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15 Sept, 2022
ISK Carbon Audit Completed
ISK Carbon Audit Completed
The ISK school-wide carbon audit was completed in September 2022. This was a six month long process led by Lucia Muasya, with data supplied from all areas of the school. We decided that the parameters of our audit was the ISK campus itself, along with the workings of the school itself. This means that staff training and school trips are included in our carbon footprint, but not, for instance, areas that are beyond the school's power to control e.g. How, and from where, staff travel to work.
Our footprint was 624.6 tonnes. Urban Green Consultants led the audit and will be working with the school and student clubs to help lower our carbon footprint.
The Carbon Neutral Alliance members' stands at the ISK welcome back picnic.
ISK is Proudly Carbon Neutral!
ISK is Proudly Carbon Neutral!
17 Nov, 2022
ISK is Proudly Carbon Neutral!
ISK is Proudly Carbon Neutral!
We are proud to announce that ISK will be carbon neutral for the 2022-2023 school year. Thank you to Mrs. Lucia Muasya and the finance team for leading the carbon audit, the operations, administration and leadership team, the PTO, and all the community members who have supported this process over the last three years.
To offset ISK's emissions for the 2021 - 2022 school year the Carbon Neutral Alliance chose to buy credits from two local organisations doing amazing things for the environment in Kenya. Put very simply, the two main forms of carbon offsetting are through buying carbon credits from organisations that either plant trees to capture carbon, or protect existing trees. A carbon credit is a tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit a tonne of carbon dioxide, which causes global warming.
After extensive research, students decided to split our carbon credits between two Kenyan community-based projects. The Code Redd project empowers the Maasai community to protect their lands, trees and wildlife between Tsavo and Amboseli. The LEAF project works with the fishing communities on Kilifi Creek, whose lives and welfare are intertwined with the Mangrove ecosystem, planting seedlings of this endangered, carbon-capturing plant.
As COP 27 draws to a close it is very clear that action rather than words are required as humanity faces the existential threat of the climate crisis. We as a species and individuals need to do more to protect our environment and life itself. Now our real challenge as a community is to reduce our carbon footprint so that each year we become more sustainable and become less reliant on carbon credits.
Elia O'Hara (Grade 10)
SFE and CNA
https://www.wildlifeworks.com/kenya
https://www.theleafcharity.com/mangroves
Learn more about the Wildlife Work Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project - one of the organizations we are purchasing our carbon credits from.
We look forward to working closely with them in the coming year, including organizing an IC trip to the corridor, so we can see first hand the impact our carbon credits are having.
Carbon Offset Certificates awarded to ISK - we are so proud of our school community for supporting both of these local initiatives working to protect the environment.
17 Nov, 2022
17 Nov, 2022
Carbon Neutral Bag Tags by Plastiki Rafiki
Carbon Neutral Bag Tags by Plastiki Rafiki
Plastiki Rafiki is a proud member of ISK's Carbon Neutral Alliance. A network of student led clubs and organizations advocating for environmental change within the school, with the goal to make ISK - Kenya's first Carbon Neutral school.
Following a school-wide carbon audit, the alliance is extremely proud to announce that ISK has committed to offset all their 2021-22 Carbon emissions through the purchase of Carbon Credits from verified local organizations. While it is great to announce that we are officially Carbon Neutral, we see offsetting as a temporary measure and hope to gradually reduce the credits we buy every year as the school becomes more sustainable. We would like to thank the students, the school administration, and the school school board for their support and commitment.
In commemoration of this announcement, Plastiki Rafiki students designed a custom bag tag / key chain that was made from 100% recycled plastic collected during the 2022 High School Intercultural Trips. They are selling them for 800ksh each with all proceeds going towards greening initiates at the school. Show your support and by a keychain today - available from PlastikI Rafiki and the ISK Advancement Office.
Nov 18, 2022
Article by Leeanne Lavender and Video Interview by Tom Wallbridge on ISK's Journey to become Carbon Neutral
Article by Leeanne Lavender and Video Interview by Tom Wallbridge on ISK's Journey to become Carbon Neutral
Responding to the climate crisis with purpose and a sense of hope and action is key for educators who want to equip students to think critically and creatively about the future.
At the International School of Kenya (ISK), this approach has led to the creation of a collaborative and action-oriented network called the Carbon Neutral Alliance, and the students in this network have spearheaded a mission to make their school carbon neutral this year.
