CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AT SCHOOL

Team 1: What Is Environmental Sustainability?

Team2: Using Natural Resources

Team 3: Environmental Management

Team 4: Pollution Prevention

TEAM 1: WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY?

Teacher 1: Yelda Gürbüz

Teacher 2: Marinos Andreas

Students:

Nehir Su K./MAE Social Sciences High School

Eylül Aslı C./MAE Social Sciences High School

Egemen Esbl/Antalya Erünal Social Sciences High School

ioanna s./3rd senior high school of Rhodes

theocharis s./3rd senior high school of Rhodes

Julia R. / I Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Dąbrowie Tarnowskiej

Margot P / Lycée Faidherbe

Paula C. / IES Isla Verde

Marta C. / IES Isla Verde

What is Sustainability?

     Sustainability is the ability to exist and develop without depleting natural resources for the future. Sustainability has 3 distinct but linked elements:

     Of the three pillars, the most important is environmental sustainability. If this is not solved, then no matter how hard we try the other pillars cannot be made strong because they are dependent on the greater system they live within, the environment. 

What Is Environmental Sustainability?

     Environmental Sustainability is responsibly interacting with the planet to maintain natural resources and avoid jeopardizing the ability for future generations to meet their needs. Environmental sustainability is the capacity to improve the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of the earth's supporting ecosystems. It is about stabilizing the currently disruptive relationship between earth's two most complex systems: human culture and the living world.

     Environmental Sustainability is composed of three elements:

1) Using Natural Resources

2) Environmental Management

3) Pollution Prevention

     According to the U.N Environment Programme, environmental sustainability involves making life choices that ensure an equal, if not better, way of life for future generations. 

     Environmental sustainability aims to improve the quality of human life without putting unnecessary strain on the earth's supporting ecosystems. It’s about creating an equilibrium between consumerist human culture and the living world. We can do this by living in a way that doesn’t waste or unnecessarily deplete natural resources.

     The goal of environmental sustainability is to conserve natural resources and to develop alternate sources of power while reducing pollution and harm to the environment.

What Is The Importance Of Environmental Sustainability?

     If we cause too much damage to the environment, we may reach a point of no return.

     Scientists have identified nine systems on Earth that need to stay healthy in order for humans to thrive. These systems can be thought of as the fundamental operating structure of the planet, like the fuel or transmission system of a car.

These systems are:

     Each of these systems must stay within specific boundaries – called “planetary boundaries” – to guarantee they will continue supporting life as we know it. The nine planetary boundaries are a way to measure environmental sustainability for the whole planet.

     Unfortunately, we’ve already passed four planetary boundaries: on climate change, land use change, biogeochemical flows, and biodiversity loss. In other words, we are on our way to creating abrupt and irreversible change in how our Earth functions, like permanent changes in global weather patterns.

      Environmental sustainability is important because of how much energy, food and human-made resources we use every day. Rapid population growth has resulted in increased farming and manufacturing, leading to more green house gas emissions, unsustainable energy use, and deforestation.

     We cannot maintain our Earth’s ecosystems or continue to function as we do if more sustainable choices are not made. If harmful processes are maintained with no change, it is likely that we will run out of fossil fuels, huge numbers of animal species will become extinct, and the atmosphere will be irreparably damaged.

How To Practice Environmental Sustainability 

     Environmental sustainability is not an impossible goal if we come together as individuals and businesses now. A few environmental sustainability examples that can be put into practice today include protecting renewable resources by supporting and advancing sustainable farming, planting home gardens to grow what you eat and buying from local farmers and producers, and purchasing carbon offsets to support reforestation and other regenerative projects; avoiding the consumption of fossil fuels by using renewable energy alternatives; and limiting pollution by composting and supporting clean air and water initiatives.

What the Future Looks Like If We Don’t Act Now

    Without taking decisive actions towards achieving environmental sustainability in the present, the health and wellbeing of future generations will be dramatically compromised. Food supply will become unreliable as intensive farming affects the fertility of the land and the capacity of the water supply. Global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will amplify the effects of climate change, causing severe weather, floods, and droughts, and changes in growing seasons that will cause social upheaval. Polluted land, air, and water will severely affect our quality of life and the ability of local communities and the larger society to thrive. 

