sustainable school - wots this piece of lingo about then? Anyone in on the lingo??

[sunnysideup]

Got a form asking for parents opinions on how our school can be more sustainable.

I am fearfully ignorant obviously, but wot?
Ecologically can they mean???

Someone with a brain, and who knows the current school lingo, help please!!!!!! TIA!

I'm a parent governor and I thought I knew the current school lingo, but I haven't a clue what they mean - refer the school back to the Good Use of Clear English Society (or something like that ) - what a rubbish form!

Sounds like "how green can you go" bandwagon that politicians have jumped onto

hurray, I'm not as dim as I thought!

I'd guess they mean 'green' in the ecological sense, yes.

I think it is rather unhelpful shorthand for...using low energy bulbs, recycling paper, plastic, glass etc wherever possible, keeping electricity consumption low, maybe even growing some veg/having a compost heap if premises permit.
So yes, being ecologically sound. They could have explained that better.

unlike ours on st patricks day last year

school should not be sending home letters that are incomprehsible to parents.

I have no idea what they mean - phone and ask them and tell them to consider who is reading the letters.

It is so their problem not yours!

yes, very good point dimpled. There are some parents who will be so turned off by this form. I consider myself hugely versed in lingo of many forms (trained as a social worker ) but this is still annoying. I will give them a ring.

good for you - tell us how you go!

phoned, it does mean ecologically/green issues!

Thanks guys.

hope you told tham how unclear it was - good for you!

(jots down jargon to drop into conversation at school pick up)

Apparently there are 8 doorways into sustainability for schools, which left me quite baffled. They include waste, carbon emissions, energy and water. The government expects schools to reach certain targets by a certain date (can't find it right now). Our school is taking one topic a term. For example, we are looking at reducing paper waste by increasing e-mail communication (though this is a can of worms as some people don't have e-mail).

that's the first thing that occurred to me singers, the amount of paper the school uses! Perhaps they could have a system where parents can sign up to receive information by e-mail (newsletters, PTA stuff) and paper can still be used for those who don't have e-mail? Hmmm..might put that!

I did have a moan about how the question was worded.

I agree, it's daft wording, and will put lots of people off, because they don't understand it.

There's some info on saving energy in schools from the Carbon Trust - here and here . Probably more out there if you have a google.

And I think if you put a travel plan in place, you might be able to get some funding, but not completely sure about how much.

I used to work in the environmental research field, and even I would be confused... sustainability is such a buzzword, jargon; agree it just does not belong in the newsletter without elaboration.

There's something called the eco-schools awards, my school seems to have a "bronze" certificate which is the basic.

ecoschools

If you're going to do this stuff, you may as well get an award!

thanks guys!