Schools

Young people are demanding that we take more direct action to address the climate emergency. With over 2000 schools across Greater Manchester and with countless pupils and student leaders eager to be part of the challenge.

You are here: Schools

The campaign

We can help to connect and support schools to do more within the classroom, to tackle the fabric and the outside of their buildings and to help guide young people into the green work sector after high school.By signposting to associated projects and partners who are carrying out work in Greater Manchester, we hope that we can all make a big difference today, tomorrow and together.

How you can make a difference

Here’s what schools can do to make a difference in and out of the classroom:

  • Reduce the amount of waste you produce and use reusable products
  • Cut down the amount of plastics you use
  • Buy sustainable products
  • Look at alternatives to purchasing large items such as lease agreements or take-back schemes
  • Recycle as much as you can
  • Reduce the amount of food you waste
  • Support local food growing and redistribution initiatives and organisations

Schools Climate Action Planner

Wondering how to get your school to take climate action?

Greater Manchester Combined Authority has worked closely with Transform Our World a community of educators coordinated by environmental charity Global Action Plan to develop a free, online, easy-to-use action planning tool to help teachers and students prioritise the actions their school can take to reduce its environmental impact.

Get started today

Resources

Greater Manchester School’s Guide to Solar PV

In this guide we hear from schools that are reaping rewards from solar PV by saving thousands of pounds off their electricity bills. It also outlines recommended options to deliver solar PV on your school – even if you don’t have the funds to invest.

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IGNITION GM

How to become more flood resilient with green, nature-based solutions in your school grounds.

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City of Trees

Greening school grounds by supplying free trees and organising a ‘how to plant a tree’ day with pupils.

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Suez and Recycle for GM Education

The Education Team at Recycle for Greater Manchester is here to support you with educating and engaging students and residents by providing resources, games and films.

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Eco Schools

Has your school registered?

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HySchools at Manchester Metropolitan University

Providing energy education for the talent of tomorrow

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Groundwork Greater Manchester

Supporting schools to maximise the learning potential of your outdoor space, improve air quality around the school grounds, provide nature and climate learning activities and provide coaching & mentoring to support student wellbeing and achievement

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Manchester Environment Education Network (MEEN)

Runs environmental education projects in schools and supports teachers and organisations working to promote environmental education and Education for Sustainability across Greater Manchester

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Great Science Share for Schools

Award-winning campaign that invites 5-14 year olds to share their own scientific questions and investigations, to raise the profile of science in schools and communities, and inspire young people into science and engineering.

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Plastic Free Schools

Surfers Against Sewage campaign

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Business in the Community (BiTC)

Sustainable Urban Drainage – Moorlands Primary School case study

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Related content

Nature GM
Published: 09/08/2021
News
Nature GM
The Greater Manchester Natural Capital Group is an ambassador for the natural environment. It is made up of representatives from the public, private and third sectors who are all working together to protect nature. The group gives advice to the GMCA on natural environment issues including how to stop the effects of climate change and lower emissions.
Read
Good Food GM
Published: 09/08/2021
News
Good Food GM
The Good Food GM partnership brings organisations together to help our city-region strategically improve our food system. Together, we're tackling issues including procurement, food poverty, waste, environmental impacts, and diet-related illness.
Read
The Boiler House
Published: 09/08/2021
News
The Boiler House
The Boiler House is a friendly community workshop space dedicated to making and mending, just a mile from the middle of Manchester. We offer access to a wood workshop, DIY workshops, and space for events.
Read
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Take action…

To make a big change, we must all take small actions. Becoming greener and making an impact is easier than you might think. We have put together a range of blogs, articles, toolkits and checklists to help you make a start.

Explore resources

Although we set out with a simple mission to reduce plastic waste, we’ve quickly realised that it’s just one piece in the sustainability puzzle. One of the biggest, but most easily attainable actions we can achieve is to look at where our goods come from and reduce the carbon footprint needed to get a product from manufacturer to consumer. Many of the products we stock are made by local, independent manufactures, who provide us with a wide range of things from reusable face wipes, wax food wraps, face coverings, soap bars, plant pots, kitchen cloths/sponges and butty bags.

