Action plan
The action plan is derived from the results of the environmental audit and establishes a series of objectives with a structured calendar for the achievement of environmental improvements.
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The goals must be achievable, with realistic objectives to improve the environmental quality of the school or educational institution. It is recommended to start with small actions, with small achievements confidence is increased and enthusiasm to continue working on environmental issues is strengthened. It is crucial to determine how you are going to monitor and evaluate your progress, that should be integrated into your action plan.
The Committee annually prepares an action plan related to the school curriculum and to one of the three focal areas (water, waste and energy). The action plan includes the entire school community and is reflected in the development of a Code of Conduct (ECO CODE) for all students, school personnel and parents, among others. Action plans may include aspects such as: paper recycling policy, water and energy conservation, both at the school level and in their natural and socio-cultural environment.
What are the steps to create a successful action plan?
Observe and evaluate the results of your environmental audit. At an environmental committee meeting, select the issues you want to address, for example: energy consumption or waste from school canteens. Decide what kinds of actions can be taken to improve the environmental performance of your school.
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Decide what action you can take to improve results and how you will measure the success of your goals. For example, if your school is generating a lot of garbage at snack time, establish a system that allows you to measure or weigh the amount of garbage generated after an environmental campaign.
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Decide deadlines for each action. Do you want to achieve your goals in a few weeks, at the end of the school year, or long term?
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Assign responsible people for each action. These could be students, school personnel, or anyone else within the school community. Students must take as much responsibility as possible.
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Include a section for tracking the financial expenses your goal might entail.
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Complete your action plan. Don't be too ambitious in the goals you have set. Failing to meet goals or deadlines can be daunting. Remember that the important thing is to start the project and keep it moving.
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Let everyone know about your work! Post your action plan to the entire school community via your website or bulletin board. Example of an action plan (open a pdf with an example of a plan).
Example of an Action Plan:
Eco Tip:
If your environmental audit has shown that your school needs to set many goals, don't feel like you have to meet all of them at once. You can divide them into short, medium and long term.
