KEEP SWEDEN TIDY - Håll Sverige Rent

acken, the Green Flag has been waving
since 2010, and at the preschool Humlan,
the action plan for the Eco-Schools programme
has just been approved.
“We have noticed that there is a huge
craving for a project like this with education
and inspirational meetings in the preschools
in Sundsvall,” says Agneta. Our
first educational meeting here in Sundsvall
gathered 31 teachers, and in the last
few years, several hundreds have attended
courses.”
Agneta has a great commitment, and she
is passionate about environment issues,
and for all children’s right to participate.
However, she emphasizes that a lot of what
is demanded in the Eco-Schools program
are things that the preschools are already
working with. A big KRAV-sign crowns the
entrance door of the preschool Humlan,
and the children are served KRAV-food
every day (KRAV is a Swedish association
that develops organic standards, and promotes
the KRAV-label for products living
up to the standards.)
Agneta has created a small library for
all children and parents, where you simply
pick out your book, put it in a homemade
tote bag, and make a note in a small notebook
of what you have borrowed. This
way all children can have a bedtime story
at home. These are two examples of activities
that fit perfectly within the Eco-Schools
programme – activities that already exist
at the preschool.
“It is not tricky or difficult at all to work
with the Eco-Schools programme,” Agneta
says. “We started with the activities we already
have, and it has been moving along
from there by itself. We are very proud of
our preschools.”
but why has the municipality not pursued
the issue, when there is obviously such great
interest among the schools and preschools?
“I’m not really sure,” says Lars Karlstrand,
former Head of Compulsory School
in the North district, and now, among other
things, responsible for the Student Health
Service on the Education Department.
“We who work at the Childcare and
Education Department have never really
owned the environmental issue. It has never
asserted itself among us. Maybe it’s because
we who work within the department have
been forced to focus on other issues.” a
PHOTO: PETRA HOLGERSSON
A lot of work within the Eco-Schools programme is things that we are already doing at
the preschool,” says Ingrid Nordling, teacher at the preschool Rönnbacken in Sundsvall.
Ingrid Inspires Others to Start Working
with the Eco-Schools programme
The Eco-Schools programme
takes up a lot of things that we are
already doing at the preschool. For
me, personally, the tool has meant a
greater consciousness of environmental
issues, which in fact is also true for
the whole work group of the preschool.
It is pretty awesome when you
think about it, that the little we do can
have such great influence. Those are
the words of Ingrid Nordling, teacher
at the preschool Rönnbacken, who
also lectures about the Eco-Schools
programme on other preschools in the
municipality.
Ingrid learnt about the Com-U
project through the neighboring school
Kyrkskolan F–3. Their work inspired
her and her colleagues.
“We thought that we wanted a green
flag like that too,” Ingrid says. “So we
started doing some research, and applied
to the Eco-Schools programme
on the web, and got the work going. It
was a lot of fun, but looking back, the
ambition of the teachers was far too
high, they were speeding to fast.”
An advice from Ingrid is to start from
where you are at present.
“Choose a theme that fits the situation
you are in. We were far too ambitious
in the beginning and wanted to
do so much, but now we have calmed
down and adjusted to the children and
to our situation.”
Ingrid and her colleagues found the
Com-U project and the offer about
inspirational meetings on the web, and
after the meetings, Ingrid herself has
started inspiring other preschools.
“I think it is good if someone who is
also out on the field informs about the
Eco-Schools programme. A teacher
explaining that it is not complicated at
all. In fact it’s about things we already
do, just in a little more structured way.
That is very appreciated!”
For Rönnbacken, the Eco-Schools
programme has also led to new yearly
traditions. In spring, we have an environmental
week with a litter theme,
and in the autumn we have a harvest
home,” Ingrid says. It is so inspiring
to contribute to making children,
teachers, staff and parents more aware
of our environment. a
school and preschool/inspiration – the keep sweden tidy foundation 13