As part of our Green Schools Theme – Global Citizenship-Litter and Waste, the Green Team have decided to focus on our use of single use plastic packaging. For the month of February we will focus our attention on reducing the amount of plastic wrapping we use in the school community.

Some classes are choosing to do this by recording the number of plastic free lunches in the room. Our Green Recycling Ambassadors will survey our bins to notice and measure improvements we make. They have already noted some areas for improvement.

Suggestions for home involvement:

  • Share photos of clever tips for plastic free/package free lunches. We have many children who bring zero waste lunches so it would be lovely to share these tips with the community.
  • Share photos or stories of attempts to do plastic free shopping
  • Photograph changes in the recycle bin over the month

We will share these photos on the website or Green Notice Board.

We will be discussing and sharing ideas at school assemblies and in class.

The committee have noted all the brilliant actions that families are already doing in their homes to tackle this problem- no single use plastic straws, cutting down on takeaway drinks, buying package free fruit and veg etc. We’d love to share your tips!

The Green motto for waste reduction from the Zero Waste movement is

    • REFUSE
    • REDUCE
    • REUSE
    • RECYCLE
    • ROT (COMPOST)

    Great News! Newpark Secondary School students are driving a campaign to become Ireland’s First Single Use Plastic Free School! Many of our RETNS past pupils are Newpark students so we are very excited about this initiative.

    Thanks for the photos and tips we’ve received so far! Please keep them coming!

  • Look at these two children using reusable straws. Well done Guys!

A plastic wrapper free lunch box used by another family in the school, well done to you too!