Marists Ecological Education - Toulon, France

Fr Paul Walsh sm writes from Toulon:  INSTITUTE OF SAINT JOSEPH, LA CORDEILLE,  is a very large educational establish on a large campus on the outskirts of Toulon. It comprises, among other elements – a technical and ordinary high school (lycee ), full secondary school with specializations, full primary and infant schools. It also offers post high school for public examinations for entry into elite third level institutions. The school is one of three schools in the Toulon area under the aegis of the Marist Tutelle (umbrella organization responsible for all 7 educational establishments in France for which the SM is responsible). There are about 2,400 pupils enrolled.

The school has been promoting ecological and climate awareness in recent years. At the start of the current school year a gathering of 17 teachers and ancillary staff met to review the program for this year. Helene Hattry, a teacher with a special formation in the area, coordinates the overall program and led the discussion. The account below is taken from notes provided by Helene from the exchange, and shows how seriously the pupils (and staff) of the school are engaging with the issues of climate change, biodiversity and sustainable living. Both Helene and Bernard are happy that I share them with you.

High school students:

• organise collectors of cans and plastic bottles, and recovery of bottle caps
• project to recover water (proposal)
• project ensure nesting boxes and bins are connected (proposal)
• cigarette butts are not thrown on the ground at smokers' corner
• logo for the E3D (Sustainable Development Establishment) cupboard (5^th form)
• collecting olives, decoration of recycling boxes, acting against waste, organising sorting, exhibition (on bio-diversity and climate change, together with League for Protection of Birds) (5^th form)
• exploratory game to discover the 17 objectives of sustainable development fixed by the UN, and establish the links between them. The game will be presented to the high school teachers who are interested. (5th form)
• conference relating to the careers linked with sustainable development. (5th form)
• Building of vibrating combs for collecting olives (in the grounds of the school). (5th form)

Secondary Pupils:

• pedagogical and solidarity project for the recycling of electrical appliances and light bulbs in partnership with the NGO Electricians without Borders – to support electrification of schools in Madagascar, Laos and Burkina Faso. (1^st Form)
• Study the life-cycle, parasites and diseases of an olive-tree. Collect olives, crush them, history of mills, physic-chemical analysis of olive oil. Make soap. Olive oil tasting. (1st Form)
• raising awareness about food wastage, followed up by action plan; creating posters; making a video showing eco-citizenship with regard to food; reporting on actions concerning the canteen; making other pupils aware of tables offering different options in the canteen (3^rd form)
• Educational project with National Space Study Centre concerning air quality(2^nd Form)
• sea and ocean project; raising awareness of the impact of climate change and of ocean acidification (3^rd Form)
• Formation of eco-delegates over a ½ day in October
• Exhibition in the course of October: biodiversity of insects (on loan from League for Protection of Birds)

Primary school and Infants:

• Creating 4 vegetable squares for the infants and 4 squares for the primary pupils
• Discovering gardening by 2^nd class pupils, in the company of secondary pupils (March). A session discovering garden tools, gardening techniques followed by mixed groups (I secondary pupil with 2 primary pupils);visiting the pedagogical vegetable garden at the Cordeille, demonstrating trimming of trees by secondary pupils, trimming of basil by the primary pupils, planting trees together
• a pedagogical and solidarity project on recycling electrical appliances and bulbs in partnership with the NGO Electricians without Borders (as above for secondary pupils)
• Planting bulbs
• Creating a flowering zone

Other projects:

• Arrival of candidate for civil service to help in environmental awareness schemes
• Harvesting olives with available pupils and volunteers in the first two weeks of November. Invite teachers and other staff to join in.
• Opening of the garden club.
• Offer of a composter for the vegetable garden.
• Recycling batteries for the project "battery solidarity".
• Delivery point for baskets from local organic farm producers.

Various proposals (coming from pupils):

• to use cards in the canteen to indicate small and large appetite menus - to adapt the amount served and avoid food waste.
• to create links with an agricultural high-school delivering quality meat.
• for a radio chronicle concerning sustainable development
• for a partnership with local waste disposal firm to recycle our cans
• to replace throw-away batteries with rechargeable ones
• for a ceremony to mark the placing of a sign "League for Protections of Birds Refuge"
• to seek "eco-establishment" label on the theme of biodiversity
• for a reflection on the theme of sustainable development for the Communities' Day later in the year.

Paul Walsh, s.m.

1ère Réunion E3D 2020-2021

Présents : Anninos Fabienne Brichon Arnaud Broquet Laura

DeFombelle Armelle Delebecque Nathalie Dunac Flore Ferrandi Odile Giugleur Laurence Hattry Hélène

Lèbre Dorothé Lefebvre Virginie

Mathieu Rolland Corinne Paraydeau Lydie

Père Bernard Père Paul

Ruault Marie-France Schmotterer Rénald Zuccari Emilie

Jeudi 24 septembre 2020

Au lycée professionnel :

• -Finalisation des collecteurs de canettes et de bouteilles plastiques et du récupérateur de capsules avec 3^ème6 de l'institut Sainte Marie et les enseignants

M. Blondau et M. Panunzzio

• -Projet pour la réalisation d'un récupérateur d'eau avec les 1ères MEI à confirmer.

• -Projet de nichoirs connectés avec les élèves de SN à confirmer

• -Projet de poubelles connectés à confirmer

• -Action au coin fumeur pour ne plus que les mégots soient jetés par terre avec les 2^nd ASSP et réflexion sur un mode de collecte.

• -Réalisation de logo pour la pancarte E3D avec les 2^nd et Sandrine Bouillon

Au lycée général

• -Service des élèves de 2^nd pour le développement durable (récolte des olives, décoration des cartons de tri, action anti gaspillage, gestion du tri, exposition ….)

• -Exposition au cdi du 5 octobre au 16 octobre sur la biodiversité et dérèglements climatiques (prêt de la L.P.O)

• -Proposition d'un escape game pour découvrir les 17 objectifs de développement durable fixés par les nations unies et faire du lien entre eux. Lieu : le cdi du lycée. Séparés en 4 équipes distinctes au sein d'une même pièce, les élèves sont chargés de retrouver et d'ouvrir la mallette d'un avocat de l'ONU pour retrouver sa plaidoirie permettant de « sauver la planète ». Chaque groupe devra résoudre des énigmes liées aux différents ODD afin d'obtenir des codes pour avancer dans leur quête. Pour terminer l'escape game, les participants auront besoin des autres groupes afin de déverrouiller la mallette. Marie-France présentera l'escape game aux professeurs du lycée intéressés.

• -Conférence sur les métiers liés au développement durable pour les élèves du lycée général.

• -Construction de peignes vibreur pour la récolte des olives par des élèves de 2^nd SI.