The Ministry of Environmental Protection has certified 56 green schools in 2008, increasing the total number of green schools in Israel to 150 compared to only 7 in 2004 - a remarkable growth rate in just three years. The accreditation ceremony for green schools, with the participation of the Minister of Environmental Protection, Gideon Ezra, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Society for the Protection in Israel, took place on June 11, 2008, in Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo, where the students were treated to a special tour with information on biodiversity and threatened species following the ceremony. This year, for the second year running, a special certificate was also granted to a continuing green school. The certificate went to the Sharett School in Bat Yam which has succeeded in fulfilling the multiple requirements for this type of certification. The Ministry of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, has been operating the green school certification process for the past five years. The process aims to help implement sustainable development principles in schools. Schools are approved for the green school process if they meet the following three criteria: - Integration of environmental subjects in the curriculum: Implementation of an environmental curriculum (30 annual hours) per student in at least two grade levels.
- Rational use of resources: Presentation of quantitative data on reduction in electricity, water, and paper consumption or increase in the collection of materials for recycling - bottles under the Deposit Law, paper, batteries, computer cartridges, etc.
- Contribution to the community: Implementation of a community environmental project, which contributes both to the community and to the environment and aims to change public attitudes toward the environment.
Only schools which comply with all three criteria are accredited by a steering committee. The winning schools are awarded special certificates and a prize of 10,000 shekels. A "Continuing Green School" must meet even broader criteria: - Integration of environmental subjects in the curriculum: Implementation of an environmental curriculum (30 annual hours) for all students in the school (6 grade levels in elementary school and 3 grade levels in high school).
- Rational use of resources in all of the following: savings in electricity, water, paper and reduction of waste generation and increased recycling.
- Contribution to the community: Implementation of an ongoing community environmental project, carried out by at least two grade levels: either one project carried out by two grade levels, or two projects carried out by each grade level individually.
According to Ms. Zivit Linder, head of the Education Division in the Ministry of Environmental Protection: "Our goal is to encourage schools and educational institutes to take part in the struggle for sustainable development and to educate the future generation to make decisions which take account of the environment and are based on responsibility for its protection." The Ministry of Environmental Protection also certifies other green educational institutes: kindergartens university campuses and community centers The accreditation program is administered by a steering committee made up of representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. Following is a short sample of some of the environmental activities undertaken by this year's green schools: - Adopting a Kinneret beach
- Proper management of tree felling for heating purposes in the Mt. Miron Nature Reserve
- Switching the entire school to multiple use lunch boxes
- Encouraging farmers to switch to biological control using barn owls
- Telling stories about trees and taking action to preserve them in veteran settlements.
The names of this year's Green Schools are available on the Ministry of Environmental Protection's Hebrew website.
More Links:
|
