Brighton schools accept environmental pledges from children

Six secondary schools in Brighton and Hove have committed to proposals made by the youngsters - including stopping the sale of plastic bottles and offering different portions to stop food waste.

Education bosses have made a number of environmental pledges following pressure from children in the classrooms.

Youngsters at the meeting sat with council and school officials (Image: Supplied)

The pledges were discussed at a meeting at Hove Town Hall on Wednesday night by young people of all ages alongside school staff.

Among those was Varndean student Ingo, in year 10. Ingo, whose surname was not given, said: "This evening is not about an agenda that the council or our headteachers have put together.

"Tonight is about our agenda, our concerns and our proposals for change. We thank those people for their support, but it's our turn to take the stage.”

The group of students, led by the groups Our City Our World and Brighton and Hove Citizens, put forward a plan to make schools more environmentally friendly.

Read the full proposals approved by school bosses:

• By the end of 2024-25, we will aim to stop the use of single use plastic in our schools

• By the end of 2024-5, we will aim to promote the development of a more plant based menu offer and a significant reduction in food waste

• By the end of 2024-5, we will aim to reduce our carbon emissions from energy use by 20%

• By the end of 2025-26, we will aim to reduce our water use by 20%

• By the end of 2024-25, we will aim to increase, through a nature recovery plan, areas of our campus which encourage biodiversity by an additional 10 per cent of our overall campus size. We will also sign up to the pesticide and herbicide free pledge

• By the end of 2024-5, we will aim to have at least 70-100 clearly identified student climate ambassadors whose work will be facilitated by form tutors and student climate leaders

• By the end of 2024-5, we will aim to adopt the Cut Your Carbon tool to track and reduce carbon emissions and environmental impact

School leaders at Blatchington Mill, Cardinal Newman, Dorothy Stringer, Hove Park School, PACA and Varndean School unanimously approved the proposals, pledging to implement them by 2026 at the latest.

A year 8 student at Hove Park School said: “In September we were trained in climate literacy and community organising. We listened to hundreds of students on six themes of sustainability in our schools, and in December, we decided to focus our city-wide campaign on waste and consumption.

"Since then we have done our research, met with our school canteen and business managers and have come up with worthwhile and achievable proposals for change.”

Single-use plastic bottles could be replaced with drinks dispensers, while canteen providers have been urged to offer different portion sizes to avoid food waste.

Inside the main hall, where the meeting took place (Image: Supplied)

The schools have agreed to be held accountable through regular meetings with student leaders as the proposals are implemented. 

Paris Palmano, Brighton and Hove Citizens Organiser, said “Young people are naturally inquisitive, idealistic, and passionate about building a better and fairer world.

"On a whole range of campaigns, young people across Brighton and Hove keep proving that if we put them in the driving seat, we can dream bigger, expect more from decision makers and achieve the change we desperately need.” 

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The schools are working with organisations and climate action advisors to help create an action plan to achieve their pledges.

Derek Donaldson, assistant headteacher at Hove Park School, added: “At Hove Park School we are extremely proud of our students who are sustainability ambassadors with a passion for change.

"Their collaboration with other local schools and collective voice has truly been heard and prompted action within our community and beyond. We are now working more closely with our catering team to reduce food waste and the use of plastics."