All Highland schools achieve Eco Award status

The Highland Council has reached a significant milestone in promoting the green agenda in its schools.

All 218 schools in Highland have now gained a Bronze Eco-award or greater which compares favourably against the Scottish figure of 71%.  37% of Highland schools have attained the highest award of Green Flag status, in line with the Scottish average.

Malina MacDonald, Sustainable Development Officer, The Highland Council, said:   “All Highland schools attaining at least a Bronze eco-school award is a real milestone for sustainable development education in Highland.  This could not have been possible without the continued enthusiasm and support from Highland Council teaching staff, Quality Improvement staff and Countryside Rangers.  Helping pupils appreciate that our local actions affect the environment and people globally is such an important task and everyone involved should be congratulated.” 

Eco-Schools is an international sustainable development award scheme which engages young people in the environment, sustainability, global citizenship and the value of a low carbon future.   The aim is to make environmental awareness and action integral to the school ethos for pupils and staff, and to engage the wider community.  For the Bronze award schools must choose three topics from the following ten: litter, waste, energy, water, health and wellbeing, transport, biodiversity, school grounds, sustaining our world, food and the environment.