Schools across Solihull are rolling out new climate action plans which could help them save carbon, money and contribute towards a more sustainable borough.
The Climate Action Plan will outline how each school or college aims to work towards tackling the climate emergency, in a way that is unique and manageable for them.
Solihull Council is hosting free online webinars with national campaign group Let’s Go Zero and the Climate Ambassadors scheme to help shape their plans.
This builds on the existing strong climate action between Solihull Council and the borough’s schools, which sees students take part in initiatives including the annual Greener Solihull School Awards and the Solihull Schools Climate Conference.
Let’s Go Zero’s Climate Action Advisors have so far worked with 30 schools in Solihull on how they can reduce their carbon emissions and helped seven schools to develop their Climate Action Plans, including Oak Cottage Primary School on Greswolde Road.
Oak Cottage Primary School’s plan looks at areas such as procurement, renewable energy tariffs, and sustainable transport schemes for staff, as well as hands-on learning experiences for children such as composting from the school kitchens, growing plants and vegetables in the school polytunnel, and engaging with families and the wider community through litter picking activities.
Jane Newman, sustainability lead at Oak Cottage Primary School, who were recent award winners at the Greener Solihull School Awards in November, said:
“We are incredibly proud to take this step forward as a school in creating a greener and more sustainable future.
“With these initiatives, we are not only teaching about sustainability but showing how every individual can make a difference in the fight against climate change.
“We are committed to ensuring that our students are not only aware of the environmental challenges we face, but are also equipped with the knowledge and tools to contribute meaningfully to the solution.”
Solihull Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Planning, Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, said:
“Tackling climate change is a key priority for Solihull Council and we are proud to have a long history of climate action in the borough, which includes working with a thoroughly engaged network of schools.
“So, it’s great to see schools such as Oak Cottage Primary School making further fantastic progress by developing and implementing their climate action plans, which offer an exciting opportunity for the school, children, and staff.
“For many, this could be how they make their premises more energy efficient – cutting their carbon emissions and saving money – or it could be how they improve biodiversity in school grounds and embed projects into the curriculum.
“I encourage schools and colleges in Solihull to sign up to our free events for further support and tap into the useful resources available to them on our dedicated education section of Your Future Solihull, our climate change and sustainability website.”
All education settings across the country have been set a target to have a sustainability lead and a Climate Action Plan in place by 2025.
Solihull Council’s Climate Action Plan webinar with Let’s Go Zero takes place between 3.45pm – 4.30pm on Tuesday 25 February, while a Climate Ambassadors webinar takes place at the same time on Tuesday 4 March.
A free Climate and Nature Action event with information on building a Climate Action Plan takes place at the University of Birmingham between 10am-3.30pm on Tuesday 8 April.
The events are open to staff from education settings only. Full details of all the events, how to join, and further climate action support for schools is available at www.solihull.gov.uk/your-future-solihull.