On Wednesday 26th February Ryan’s Supervalu and Glanmire Community College launched a partnership to improve environmental sustainability issues in the local community. GCC are currently working on achieving the Green Schools flag, progressing very well on the way with the first theme; Litter & Waste. The theme is a great starting point for encouraging a sense of personal pride and responsibility in tackling two visible issues in schools and communities.
Most schools have a litter problem to some degree. The first challenge on the way to becoming a Green-School is to prevent and reduce the amount of litter in the school grounds and raise awareness about the problems associated with litter. We are currently working on litter reduction and recycling correctly with excellent facilities now in place, while working towards phasing out single use plastic.
Together, we believe a ‘whole community’ approach is the best way to raise and develop this awareness. Facilitated by Supervalu, the support of Cork City Council, the local tidy towns and GCC student and teacher green schools committee, this can be achieved. To promote this launch Supervalu have very generously sponsored all staff members with reusable travel mugs, as a starting point to reduce single use plastics. Supervalu Management, with GCC green schools committee are working towards developing an initiative to promote students phasing out single use plastic also.
We look forward to working with Ryan’s Supervalu on this partnership to make our local community more environmentally sustainable with impacting results on future generations from the risks of climate change. GCC would also like to thank Mary Walsh, Cork City Council Environmental Section & Antoinette Heslin, Glanmire Tidy Towns for their attendance and support in working together for the future.
Student Committee members with Noel O Riordan & Louise Opperman of Supervalu
Mary Walsh, Cork City Council, Noel O Riordan, Manager Supervalu, Antionette Heslin, Glanmire tidy towns, Weronika Wierzbicka, Student Committee, Tom Pittam, Green Schools Coordinator, Daisy Horan, Student Committee, Louise Opperman, marketing Supervalu, & Ronan Mc Carthy, Principal.
T. Pittam, Teacher Comittee, R. McCarthy, Principal, K. Steele, Teacher Committee, L. Opperman, Supervalu, N. O’Riordan, Supervalu, S. Kennefick, Deputy Principal & Committee, L. Young, Teacher Committee & K. Crowley, Teacher Committee.