Carl from Lentils and Lather

Our aim is to start changing the habits of families in Greater Manchester by getting them to ‘borrow’ rather than ‘buy’ brand new toys. We’re making sure that toys can be reused again and again by children who need and want them – and they are not just sitting in a cupboard or under someone’s bed.

Kim from That Toy Thing

The best part of upcycling is that old furniture is often better made than the equivalent flat-packed furniture we get today and with a little bit of time, love and care, you can create a completely unique piece of furniture for your home that no one else will have. I also love that these pieces of furniture have a history of their own and through transforming and updating them we can breathe a new lease of life into them.

Hannah from Tread Softly

The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is providing a further boost to the ambitions of the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership to create a thriving, inspirational and connected landscape. It supports the recovery of wildlife through habitat creation and improvement as well as community recovery through providing opportunities for local people to develop skills, knowledge and beneficial connections to their local natural environment.

Jo Kennedy, Coordinator of the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership

The reason I signed up to the Green Homes Grant scheme was two-fold, selfishly the measures will add value to the properties and make them more valuable in the future. But more importantly it benefits the tenants, keeping them warmer and prevents problems like damp and condensation. Ultimately measures like external wall insulations should keep tenants happier and ensure they remain in the house for longer.

Neil, Rochdale property owner

We used to think we didn’t have enough time to shop on our local market because we were working; how wrong we were?  We discovered it is an amazing place to shop for plastic free. We swapped tea bags for tea leaves and coffee jars for beans which we buy from The Market Grounds on Ashton Market – well worth a visit as the homemade cakes are delicious. All the stall holders have been amazing, not one of them minds us taking our containers to be filled with meat from the butchers. We get our bread, cheese, fruit and veg from the market too.

Julie from Ashton-under-Lyne

Kat Mulhall, Events Manager at Victoria Baths Trust in Manchester

Although becoming carbon neutral is important to our organisation, it’s a lot of work for a small team to put the measures into place. The Journey to Net Zero course has given me practical, step-by-step advice that has made it easy for me to lay the foundations for our organisation to be able to take action and achieve our goal of becoming carbon neutral.

Kat Mulhall, Events Manager at Victoria Baths Trust in Manchester

Kat Mulhall, Events Manager at Victoria Baths Trust in Manchester

The Business Growth Hub has given us focus and extra knowledge. They’ve helped us form the base to grow sustainably and work efficiently as a team while making us conscious of our environmental impact as a business.

 

Ollie Birchall, Founder of Nutri Bar

I’ve not really been a cyclist throughout my life, more of a runner to be honest. And certainly not commuted. But I just thought if I’m going to change, surely now is the moment to change. I’m feeling the personal benefits of doing it. You just feel better when you come into work. It clears your head. There are benefits of cutting congestion, cleaning up the air. Everyone benefits when people cycle.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester

We think our water fountain is INCREDIBLE, it’s the perfect place for people to ‘refill’ and help themselves to any of the free edibles we’ve got growing in Market Place. We’re so grateful to all the organisations that helped make this happen. Alongside the plastic free motion that was passed by council and helped us achieve our first Surfers Against Sewage objective and in turn our Plastic Free Community status, it shows real commitment in reducing plastic waste and supporting our community.

 

Pete Fillery, Plastic Free Rammy and Incredible Edible Ramsbottom

I guess I’ve always been what you would call a conscious consumer. I’ve always detested plastic bags, all of my skin care products at home are plastic-free, vegan, and sustainable. My toothbrush is made of bamboo, there’s no plastic anywhere in the house. Everything in the salon has to be vegan – that was the first rule for me. We started with one brand of haircare products that was vegan, organic, and Fairtrade, but the distributor in the UK was wrapping all of the deliveries in plastic, and it felt really needless, so we ditched them.

 

Rachael, Gronn eco-salon in Bury

Although becoming carbon neutral is important to our organisation, it’s a lot of work for a small team to put the measures into place. The Journey to Net Zero course has given me practical, step-by-step advice that has made it easy for me to lay the foundations for our organisation to be able to take action and achieve our goal of becoming carbon neutral.

 

Kat Mulhall, Victoria Baths Trust, Manchester

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