     In short, environmental sustainability is fundamental to the survival of our planet and ourselves.

What Are The Benefits Of Environmental Sustainability? 

***We can protect ecosystems.

***We can continue to enjoy nature as it is.

*** We can protect endangered species.

 ***Less pollution in the cities will result in better respiratory health for all.

***It could halt or reverse the effects of global warming.

***We won’t be creating huge landfills all over the world that will take hundreds of years to break down.

What Can We Do About Environmental Sustainability At School?

Recycle Everything You can.

Items that we don’t recycle often end up in landfills, contributing to the noxious gases that affect our collective health and contribute to global warming. Simply check the packaging for a recycle symbol and put it in the right can!

Use Public Transport when possible.

Cars are a privilege, and they can be convenient when we need to drive locally, but if you need to run an errand a walking distance away, try to walk or cycle. It’ll have a positive impact on your health, save you money, and offset pollution!

 Open the Windows.

If the weather’s right, you may want to consider opening the windows, rather than relying on the HVAC system. It helps by providing fresh air to students and faculty, and it helps you save energy costs.

Get Plants for the Classroom.

Placing a plant in each classroom has numerous benefits. A plant can help reduce dust and carbon dioxide levels while preventing the growth of pollutants. It can also help improve humidity.

Consider Going Solar.

A lot of schools and commercial buildings have made the jump to solar energy. With just a few panels, you can reduce your energy costs while having your facility run on  clean

solar power.

 Reduce Your Energy Use.

While the classrooms and hallways should be well-lit, there are other ways that you can reduce your energy use. One of the best and easiest ways is by turning off all the computers before leaving for the day, rather than setting them to sleep mode.

Use Recycled Paper.

No doubt your school gets through tonnes of paper. On top of making sure you are recycling it as much as you can, you can go green and make sure you’re buying recycled in the first place. 

Cut down on Single Use Plastics.

Another easy win comes in the form of single use plastics. As an individual, you can buy yourself a reusable water bottle and lunchbox. Encourage others to do the same too. Beyond that, small changes like installing water foundations over vending machines (with single use plastic bottles in them) can instigate a change in habit across the school.

Bring in Recycling Bins.

Recycling is one of the easiest and quickest wins any school can have when looking to cut their carbon footprint. Make it as easy as possible for everyone in your school to comply by placing dedicated recycling bins around the school. Be sure to label them up or communicate to everyone exactly what you can and can’t put in them too.

Recycle your Batteries.

No one likes to see batteries heading for landfill. Let teachers and parents know that your school is a recycling point for used-up batteries and ship them off to be reused.

Switch to LED Bulbs.

The cost of energy efficient lighting is coming down all the time, meaning it makes more and more sense to make the switch to LED bulbs. The initial outlay might cost you some money in the short-term, but the savings year on year can be significant.  

Encourage More Walking to School.

For those that can, walking to school brings many benefits aside from a positive environmental impact.

Make Your School Meals Eco-Friendly.

How do your school meals shape up on the environment? Do they include locally sourced ingredients, or are they shipped in a lorry from the other side of the country? See if you can support local businesses and to bring some fresh local produce into your school meals.

 Make a School Trip to a Recycling Centre.

Make a day of it by heading off to your local recycling centre. Waste is one of those areas where we can be incredibly ignorant of what happens to the things we chuck away. A school trip is the perfect opportunity to learn more about waste management and what we can do to lessen our environmental impact.

Lead a Green Club.

We can find students who are interested in making our school more eco-friendly. Help them set a small goal to get started and then encourage them to think of more big picture ideas.  

Hold a Recycling Bin Decorating Contest. 

We can get the whole school involved in sprucing up the recycling bins. Task each class with decorating their containers or making their own from scratch. Put them on display and have students vote for their favorites.

