'Green Day' for schools across the country

More than 100,000 young people across the country are taking part in Green Day, Britain’s biggest day of action on climate change and the built environment, organised by CABE.

Held on World Environment Day - Friday 5 June - and over the following two weeks, Green Day is a fun way to learn serious lessons about how we can tackle climate change.

How Green Day works

A typical Green Day could see pupils wearing an item of green clothing to school - a journey they make on foot or bike - and taking part in a debate on whose role it is to deal with global warming. In ICT, they could create podcasts on how their city could reduce its energy use. In science, more senior pupils might make their own bio diesel, and in art create a sculpture from recycled materials.

Involving pupils across every year group in primary and secondary schools, Green Day is an opportunity not only explore environmental issues through the curriculum but also give schools the opportunity to cut energy use and make their own building design more sustainable, for instance by installing smart meters.

Schools as models of sustainability

Matt Bell, director of campaigns and education at CABE, hopes that Green Day is also a catalyst for schools to become more sustainable. He says: “Everything about a school should model how to be sustainable: the buildings, the lessons, how you get there, what you eat, how you use resources like electricity and water - even down to what you wear. Green Day is a fun way to embed that modelling idea in the values and ethos of every school.”

Green Day is being supported by Marks & Spencer, and as part of the activities taking place in schools, pupils will learn how recyclable materials can be turned into clothing. Green Day will also mark the launch of Marks & Spencer’s range of eco-uniforms, which go on sale this summer.

More than 400 schools are involved, across Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.