Belgium/A growing number of Brussels schools awarded the "Eco-Schools" label
More and more Brussels schools have been awarded the "Eco-Schools" label: there are now 55 of them, including eight that have received this distinction for the first time. This international label rewards schools for their commitment to the climate transition. An essential point: pupils must be fully involved in the reflection and implementation of projects.
The example of the Collège de la Fraternité in Laeken
The Collège de la Fraternité in Laeken, in the Brussels region, is setting an example. Six years ago, the school launched its student team, tasked with thinking about and developing sustainable projects within the school.
"We're going to make a pond next to the vegetable garden," explains Yoannis, 16, a recent addition to the school's eco-team. "We meet every Tuesday to think together about what we can do, and everyone shares their ideas."
Thanks to this sustainable thinking committee, comparable to a small project incubator, the school has already been able to build up a stock of office equipment collected from nearby businesses, so that every student can benefit from it.
Recently, students also had the opportunity to take part in a crochet workshop to make their own clothes.
"They have ideas and we make sure they come true," confides Denise, the Eco-Schools project coordinator.
"It's a way of thinking about how to consume less, but above all it's a hub of responsible citizenship. We also carry out social, economic and energy projects. We are active in all 17 areas of sustainable development."
A collective, structured commitment
Like Collège de la Fraternité, 54 other schools in the Brussels region have been awarded the "Eco-Schools" label.
"To obtain it, you simply need to carry out projects on environmental themes in a structured way," explains Lionel Lambert, from ASBL Coren, which supports schools in the process.
"We start by carrying out an environmental assessment on all the themes: food, waste management, mobility, energy, etc. Based on these findings, each school draws up an action plan around one or more themes. These are then implemented and evaluated, before an external jury awards the label. All these projects must be student-driven", explains the project manager. Certification must be renewed every two years.
The "Eco-Schools" label is an international label, present in 79 countries and awarded to over 60,000 schools worldwide.
Source: www.rtbf.be/