Apply for Grants.

Find and apply for grants that offer financial support for green-school initiatives.

Get Creative with Recycling Bins.

We can go beyond the basic blue bucket and make your receptacle stand out. The easier and more fun recycling is, the more students (and staff) will want to join in.

Schedule a Trash Pickup Day. 

We can make it an annual, monthly, or weekly event. Getting outside to see, firsthand, how much trash ends up on the ground helps students become more aware of where they’re putting their litter.

Rally for Solar Panels. 

Solar is the cheapest energy source and saves a ton of money. Plus schools typically have flat roofs, which are a natural fit for solar panels. Do some research and get your administration on board.

Get Dirty and Do a Waste Audit. 

We can hand out some rubber gloves and let students dig in. Dump trash cans onto a tarp to see just how many recyclables were doomed for the landfill. Tally up all of the misplaced items and communicate the total to the entire school.

Clean with Natural, Environmentally Friendly Products.

We can start by cleaning with green products in our own classroom. Rally teachers and administration to take a close look at the products they’re using school-wide.

Rally for the Use of Reusable Containers for Lunches.

Between sandwiches, snacks, and leftovers, that’s a lot of plastic at lunchtime. Glass or stainless steel containers come in all sizes and are perfect for school meals.

Make Yours a Zero-Waste Classroom.

If this seems a little extreme, start slow. Maybe try for a zero-waste day or week just to test the waters.

Grow a Garden.

We can find a small space on school grounds for a garden.

Do an Energy Audit.

Analyze and improve your classroom’s energy use. We can brainstorm easy ways to cut back, such as turning off computers every night.

Encourage Walking or Biking to School.

Designate a day, maybe near the beginning of the school year and encourage students to find green ways to get to school, whether it’s walking, biking, or riding a scooter.

Take a Pledge. 

We can take a pledge to commit to recycling, reducing waste, and saving energy. Putting it writing and displaying the pledges in a high-traffic area at school helps students remember to take it seriously.

Start Composting.

We can eliminate food waste by adding a compost bin to our classroom or cafeteria. Food scraps don’t require anything fancy—a five-gallon bucket, small pail, or a wooden crate work just fine. Create a compost team that is responsible for transporting the scraps to a bigger bin outdoors every day.

Plant a Rain Garden.

A garden filled with native perennials designed to capture runoff rainwater and recycle it back into the ground is super beneficial to the environment. It also reduces pollution and preserves the sewer systems.

Install Rain Barrels.

We can catch rainwater to feed our school garden. Reusing the water reduces the amount of water that ends up in the sewer system, plus the fresh water is better for the plants. We can also add the water you collect to your compost pile.

Use Supplies Year After Year.

Reuse last year’s supplies. Set out a box on clean-out day and ask students and parents to throw unwanted items like half-used crayons, colored pencils, and notebooks in it. Either utilize them next school year or donate them.

Help Students Understand Why Recycling is Important.

Use Eco-Friendly Craft Supplies.

From recycled dry-erase markers to construction paper, the possibilities for earth-friendly school supplies are endless.

Educate Students, Parents, and Administrators About Environmental Sustainability.

Pull together stats and information to help everyone realize how beneficial a green school can be. Let everyone know the impact an entire school can make on the environment.

Play Movies with Environmental Themes.

There are plenty of movies that educate about environmental issues in a fun way.

Make Your Own Glue.

All we need is a few kitchen ingredients, such as vinegar, powdered dry milk, and baking soda, to whip up a batch of non-toxic glue.

Use Recyclables for Art Projects.

From unwanted paper to tin cans to bottle caps, the project possibilities are endless. We can create a plastic bottle mural in our classroom or in a place where the whole school can enjoy it.

Add Green-Focused Books to the Reading List.

Make Recycling a Game.

From bottle bowling to a recyclables scavenger hunt, it’s easy to bring awareness to recycling with a fun and active event.

Rely on Natural Light.

