevant, evidence that student
  performance increases.
• Pupil well-being.
• A safe, caring environment is good for students
  physical and emotional well being. Healthy food,
  safe and comfortable facilities, enhanced fitness
  increases pupils concentration and alertness.

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Leadership on Community.

• TRUST.
• Working with the local community on shared
  concerns demonstrates a schools commitment to
  its community
• PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
• Projects addressing environmental, community or
  global concerns provide opportunities to involve
  other stakeholders in the school
• LOCAL INFLUENCE
• A Green/Sustainable image can be a significant
  marketing factor in an increasingly competitive
  market, attracting pupils whilst reducing
  environmental impact of the school.

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HELP!
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HELP 2 Tools.

• s3 Tool
• Leading for the Future
• Chronos
• Think Leadership
• LTL School Grounds Evaluation
• Waste Watch
• Resource Review Tool
• WWF whole-school pathway tool

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Help3.Curriculum
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Help 4 Award Schemes

• Eco Schools
• Growing Schools Get out more
• Trailblazer Hampshire schools
• www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools

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Go 4 IT!

• Sustainability is a process.
• We co-create the world in everything we do each
  day.
• What you do is less important than starting the
  process.

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Governors Role?

• You may need to take the lead!
• As a critical friend you need to be asking
  Questions about where the school is going on
  this important agenda.
• Students need to be prepared for the world they
  will inhabit. That will have to be a sustainable
  world.

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Questions. 3 Groups

• 1.What 3 questions should you raise at your next
  Governors meeting about your schools approach to
  Sustainability?
• 2. IF you are to be part of a BSF wave what
  questions on sustainability should you be asking
  of the LA?
• 3.How can you ensure that your school takes
  Educational for Sustainable Development seriously?

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Group responses

• Group 1.
• Have we done an Audit?
• What part of our school curriculum has
  sustainability embedded within it.
• Has our school got an established policy on
  sustainability
• Group 2.
• In terms of energy. What kind of energy system is
  to be installed? What reasons for this choice
  have been made. How will we know its level of
  efficiency.
• How will the building be oriented and why were
  these choices made?
• What choices of building materials will be
  utilised and why those choices
• How will it be lit? Natural/Artificial and how
  will that be controlled
• Does the building need ICT suites? Or can we find
  alternative approaches
• Is energy management an integral part of the
  build process
• Group3.
• a Regularly raise the issue at Governors meetings
  standing item?
• b School provide termly reports
• c School undertake regular termly analysis of
  energy costs and how to implement reduction
  strategies
• d Ensure that a Governing Body member has
  responsibility for Environment/sustainability
  issues
• e. Ancillary staff training programme developed
• g. Undertake retrospective review of school
  energy/ waste and water costs