Sustainability Policy
Atlantic Language School is committed to continuously improving its environmental performance and minimizing its ecological footprint. We are accredited by Green Standard Schools which you can find out more about here: https://greenstandardschools.org/
We are committed to doing this by adopting the 12 commitments of Green Standard Schools.
1. Reduce the amount of energy consumed in the school and switch to sustainable energy suppliers where possible
2. Reduce the amount of water consumed in the school
3. Reduce the amount of paper consumed and move towards a paperless operation
4. Discourage the use of pointless plastics by all staff, students and suppliers
5. Reuse and recycle everything brought into the school that can usefully be reused or cycled
6. Reduce the environmental impact of purchases e.g., by using local supply chains
7. Reduce the environmental impact of all marketing activities
8. Compensate for the carbon generated by students and staff travelling to the school – especially international students!
9. Encourage providers of accommodation services to adopt sustainable practices
10. Include activities that benefit the environment in the school’s programme of social activities
11. Ensure that all staff and students are aware of the school’s environmental policies
12. Systematically include environmental issues in the teaching curriculum
Here are some of our more specific actions.
- We have partnered with Carbonfootprint.com https://www.carbonfootprint.com/aboutus.html to offset a proportion of our carbon emissions each year by signing up to their ‘Global Portfolio’ project. Find out more about this project here: https://www.carbonfootprint.com/offsetalternativeenergy.html
- Staff are encouraged and incentivized to take more sustainable modes of transport to work through access to annual tax-saving bus and train tickets as well as the Bike to Work scheme. We encourage students to walk, cycle or take public transport to school!
- We have a 4-way waste separation system within the school and in our accommodation: recycling, general waste, food waste and tin and metal recycling.
- We have committed to a ‘Paper-Free’ policy, which entails:
- Applying and promoting a ‘Paper-Free’ policy in all classrooms
- Using digital/cloud-based programmes for meetings and meeting notes and handouts/presentations
- Sharing teaching materials and resources using Padlet digital platforms, freely available to all students
- Dispersal of digital coursebooks and related supplementary published materials to all applicable students
- Replacement of discontinued or obsolete hard-copy teaching resources with digital alternatives
- Usage of Classroom Presentation Tools by publishers to share teaching content, using institutional licensing and access and facilitate interactive learning
- Usage of digital information sharing technology for student information – QR codes, short links, published hyperlinks on student pages/emails
- Entirely online pre, during and post-course registration communication with students
- Printing of certificates on a need-only basis, with default email certificate issue
- Usage of shared digital copies, USB file transfer and other cloud transfer of all marketing materials
- Tracking photocopying by having a log-in system on machines and displaying ‘Limited Use’ caps above each machine
As part of our teaching and learning programmes, Atlantic Language encourages students to ‘think green’, be aware of environmental issues and proactively participate in discussions on their own practices. We are committed to:
- Incorporating one environment-related topic into each syllabus rotation
- Procuring coursebooks that include positive messaging and awareness raising about environmental concerns
- Including extra-curricular projects to raise environmental awareness – e.g., anti-litter campaigns, DIY workshops.
- Offering standalone course focused on this topic or related areas – e.g., sustainability
As part of our equipment and supplies procurement, we aim to apply the following:
- All purchased products meet environmental standards and are not wasteful – e.g., once-off plastics, disposable items are avoided; non-recycled paper is avoided.
- All our supply partners implement a sustainability policy and apply best environmental practices
- We ask our providers to change practice or modify products where applicable – e.g., single-use plastics to be replaced by environmentally-friendly alternatives.
- Replace suppliers and partners who do not/cannot meet environmental standards.