We can keep blinds and shades open to let the vitamin D in. Natural light leads to higher productivity and improves overall mood—for students and teachers! Plus the light offers a little extra heat on those chilly days.

Write an Environmental Vision Statement.

Include the hows and whys and then share it with students, parents, and even the school board. The more support you can drum up, the better the outcome.

Communicate Your Success.

Everyone is motivated by victory, so don’t shy away from bragging about progress whenever possible—the weekly newsletter, school assemblies, social media, or however your school

communicates. 

Celebrate Environmental Days.

Save Water.

Last but not least, turn off the taps. Don't let your water consumption run out of control. Sea water is the most abundant resource on the planet, covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, but it cannot be used as drinking water without desalination. Fresh water covers only 2.75% of the planet, of which 1.75–2% is frozen in glaciers and the polar regions, most of which is trapped in Antarctica. Only 0.5%–0.75% of all the Earth’s fresh water is accessible on the ground.

THE VIDEO OF TEAM 1'S 

POSTERS

https://youtu.be/LCZ3wiX_xjM

THE COLLAGE OF OUR POSTERS

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK 

COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE COLLAGE OF THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS

THE VIDEO OF THE BACK COVERS OF OUR BOOKS

https://youtu.be/pc5A6A2yaZo

OUR CARICATURE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

PROVERBS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL 

SUSTAINABILITY

PROVERBS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL 

SUSTAINABILITY

PROVERBS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL 

SUSTAINABILITY

                 THE COLLAGE OF OUR CARICATURES       

TEAM

TEAM 2: USING NATURAL RESOURCES

Teacher 1: Vana Ntafou

Teacher 2: Marta Vela

Students:

Enes B./MAE Social Sciences High School

Tunç AlpEsbl/ Antalya Erünal Social Sciences High School

Yunus Esbl/Antalya Erünal Social Sciences High School

dimitris k./3rd Senior High School of Rhodes

manolis t./3rd Senior High School of Rhodes

Aleksandra K. / I Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Dąbrowie Tarnowskiej

Monika Ś / I Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Dąbrowie Tarnowskiej

Álvaro G. / IES Isla Verde

Victoria H. / IES Isla Verde

Natural resources are materials created in nature that are used and usable by humans. They include natural substances (e.g., soil, water) and energy supplies (e.g., coal, gas) that serve to satisfy human needs and wants. Materials occurring in the environment thus are nothing more than ‘neutral matter’ until people recognise their presence, attach great importance to them, and develop means to capitalise on them. Then the natural materials fulfil a function. Natural resources are a component of the environmental setting. Natural resources are a component of the environmental setting. The environmental setting embraces the totality of materials, features and processes of landscapes. These environmental settings give the regions of the world their own, quite specific and distinctive settings with different options concerning the transmutations of materials and energy. 

What are natural resources?

The 5 Most Important Natural Resources:

Air: Clean air is important for all plants, animals, and humans to survive on this planet. 

Water: 70% of the Earth is covered in water and only 2 % of that is freshwater. 

Soil: Soil is composed of various particles and nutrients. It helps plants grow.

Iron: It is made from silica and is used to build transportation and buildings

Forests: As the population increases, the demand for housing and construction projects also increases. Forests provide clean air and preserve the ecology of the world.

What are the 5 most important resources?

Natural resources are usually either renewable or non-renewable. The former refer to those resources that can renew themselves in time. These include living resources like forests or non-living ones like wind, water, solar energy. Non-renewable resources, as the name implies, are those that can no longer be tapped once the available stock at a site is exhausted. Once we use them, there isn't any more. Mineral resources are non-renewable. Fossil fuels, which are formed from the fossilized remains of prehistoric organisms, are also considered non-renewable even though they can renew themselves given a few million years.

