9 Ways to Embed Climate Action into your School

9 Ways to Embed Climate Action into your School

It’s glaringly obvious that we’re finally living in a world where environmental concerns are becoming central to education. Schools have a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation of eco-conscious leaders. Embedding climate action into school culture not only addresses urgent global challenges but also develops essential skills like critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership. With tools like Citizens, educators can seamlessly integrate sustainability projects into their curriculum, empowering students to make a real impact while tracking their growth.

In today’s post we take a quick look at nine ways to make climate action a meaningful part of your school’s journey...using Citizens to help along the way!

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1. Engage your students in Real-World Projects‍

Students bring an upcycled plant pot (e.g., made from an old bottle or can) and plant a seed or small plant in the classroom. Using Citizens, they document the process: selecting the plant, preparing the pot, and taking turns caring for it. Students can log growth observations, teamwork activities(watering schedules), and their plant's environmental impact (like improving classroom air quality). This project promotes environmental stewardship, teamwork, and leadership while creating a hands-on, real-world learning experience.

After they’ve got a few plants on the go, why not look at scaling up and selling some of them?

NB For younger students, such as kindergarten and early primary, you may prefer to create an account for your entire class on Citizens, rather than individual student accounts. In that way you can complete your Citizens profile together as a class.

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2. Build up a Portfolio of Actions

As students participate in various climate-related activities, such as reducing single-use plastic, conducting a litter pick, or upcycling materials, they are building their own portfolio of action.  Why not log them onto Citizens to keep this as a digital portfolio that tracks their contributions over time? Teachers can use these portfolios to celebrate individual and collective achievements. This recognition boosts student motivation, reinforcing the importance of their efforts and encouraging them to set and achieve new environmental goals.

3. Align Projects with School Values

Much like every individual, every school is different. One thing that can be said of all schools is that they want better students for the world and a better world for their students. Schools can map activities to specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(UNSDGs) using Citizens’ dashboards.

Following on from the activities mentioned in 1 and 2, if a school prioritizes 'Responsible Consumption,' they might implement projects like upcycling or reducing plastic use. By using Citizens to track and map these activities, the school can present a clear, measurable impact aligned with their values, showing parents and inspectors how they foster both academic and environmental growth.

4. Parental Involvement

If parents aren't on board, then change is unlikely to happen.

To truly embed climate action, it's essential to involve parents in the journey. Encourage students to bring what they learn in school into their homes by starting small, like growing a plant together. This simple activity can spark conversations about sustainability, leading to actions such as reducing waste, mindful shopping, or even cooking meals with less environmental impact. By expanding their sphere of influence, students can become advocates for change beyond the classroom, creating a community-wide shift. Can you think of a better place to start than at home?

5. Celebrate every win. No matter how small.

Using Citizens, organise and display your school's collective achievements, from a student sharing a meal made from leftovers to another participating in a community cleanup. Highlighting these moments in parent-teacher meetings and inspections shows the impact students are making. It also reinforces the message that their efforts are valued. By showcasing these successes, you not only motivate students but also encourage them to share their positive actions with the world, amplifying their influence and commitment to environmental change.

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6. Collaborative and Collective Action

Collaboration and collective action are utterly essential for making meaningful environmental change. By working together, students can combine their strengths and skills to tackle sustainability projects effectively. For example, a class could organize a "Zero-Waste Challenge" where groups work to find ways to reduce waste during lunchbreaks or school events. Alternatively, students could team up to design an "Eco-Friendly School Map," identifying areas for improvement, such as adding recycling stations or planting more trees. These projects not only build teamwork but also demonstrate the power of collective effort.

7. Develop Critical Thinking Skills

One of the central themes when it comes to developing climate action is that of critical thinking. To tackle environmental issues effectively, students need to analyze problems, evaluate solutions, and think creatively.

Leading on from their EcoSchool Map, they might investigate the environmental impact of food waste in the school cafeteria, calculate the amount of waste generated, and brainstorm strategies to reduce it. This not only ties into maths and science but also develops research and problem-solving skills. By linking these academic elements to real-world sustainability challenges, students build a deeper understanding of how to apply critical thinking for impactful change.

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8. Encourage Outdoor Learning

Connecting students with nature can deepen their understanding of the environment and their role in protecting it. For example, you could organize a “ Mindful Biodiversity Walk” where students explore the local environment, identify plant and animal species, and record observations. Another option is to have do a litter pick so they can see the instant impact they can make and also learn about plastic pollution along the way.

If you’re unable to get outside you could simply bring the outdoors in and do a visualization with your students.

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9. Promote a Circular Economy Mindset

Incorporate upcycling and reusing materials into classroom projects. For instance, students could create an “Upcycled Art Show,” using items like plastic bottles, old newspapers, and cardboard to build art pieces that highlight environmental issues.

Alternatively, students could run a “Repair Cafe” event where they learn to fix broken items like clothes or small electronics instead of discarding them. These projects teach resourcefulness and link sustainability with creativity and design skills.

Implementing these nine actions not only integrates climate action into your school but also nurtures essential skills and values. Citizens can be the tool that ties these efforts together, providing a platform to track progress, celebrate successes, and showcase your students’ and school’s collective impact on the environment. With Citizens, you create a dynamic, interconnected approach that empowers both students and the community to make a lasting difference.

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Remember: actions speak louder than grades!

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