Let's Bee Green

At South Farnborough Junior School we would like to do as much as possible to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Some initiatives we have started are:

Single Use Plastic Cups

With immediate effect, we will no longer be ordering any more single use plastic cups for use in school. The children should be bringing a named water bottle in to school with them each day which they are free to fill up from the cooled water dispensers around the school or the cold taps (which are all drinking water) in their classrooms. In the small number of cases where a child forgets their water bottle, each class will have a few reusable cups which will be washed at the end of the day.

Laminating

We will no longer be laminating paper to be used in class or on display boards. Instead, if needed, we will use thicker paper or card which can be recycled after use.

Printer Ink and Mobile Recycling

As a school we regularly recycle our photocopier toners however we now have a recycling point in reception for used printer cartridges and old mobile phones, this will in turn raise funds for the school. For more information on what is accepted, please check out our fundraising page.

Recyled Paper

We are in the process of switching our paper over to an eco-friendly recycled alternative. In order to reduce the amount of paper we use, a vast majority of

home-school communication is already sent via email. Anything which needs to be sent home via a paper copy will be printed on the new recycled paper. Don't forget, copies of all letters sent home are also uploaded to the relevant letters page on our website.

Green Ambassdors

Each class is represented by a Green ambassador. Come back soon for an update on what they have been up to!

Clean Air Day 8th October 2020

What is Clean Air Day & how can our school get involved? The World Health Organisation and the UK Government recognize that air pollution is the largest environmental health risk we face today. It causes heart and lung diseases, is linked to low birth weight and children’s lung development and may even contribute to mental health issues. Every year, air pollution causes at least 36,000 deaths in the UK. 

Clean Air Day is the UK's largest air pollution campaign, and brings together schools, communities, businesses and the health sector.

What is air pollution and why do we need to do something about it? Traffic is the main source of air pollution in our towns and cities. The main pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ground level ozone (O3) and particulates (PM10 and PM 2.5). Air pollution is damaging our health: At least 36,000 deaths each year in the UK are caused by breathing air pollution such as nitrogen dioxide. One in three children in the UK are breathing toxic air every day. Many children are most exposed to air pollution during their journey to and from school. Children are more vulnerable to the effects of breathing in polluted air than adults. Their airways are smaller, and still developing, and they breathe more rapidly than adults. Their height, and the position of buggies, and prams puts infants and children closer to the source of car fumes. Air pollution and disease: The European Public Health Alliance has highlighted a 2003 study that found that people with lungs weakened through the exposure to air pollutants are less able to fight off lung infections. Long term exposure to high levels of air pollution can reduce lung function in children and may make them more vulnerable in future pandemics.

We are dealing with a climate emergency

When we burn fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel, the greenhouse gases that are responsible for the current climate emergency are produced. The transport sector accounts for the largest percentage (28% recorded in 2018) of UK greenhouse gas emissions. We need to get more active: Regular physical activity provides a range of physical and mental health benefits to people of all ages. Exercise can improve our health by helping our immune system fight off disease and reduce the risk of infections as we age. It is recommended that children are physically active for 60 minutes each day. By encouraging families to leave their car at home for the school run and travel actively instead, we are helping to improve air quality, reduce congestion and traffic hazards outside schools, and increase the fitness of children and adults.

Don't idle your engine!

Air pollution comes from a variety of sources, of which some are local, some are from the city as a whole, and some are from further afield. The proportion of each one depends on the weather, location and time of day. So, wherever you are, you’ll breathe in some of this pollution. When a vehicle’s idling, the engine is still running and burning fuel without going anywhere. This creates pollution hotspots where air pollution is particularly bad and contributes to pollution in the wider area. By turning the engine off when you’re stationary, you reduce the amount of fuel a vehicle uses, and emissions from the exhaust pipe. In some districts and boroughs, drivers may be fined if they are caught idling on a public highway. For example, in the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane, from March 2020, if a motorist fails to switch off their engine when requested they can be issued with a £20 fixed penalty