Know more about GTGSP

The Gobar Times Green Schools Programme (GTGSP) involves the inspection/survey of a school’s environmental practices by its students. This process is termed an environmental audit, and is done using the Green Schools Manual.

The Green Schools Manual is the guide to conducting the audit. It incorporates interesting exploratory activities, whereby students go around the school and collect information about the use and management of resources like energy and water, and the disposal of waste. The process and methodology of collecting data and assigning points is given in the manual.

Collection and interpretation of the information/data helps students appreciate key environmental issues.

The Green Schools Manual is divided into five chapters -- water, air, land, energy and waste, and 100 points are assigned to each of these.

Each chapter includes some well-defined activities. On the basis of the data collected, students give points for each activity and compile the final scores for individual chapters.

The result is a ‘report card’ of the school’s environmental practices prepared by its own students. The only difference is that instead of English, Maths and History, the subjects range from water, air, to energy use.

As a result of this exercise the school can figure out where it stands on the environmental sustainability index. It can also identify areas of improvement so that it fares better next year.