Welcome to The Network

Hello and a very warm welcome to the August edition of the Network News.

The theme of this issue is ‘Back to school, back to basics’ and focuses on sustainable development education in schools and universities. We’re delighted to have been asked to be the guest editors on such an important topic, as education, in all its many and diverse forms, is vital to the continuing success of a more sustainable future for our planet.

2005 sees the start of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and it really is fantastic to see how much is already being achieved across Scotland. The Scottish Executive Education Department’s new Curriculum for Excellence aims to enable all young Scots to become ‘successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors’ and ministers have pledged that sustainable development will be a core element of this new framework.

Eco Schools Scotland recently reached a ‘double milestone’ with the award of its 200th Green Flag and the registration of its 2000th school. This means that over two-thirds of all schools in Scotland, from nursery to secondary level, are now actively ‘doing their bit’ to secure a greener future for the country and this latest issue of the Network News features many more success stories in the world of sustainable development education in Scotland, such as Kindrogan Field Centre near Blairgowrie.  You can also find out more about what’s happening here at Eco Schools and learn about the Waste Aware Western Isles team’s Top Ten Tips for the 3Rs in School. We’ve also been provided with an insight into the world of the Eco Schools Green Flag assessor and there’s a chance to have a look at online resources and try your luck at some of at the waste games available. You can also hear about the Lothian and Edinburgh Environmental Partnership’s ‘Cash for Cans’ initiative for schools and the results of an ‘Attitudes to Recycling’ survey' carried out in the Forth Valley area.

This edition is also packed with updates from across the whole of Scotland on local events and resources; providing a wealth of information on sustainability issues around the country.

The next edition of the Network News will focus on business waste and training, so please remember to get in touch with the Network Bulletin team by Friday 7th October with details of what’s happening in your area.

Many thanks and best wishes from us all here at Eco Schools Scotland!


Kate & Kirsten

Kate Campbell and Kirsten Leask
Eco Schools Scotland