The Work School receives the Green Flag for the third time
Hafnarfjörður's Work School received recognition for the third time as a Green School and was presented with the Green Flag at a ceremony for its outstanding achievements in environmental matters.
Hafnarfjörður's Work School received recognition for the third time as a Green School and was presented with the Green Flag at a ceremony for its outstanding achievements in environmental matters.
Three Icelandic work colleges are on the green branch
In 2019, the Hafnarfjörður Work School set itself the goal of completely stopping the use of single-use packaging and sorting waste more effectively. The students and staff of the Work School demonstrated outstanding results in these matters and, as a reward, the school was awarded the Green Flag. The Green Flag is an international recognition awarded to schools that are environmentally conscious and work towards sustainability. The project is overseen in Iceland by Landvernd, but schools that receive the award are granted the title of Schools on the green branch. Hafnarfjörður's Work School is one of the few green work schools, one of three to have received the Green Flag.
At the ceremony, an original poem written by members of peer education was read aloud.
Operate in accordance with the environmental agreement and environmental policy.
At the beginning of summer 2019, a special environmental group consisting of a group of young people was set up. The group drew up an environmental charter, from which the environmental policy for the Hafnarfjörður Summer Job Scheme was then written. The environmental charter was upheld throughout the summer. It focuses on emphasising education about environmental protection, material recycling, energy conservation, the composting of organic waste, and setting an example in environmental protection. The Work School's environmental policy is to be a role model in environmental matters, to make all its staff think about environmental issues, to create a positive discussion about them, and to introduce its employees to the Green Flag programme and its importance.
Various ways have been taken to fulfil the objectives.
Various measures were taken to achieve the goal of using no single-use packaging. Each member of staff used their own labelled coffee cup instead of using disposable paper or plastic cups. Pupils were encouraged to bring reusable lunch boxes instead of plastic bags, and to use water bottles instead of cartons or plastic bottles. As a result, rubbish from lunch time was significantly reduced. Any rubbish that was created was then always sorted into the appropriate bins. In 2019, the environmental group was responsible for educating students about environmental issues on a peer-to-peer basis. By the start of the summer, many members of the group were well-versed in environmental matters and excelled in their educational role throughout the summer. The group not only educated students, but also provided training for the town council and council staff, receiving praise for its important work. This year, peer education will continue, and a special green ambassador will deliver environmental education to the students of the Work Club.
New goals towards sustainability this summer
As the Green Flag is only awarded for one year at a time, new sustainability targets are being worked on this summer to ensure Vinnuskóli Hafnarfjarðar remains a leading school in this field. This year, the school is going a step further by adding new objectives that promote its sustainability. The emphasis will not just be on avoiding single-use packaging and sorting waste, but also on composting all organic waste and encouraging staff to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to work.