Classification of natural resources

The need for sustainable use of natural resources

Natural resources are often viewed as key assets driving development and wealth creation. Over time and with progressive industrialization, resource use increased. In some cases, exploitation levels came to exceed resources’ natural regeneration rates. Such overexploitation ultimately threatens the livelihoods and wellbeing of people who depend on these resources, and jeopardizes the health of ecosystems. This risk of resource depletion, notably manifesting in the form of fishery collapses, demonstrates the need to regulate natural resource use to better preserve resources and their ecosystems. The very first UN conference on environmental issues, the  held in Stockholm, Sweden, adopted fundamental principles in this regard.

The Stockholm Declaration not only addressed resource depletion, but also benefit sharing: the objective to ensure that natural resource use not only benefits the few, but the many, both within and across countries. It also speaks to the principle of inter-generational equity: ensuring that today’s resource use does not compromise 

the availability

 of natural resources for future generations. 

In fact, natural resource 

use relates to all three dimensions 

of sustainability: social

 justice, environmental health, 

and economic development. 

The sustainable use of natural resources 

strives for balance

 between these dimensions:

 maintaining the long-term use of

resources while maximizing social benefits 

and minimizing 

environmental impacts.

Save water for a sustainable living!!!

Use sustainable forms of energy!!!

How can Natural Resources be incorporated in the classroom?

For students of all ages to gain an appreciation of the natural world and start realizing the importance of NATURAL RESOURCES they must engage with nature regularly at school. Spending time in the outdoors has so many benefits for students and they should be given the opportunity for outdoor learning everyday. Engaging with nature doesn’t always have to be strictly reserved for when students are outside. There are so many ways nature can be brought indoors into the classroom as part of children’s learning process. Using natural materials in the classroom stimulates children’s creativity and imagination, beautifies the classroom making learning a more pleasant experience and , most importantly, teaches students that natural resources are of major importance and their sustainable use at school is indispensable.

AT SCHOOL

Natural objects can be just as useful in the classroom as store-bought resources. Not only are they cheaper, but they have the added benefit of being completely renewable resources. Once they start to break down, simply return them to where they came from to nourish the earth, or put them in the compost bin!

 Use: stones,bark,leaves, twigs, colorful sand/soil,flowers, shells,pinecones,tree seeds and pods

and create ornaments  to make the classroom a more pleasant environment for learning .

Students can make a difference at school. They can promote sustainable utilization of natural resources

Follow these tips!!!

Paper is made from a renewable natural resource while plastic is made from a non-renewable natural resource. Yet, both of them can be recycled at school to conserve natural resources!!! Read the caricature!Aren't students right?

Listen to an interesting podcast about natural resources conservation at school created by an OBC "bookworm" using spotify!!!

https://anchor.fm/-00709/episodes/Some-thoughts--some-bad-English-e1h9o4e

Use this link 

https://youtu.be/ipuQPAba7OY

to watch a video about how to conserve natural resources at school or simply scan the QR code!!!

HOW????

See next pages!!!

Watch the following video to learn about ways to conserve water in schools!!!

Use the following link: https://youtu.be/qtSO-kAx3OE

or maybe scan the QRcode!!!

https://youtu.be/dHqMiOOsObg

our team's video with all posters 

The collage of our back covers

https://youtu.be/ObJQsg8vAKA

The video with our book covers!!!!

We all really ...

loved ...

the process of cooperating to create this chapter!!!

TEAM 3: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Teacher 1: Odile Demaison

Teacher 2: Pawel Duda

Students:

Ece A./MAE Social Sciences High School

Bensu Y./MAE Social Sciences High School

Emek o./Antalya Erünal Social Sciences High School

katerina g./3rd Senior High School of Rhodes

Alice L / Lycée Faidherbe

Barbara J. / I Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Dąbrowie Tarnowskiej

Emilie A / Lycée Faidherbe

Lucía H. / IES Isla Verde

Lorena H. / IES Isla Verde

What Is Environmental Management?

Environmental Management can be defined as the management of the interaction and impact of human activities on the natural environment.

It is concerned with the understanding of the structure and function of the earth system, as well as of the ways in which humans relate to their environment. So it is concerned with the description and monitoring of environmental changes, with predicting future changes and with attempts to maximise human benefit and minimise environmental degradation due to human activities.