Sustainability at ISL
At ISL, we believe we should respond collectively, as a school, and individually, to the many environmental crises happening worldwide. Take a look below to find out more about our approach to sustainability.
Plastic Free
We thought that, as a school, we would start with plastics and we hope you will support us in this.
The biggest area of impact will be in the cafeteria where many take-away items come in plastic packaging. We have consulted a number of other organisations who are on a similar path and one key reflection of these organisations has been that alternatives are ‘very often’ available. Very often but not always, and so we expect that while some changes will be quickly assimilated, not every aspect of the change will be uniformly applauded. However, we believe that our community will support our efforts to make the school what we want it to be: an example both of care for the environment and for others, and of careful thought when addressing a problem.
Eco Society Committee
The Eco Society Committee in both the Primary and Secondary School helps us focus on specific problems within our school. The members monitor, encourage, and educate other students, parents, and the school itself.
Secondary School
In the Secondary School, our eager group of students in the Middle School and High School focuses on continuing with our school goal of becoming plastic-free. ISL has already made significant improvements by restricting products which have plastic packaging in our cafeteria.
Working with the plastic-free campus framework, this student-led initiative will allow our students to critically examine where single-use plastic is still being used and how we can work with plastic-free alternatives to find solutions. Our students meet weekly to discuss ideas and plan how they will make changes in the months ahead.
Primary School
The Eco Society Club in the Primary School started this semester. ISL’s primary school students are fully engaged in exploring the needs of the school. After investigating the different Eco themes, students are ready to further deepen their understanding of the school’s needs.
The students go around different places in the school and think about themes such as litter and waste, energy, sustainable food, biodiversity and water. The Eco Society Club is looking forward to collaborating with secondary students soon and their goal is to find our Eco focus for the year.
Sustainability in the ISL curriculum
As a learning institution ISL, aims to encourage students to further expand their knowledge on the topic of sustainability. In order to do this, several subjects implement sustainability as a key concept for units. Find out more below:
- Year 8 students investigated the human impact on our world biomes and how resources need to be managed more sustainably. Through a series of in-depth case studies such as overfishing of the oceans and destruction of the tropical rainforests due to palm oil plantations, students have been able to examine the environmental cost of our impact on the planet. With a focus on action, students were given an opportunity to create an environmental awareness campaign to educate our wider community about more sustainable choices as consumers.
Our community – Sustainability Story
Cecilia, ISL Alumna (1985 to 1989) – Director of an NGO called SmartFish that assists artisanal fishers in Mexico to access better markets for sustainably caught seafood.
“SmartFish brings the best quality marine products to the market, which allows you to make a purchase that contributes to good fishing management and the sustainability of Mexico’s marine ecosystems. We work so that fishermen earn more by fishing less, breaking the cycle of poverty and overexploitation.
We pride ourselves on being a company committed to sourcing and selling sustainable seafood. Obtaining sustainable seafood is not only important for the future of our business, but also for the livelihood of fishermen around the world and for the health of the ocean ecosystem.”