News

17 November 2008

SCHOOLS FLY THE GREEN FLAG

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency today honoured schools who are leading the drive for a better environment.

NIEA Corporate Director Damian Campbell paid tribute to pupils and teachers in over 100 Green Flag primary and secondary level schools involved in a variety of innovative environmental projects at the inaugural annual Eco-Schools celebration in the Braid Centre in Ballymena.

Schools are awarded Green Flags following the successful completion of a seven step process, focusing on nine key areas including energy, litter and waste. Among the examples of projects pupils are the promotion of reducing, reusing and recycling within schools and anti-litter campaigns.

Mr Campbell told them: “I am delighted to be here today, meeting pupils and teachers from our Eco-Schools. All of the schools have shown a great level of enthusiasm and commitment to ensuring that the environment is at the forefront of everything that happens in the schools.

“It is really important to acknowledge important projects like Eco-schools and the contribution they make in the drive to becoming more sustainable and environmentally friendly. I would like to congratulate the project on its many successes to date and to encourage everyone involved to continue what they are doing.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage as many schools as possible to get involved with Eco-Schools and to help Northern Ireland become more sustainable in these simple and effective ways.”

Ends

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