“Eco-centres” is an international environmental education programme, environmental management system and award scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term action for the environment within centres of learning.
Unlike a once-off project, it is a long term programme that introduces participants (students, educators, parents and the wider community) to the concept of an environmental management system. It fosters a strong sense of citizenship and leadership among participants that spreads far outside the centre into the wider community. It also promotes a strong sense of teamwork among all those involved to reach a common high level goal.
The aim of Eco-Centres is to increase awareness of environmental issues through classroom and “in-the-field” activities in order to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the centre and also in the wider community. Centres that have successfully completed all the elements of the programme are awarded the “Green Flag”. The award has now become well-recognized and many schools around the country take part in the programme. (Find out more from www.greenschoolsireland.org)