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Education and Awareness
Westmeath County Council promotes greater awareness of all aspects of the environment including waste prevention and minimisation.
This is done through:
- education and awareness
- liaison with community groups
- implementation of the Green Schools programme
- supporting national campaigns
- facilitating practical and local environmental initiatives e.g. compost workshops.
Green Schools
Green Schools is an international environmental education programme. It is implemented by An Taisce and the Local Authority, offering a well defined, controllable way for schools to take environmental issues into the curriculum and apply them to the day-to-day running of the school.
Green Schools offers your school opportunities:
- To help develop children's decision making skills
- A way to build students confidence and sense of citizenship through participation
- To supply curriculum materials and ideas for projects and events
- To access a network of support agencies
- To link with other schools in Ireland and internationally
- To gain a prestigious award
- To provide local and national publicity
- For financial savings
- To reduce litter and waste
- To improve school environment
- To reduce energy consumption levels
- To involve the local community
The Green Flag Award is renewable every two years, with a new theme tackled in each two year period, whilst still maintaining the previous themes.
The sequence of the themes is outlined below:
- Litter and Waste
- Energy
- Water
- Travel
- Bio-diversity
For further information see http://www.greenschoolsireland.org or email greenschools@antaisce.org
Local Agenda 21
This Fund promotes sustainable development by assisting small scale, non-profit environmental projects at local level. It is available to projects/initiatives that contribute to increasing local levels of environmental awareness or one which promotes building, greener more sustainable communities.
Anti-litter and Anti-Graffiti Awareness Initiatives Grants Scheme
This grant is available to raise public awareness and promote anti-litter and anti-graffiti activity at local level.
The maximum grant allowed for any one project may be up to 70% of the project costs, with the balance being met by way of local contributions.
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