By Marianne Comfort, member of the Mercy Justice Team
Mercy schools in Jamaica offer inspiration for how educational institutions can adopt environmentally sustainable practices in response to our critical concern for Earth.
Alpha Primary School, Jessie Primary School, Alpha Academy and the Alpha Vocational Training Centre share one campus in the capital city of Kingston.
This year 10 clearly marked recycling bins were installed on the property to engender a culture of recycling and sustainable waste management among students and staff.
Guided by two gardening experts, students from the four schools planted a variety of trees and other plants in a memorial garden that honors sisters who had been instrumental to the schools’ success. Throughout this process, students learned the plants’ features, names, uses and more.
Older students formed groups in which they designed and planned campaigns to tackle water shortage, waste management, deforestation and other issues.
Finally, students took turns making personal pledges to engage in actions that mitigate the effects of climate change.
The schools look forward to creating more opportunities for students and staff to care for the Earth, including through a compost heap now being planned.