World's greenest school battles to save the planet

13 April 2012

Compared with petrochemical firms and power stations, Hampton School hardly ranks as a major polluter.

But when its 1,100 students began measuring the environmental impact they had they were shocked.

The teenagers weighed and analysed all the rubbish and pollution they produced in a day, including fuel emissions pumped out during school trips. It amounted to 1,418 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year - enough to fill Wembley Stadium.

Action followed and now Hampton claims to be the world's first carbon neutral school, saving the same amount of energy that it consumes.

Barry Martin, headmaster of the £11,000-a-year private boys' school in Middlesex, said pupils played a key role.

"A lot of the impetus came from the boys. They take their responsibility as citizens very seriously," he said. "They know that if we don't do something about this issue, the planet is going to be in serious difficulty.

"After all, they have much longer to live than I have - it's their planet and their future."

To become carbon neutral, the school has offset the energy it consumes by spending on energy-saving projects in the Third World.

Gas and electricity consumption was the biggest generator of greenhouse gas CO2 - more than 800 tonnes a year.

But the second-biggest culprit was air travel, with pupils clocking up nearly two million air miles in a year, including a geography field trip to Kenya and a skiing holiday in Colorado. These created 430 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Bus and coach journeys belched out another 148 tonnes.

To offset these emissions, the school pays £7.50 a tonne - £10,635 for a year's pollution - to Climate Care, a not-for-profit trust that supports projects around the world.

Tom Morton, managing director of Climate Care, said: "We're helping to pay for the installation of manually operated treadle pumps for Indian farmers, which are having an amazing impact. Traditionally, they use diesel pumps to irrigate their fields, which is very expensive. For about £20 they can own their own treadle pump which will last for years.

"The results are increased incomes and better husbandry of crops. They are no longer flooding their fields once a fortnight but irrigating them regularly. Now they often get a second crop when the men used to have to find work in the city. Instead, they can remain with their families." The school is also working hard to cut its own pollution and waste.

Teacher Chris Cullen said: "We've cut our landfill waste by 20 per cent by recycling, composting and using more fresh food in the kitchen.

"That will have contributed to a reduction in methane output generated by the running of the school."

Computers are switched off rather on left on standby and the new performing arts centre has an energy recycling power plant.

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