Top eco award for Ossett's Flushdyke J&I School
A SCHOOL which is helping save energy and protect endangered wildlife has been given an award for its environmental work.
Flushdyke J&I School has achieved Green Flag status under the Eco-Schools initiative, an international scheme to improve schools' green
credentials.
The award was presented by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy after three years of hard work to cut energy use and provide new habitats for wildlife.
And endangered South American animals, including the rare Spider Monkey, were thrown a lifeline when pupils raised cash to buy acres of Columbian rainforest which would otherwise be chopped down.
Fundraising events were held at the school to support South American environmental charity Proaves, which campaigns to save rainforest habitats.
Mike Wood, headteacher at the school, said: "They are extending reserves of rainforest before they are felled so that certain species can remain in their habitats."
Improvements to the school grounds included a new wildlife pond, filled with rainwater diverted from the roof of a school building, as pupils worked to make the school more sustainable.
A conservation area was also planted in the school grounds.
Mr Wood said: "Pupils looked at how energy was being wasted in school and designed posters and labels asking people not to leave computer monitors on and to close doors.
"We have been doing this kind of work for about five years, but we got involved with the Eco-Schools project three years ago. We are now one of five schools in the Wakefield district to achieve Green Flag status."
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Weather for Wakefield
Friday 10 February 2012
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