If you want to cement a message, get pupils to try things out for themselves. Friday 5 June 2009 was a day Year 9 will remember. Guided by the Sustainable Services Team from Southwark and the Design and Technology department, the whole year group plunged enthusiastically into 4 practical workshops related to sustainability: jewellery design and creation from old magazines; guessing which are the recycled products; pitching design and marketing ideas for a recycled bag; and ethical trading. Moving seamlessly from one activity to another, each group worked intensively, making some surprising discoveries along the way. There were some beautiful bracelet designs, including one which had, by chance at first, a pair of eyes on every paper ‘bead’.

The teams competing to have their designs chosen for a recycled bag were passionate in their presentations. Louise, Adela and Doris were surprised that you have to think of so many aspects quite apart from the design itself, such as the target audience, cost, workers, and how to promote the product. Ayesha summed up the general feeling when she said that she is now so much more aware of what goes into making a product successful.

There were some really innovative ideas. In one group, a versatile rucksack design used solar energy, there was an appealing ‘bag of chips’, an ‘eco-tote’ design paid attention to attractive materials inside and out, and other teams prepared for wet weather (the ‘never tiring tyre bag’ using recycled trainers). My vote however went to the ‘UR‘ (uniquely recycled) bag which offered a personalised service, using your own recycled materials to create an individual finish. Someone should try it.

Voted the most popular – certainly the noisiest – activity in a straw poll was the experience of so-called ethical trading. Imagining they were living in a shanty town in Latin America, the teams (poor families) attempted to make enough money to pay the rent and to provide food and schooling for their children by making trainers. Ella’s table of traders agreed how hard it was to make any money. They had to be ruthless, exact in their assessments and stick to their principles despite the pressure. I found two workers in the ‘jail’, having gone bankrupt. Charlotte admitted she could now understand why some people resort to illegal means simply to survive.

What a dynamic way to open our eyes! The Sustainable Services Team from Southwark is helping us to provide the best possible environmental education for our pupils. By becoming sustainable, a school can save money, improve the health, fitness and emotional well-being of its pupils, and contribute to local, social and environmental goals. Initiatives like the DT Sustainability Day inspire pupils to take an active part in promoting sustainability within school and beyond.

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You can read more about JAGS as an eco school in the About Us section of this website. You can learn more about the DT department in the Teaching and Learning section of the website.