Eco Council

Eco-Schools is an international award that recognises when schools are making considerable achievements in being an eco-friendly environment which prepares children to live their future lives with consideration for global issues.

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Eco Schools Silver Award. We submitted what we have been doing in school to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Please click here to see the Eco Council Action Plan

Water Workshops with Severn Trent

Saving water and looking after our environment are topics that the Eco Council have worked hard on making sure the school plays its part in reducing water waste and preserving water where possible. Such as, having "hippo bags" fitted in the cisterns of the toilets and saving water from the jugs that have not been drank at lunch time for water plants in the spring and summer.

Severn Trent have been into school to deliver workshop assemblies to Year 4 and will be returning later in the year to Year 5. The pupils were given a 30 minute engaging assembly about saving water, looking after our sewers and the environment.

Severn Trent also left the school with water saving devices and practical hints and tips about saving water. Water saving kits are free and available for you to order for your home at the following website: www.stwater.co.uk/save

Please click here to view the Water Waste Presentation

Asda Plastic Pollution Presentation

Following the Eco Council's project last year on plastic pollution and the effects of this pollution in our oceans, Denise the Community Champion from ASDA Hinckley visited school on Monday 24th June.

Denise explained plastic pollution is all around us, but it is used in supermarkets because of it's flexible, durable and protective qualities. She also informed the pupils how ASDA is reducing their use of plastics in stores by:

Using cardboard at the bottom of their pizza bases
Not prepackaging all fruit and vegetables in plastic
Eliminating the use of plastic in their cotton buds
Eliminating the use of plastic straws

Denise also explained that Asda are working hard to reduce our use of plastic wherever they can – because protecting our planet matters to them, and we know it matters to our customers too.

In 2018 they successfully removed single use carrier bags from our stores and we have trialed removing them from our Online Grocery deliveries this year with positive results.

As part of our ongoing efforts to remove avoidable plastic from our business they are now going to remove carrier bags from our Home Delivery and Click & Collect orders. Over half our customers already choose to receive their shopping without carrier bags, and having trialed this approach we believe this is the right thing to do. By removing carrier bags from our Home Delivery and Click & Collect orders, we’ll remove over 500 tonnes of plastic from circulation each year

This is all great news for the planet!

Waste Awareness Workshop 2019

On Monday 11^th February the Eco and School Council took part in a Waste Awareness Workshop run by Pals Theatre in Production on behalf of Leicestershire County Council.

During the workshop the pupils took part in a mixture of drama games and songs all based on the topic of Recycling. The pupils learnt the importance of recycling waste and which products can be recycled and how long, if at all, they take to decompose in land fill.

The pupils also learnt how plastic packaging is a huge and often an unnecessary challenge to the environment. At supermarkets it is sometimes difficult to purchase goods without them being wrapped in plastic. The pupils learnt how we all need to change our habits to make a difference to the effects of this pollution on our planet!

Some Eco Changes we could make:

Use cloth shopping bags. Plastic bags are an eyesore and dangerous to wildlife. Keep reusable bags somewhere handy—in your car or by the front door—so you don't forget them when you go to the supermarket.
Skip bottled water. Carry a reusable bottle. Plastic bottles are one of the top five most common types of litter found on beaches. Since bottled water is much more expensive than tap water, you'll also save money doing this, and avoid the possible hazards of plastic toxins leaking into your drink.
Upcycle. Think of new uses for old items rather than discarding them or buying new ones.
Bring a reusable mug when you order coffee. Keep it on your desk, in your bag or car so you have it on hand when you order or refill your drink.
Say "No straw, please." Straws are one of the top 10 items found on beaches. In most cases, drinking out of a straw is simply unnecessary. At Manorfield, we no longer purchase plastic straws and use biodegradable paper straws.
Wear clothing made from natural (not synthetic) materials. Wearing and washing clothes causes fibres to flake off, and polyester clothing is made of plastic. Tiny particles of micro plastic found in oceans around the world have been traced to such synthetic fabrics.
Avoid disposable tableware, or use the compostable kind. Try using washable and reusable cups, plates or utensils. When using compostable tableware, be aware they will not biodegrade in a landfill and must be disposed of in appropriate composting conditions.
Don't just throw away electronics. Aim to repair or upgrade your devices instead of buying new ones. Sell gadgets and computer parts, or find a facility where you can return them for recycling.
Bring your own container for takeaways and leftovers. When ordering a takeaway or bringing home leftovers, ask if you can get the food in your own reusable container.

Eco Council Sustainable Christmas 2018

During a Christmas Craft afternoon the children made wrapping paper from recycled paper and hand decorated it using biodegradable glitter. Christmas tags were also made from recycled paper and string. The children really enjoyed the afternoon and designed some fabulous pieces of wrapping paper. After we submitted pictures and told ITV Central News about our Eco Council they kindly featured us on the programme.

Eco Council Around School

New initiatives are the paper recycling team who collect paper at lunchtimes, raising whole school awareness by delivering assemblies and the litter picking team who help to keep the school grounds clean and tidy.

We have also introduced new Green bins which are situated on the playgrounds to collect waste fruit and vegetables which we will recycle into compost for our use.

We have created a number of planting areas around the school and look after these. We have set up a new raised bed and are growing fruit and vegetables.

Our Eco-Council presented in the summer term an Assembly to the Key Stage 2 children on Plastic Waste and the effects on our oceans.

Following this Assembly, the Eco Council devised an Eco Code and updated our Action Plan which includes eliminating plastic straws from our school, phasing out non biodegradable glitter and installing water saving devices .

Manorfield Eco Code

Eco Code