Chai Brady
Photo: Kayle Crosson Catholic schools must take concrete action in tackling climate change, not just engage in protests, according to Irish principals.
The climate strike organised on September 20 is a continuation of strikes aimed to raise awareness of human impacts on the environment and the need for sustainable practices. Schoolchildren have been at the forefront of these strikes around the world.
Although the idea of the strike can make “everybody stop and ask what’s going on” according to Principal Carmel Dunn of Hollybush Primary School in Derry, “there has to be follow-on from that”.
“Striking isn’t enough if you’re not also following through with proactive initiatives within school,” said Mrs Dunn.
“I don’t necessarily always think a strike is the right way forward, I think if we gather the children together, not so much as a strike, but an event to raise awareness of the damage that climate change is doing. Then each school…take a small project that heightens the awareness of children about what we can do to try and in some way mitigate against the damage of climate change.”
Commitment
Mrs Carmel describes Hollybush as an eco-friendly school which has biomass heating and solar panels. They recycle, compost, keep chickens and have a wildlife garden, an orchard and vegetable beds. The school was the first in the North of Ireland to win the Ashden award in 2013, which acknowledged their commitment to sustainability.
According to a letter sent to parents seen by this paper, Principal Bernadette Fitzgerald of St Joseph’s College in Dublin noted that students were using social media to organise attending “a range of climate related events”.
The letter reads: “Students and staff in St Joseph’s College have made a collective effort over the last number of years to live more sustainably and promote greater care for the earth. Given that these protest marches are likely to be a recurring feature into the future, it is important that the school adopts a safe, sustainable and educational response going forward.”
The school instead decided to arrange a climate change related activity in the school on the date of the protest led by their Green School Committee. Instead they will focus on promoting sustainable living, waste prevention, proper recycling and “ways to reduce our carbon footprint”.
Regarding schoolchildren striking John Curtis, the General Secretary of the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) who represent voluntary secondary schools in the south, said that they “have advised schools to engage with student councils and parents’ associations at local level on the issue”.