There’s not a person on the planet that can’t do something to help with the climate crisis. Organising green projects in school is a great way of educating the next generation about the importance of being more environmentally friendly and how to be greener.
We have scoured the internet for some of the best go-green ideas you can use in school with your pupils. Our list of 27 easy-to-implement ways to make your school green will turn your pupils into the eco-warriors of tomorrow.
Going-green project ideas for your classroom, school, and community
Going green in the classroom
1. Sponsor an endangered animal through the WWF? The children of your class could vote on the animal they wish to sponsor and each time you get post about the animal, you can share the information with pupils. (WWF)
2. Plant your own class wildlife garden? Find a sunny spot on your school premises and plant some bee-friendly flowers and task your class with taking care of their spot. You could also turn this into a lesson about the effect of the changing seasons on plants and wildlife. (The Wildlife Trusts)
3. If you’re really lucky and you have space to have your own class vegetable patch, you can teach your pupils the importance of being sustainable by growing your own food. (Royal Horticulture Society)
4. You can easily set up your own composting at school. It might be good to start off with just your own class. They can then hold assemblies and teach the other children of the school all about composting. (Royal Horticulture Society)
5. Use lesson time to teach eco-based topics such as biodiversity and water. You can use these links in cross-curricular lessons: create a non-chronological report on water in English, or use population numbers in maths. There’s loads of opportunity. (Eco-schools)
6. Start up an Eco-warriors Club for the pupils in your class who are showing a great interest. They can be school/class representatives when it comes to anything green. (The Pod)
7. Why not choose termly or half-termly eco-based themes for your class? Your focus one term could be travel to school and the next could be recycling. (PlanBee)
8. Use the single-use plastic bottle lids around school to create a piece of art that communicates the problems with single-use plastic? (Meri Cherry art studio)
9. Now this is an amazing idea! What about taking all those single-use plastic containers and turning them into a school greenhouse? (Royal Horticulture Society)
10. You could also take any plastic containers you have lying about and turn them into bird feeders. This is particularly great for helping take care of birds through the winter when food is scarce. (National Trust)
11. What about making welly plant pots that you can then sell at the school fair and donate the money to a charity that fights for climate change? The children will learn key gardening skills as well as raise money for a worthy cause. (Life at the zoo)
12. Have fun with junk! Junk models are such a fun and creative green project for your pupils. Get children thinking more deeply about recycling, whilst exercising those STEAM skills. (Sustainable Learning)
13. Build a wormery with your class and teach them all about the importance of healthy soil and healthy plants. (Vertical Veg)
14. Along the same theme, why not build a bug hotel? The average garden accommodates more than 2,000 different species of insect and by building a bug hotel. Your class can provide the right habitat for all the great bugs on your school grounds. (The Wildlife Trusts)
Going green across the school
15. Non-uniform days can raise lots of money for charity. You could provide the pupils with a choice of three charities that focus on being green and allow them to vote on where the money should be donated. (The Education Space)
16. Drive energy awareness to reduce the energy consumption of the school. You might want to begin with a whole-school assembly and make sure all staff have buy in to ensure great modelling for pupils. (Tes & EDF Energy)
17. As part of your driving awareness of energy consumption, you could ask your eco-warriors to put up energy awareness posters in key areas, like next to light switches. (Hope Education)
18. Cut down on plastic across the school by going old school and bringing in a milkman. Companies like The Modern Milkman are helping people be greener by providing glass-bottled milk – and all controlled by a convenient app. (The Modern Milkman)
19. Provide different coloured bins for different rubbish that can be recycled. You could start simple with a paper recycling bin in each classroom and then build up to more complex rubbish sorting. Definitely call on your eco-warriors to help out. (Hope Education)
20. If you’re trying to encourage children to be more green, you could hold a go-green event at your school where you show a BBC documentary that looks into the climate crisis and then have an eco-quiz with green-themed prizes for the winning team. (Eco-Friendly Kids)
21. For older children hold a recycled fashion show – encourage children to use (clean!) rubbish to create garments and set up a catwalk to show them off. (Greenwave)
22. Heard of Ecobricks? They are a simple, low-tech solution to the plastic issue plaguing the planet. Encourage the pupils of your school to make eco-bricks – eventually, you can make your own indoor furniture. (ecobricks.org)
Going green in the community
23. School uniforms are incredibly expensive and with fast-growing children, it can quickly become unmanageable. Why not organise a uniform recycle event where parents can come and donate old but undamaged uniform for other parents and children? You could also donate any extras to a charity like Wood Street Mission. (Wood Street Mission)
24. Litter is a huge problem for the environment and a school community can make a big difference. Arrange for groups of pupils to do litter picks around the community to teach them the importance of taking care of their community. You can get all the equipment you need for littler picking from Hope Education. (Eco-schools)
25. Become a hub for your community to recycle batteries. Place a container in the reception of the school and communicate with parents your status as a battery collection point. (recyle-more.co.uk)
26. Organise for classes to go pond dipping or river walking in your local area. Equipped with clipboards, magnifying glasses and cameras, the children of your school can learn all about their local green areas and how to enjoy them responsibly. (RSPB)
27. Arrange a trip for your pupils to the local recycle centre or power station and educate children about where their rubbish goes and/or where their power comes from. The lessons they learn will be lasting if they’ve seen it with their own eyes. (recyclenow)