The growth of the Carbon Neutral Alliance is an exciting story that features student agency and leadership, student voice and choice, responsive and open-minded school leaders, and community awareness and commitment to sustainability.
In terms of a template for action, here are some of the key steps that the ISK team took to create a campus-wide initiative with tangible impact:
1) Student leaders from one club (Students for the Environment) liaised with several other clubs to create a student coalition to take action in response to climate change.
2) The student coalition (Carbon Neutral Alliance) drafted a proposal for the campus to become carbon neutral by 2030.
3) Students made a presentation to the board and their proposal was accepted.
4) After updated climate change data was released, the student leaders revised the timeline for their proposal and made a second proposal to the board; this proposal was also accepted.
5) Students met with experts about carbon mapping and did research.
6) The school contracted an outside company to conduct a full external audit of the campus to evaluate its environmental practices and footprint; students raised money to pay for this audit.
7) After the audit was completed, leaders defined what "carbon neutral" would mean at ISK and what parameters would be applied to their data.
8) Two community partners were established to direct carbon offsets to local settings in Kenya and allow students to develop meaningful partnerships for learning and intercultural understanding.
9) A plan for annual, ongoing assessment of day-to-day school practices and sustainability was created. Students have also connected with peers from other international and local schools to share ideas and resources.
10) The Carbon Neutral Alliance experience won an Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) award as an "Outstanding Service Project" for 2022.
If your school community is interested in becoming more sustainable and decreasing its environmental footprint in the world, listen to the video below and also check out the following links for tools that may help you begin this work.
To read the whole article and watch the video visit the following link:
https://www.leeannelavender.com/blog/becoming-carbon-neutral-one-schools-journey
Dec 8, 2022
Dec 8, 2022
COP 15 Biodiversity Week
COP 15 Biodiversity Week
Biodiversity, or the variety of animals and plants in a particular ecosystem, is responsible for the sustainability of life on Earth. To preserve biodiversity on our campus, Students For the Environment (SFE) and the elementary school Pride Helpers designed, produced, and sold over 40 bee hotels as part of our COP 15 biodiversity week. Moreover, we organized a visit with InsectiPro, a credible organization committed to working with sustainable protein sources such as insects. These alternatives are key to fighting greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, among other problems. Finally, a student organization called UrCloset held a thrift clothing sale, encouraging students to donate their used clothing rather than throwing it away. The COP 15 biodiversity week spread awareness about the importance of biodiversity in our community and hopefully piqued the interest of many students and staff.
Jan 20, 2023
ISK Carbon Credits Impact: The LEAF Charity
ISK Carbon Credits Impact: The LEAF Charity
To become carbon neutral, ISK purchased carbon credits from the LEAF Charity. Our contributions will go towards their mangrove project. The organization focuses on planting mangroves to restore the Kenyan coastline in Kilifi. Their efforts will yield a wide range of environmental benefits, namely carbon absorption and habitat restoration, providing sustainable habitats for a variety of native aquatic species. Moreover, the mangrove forests will provide a valuable source of income for coastal communities. We know our contributions to the Leaf Charity mangrove project will have a meaningful impact on the environment and local communities.
Featured below are images from the two plantings that our contributions supported. The LEAF Charity has made good use of our contributions, and we are confident they will continue to do great things in the future.
Feb 2, 2023
Bee Hotels
Bee Hotels
As part of our initiative to promote biodiversity, the CNA and SFE have built bee hotels for ISK community members. The hotels were built, designed, and sold by students from these organizations. Alongside the hotels, we have written a guide for ISK community members on the COP 15 biodiversity conference and ways to help maintain biodiversity at home. The guide includes helpful suggestions that are easy to implement, such as avoiding the use of insect spray or termicides. If members of our community take simple steps to encourage biodiversity, we can maintain and support ecosystems that are vital for humankind and Earth itself.
Members of SFE with a bee hotel prototype.
May 20, 2023
E-WASTE RECYCLING AT ISK
E-Waste is defined as any electronic device or equipment that is no longer functional or has reached the end of its useful life. It is a growing global problem and a massive contributor to land pollution. Last year SFA and the CNA researched solutions for our community, met with e-waste recycling providers, and ultimately proposed using the WEEE Centre’s services to ISK leadership (more information on our e-waste providers Weee Centre)
WEEE will run an information stall (with collection containers) at this Saturday’s Thrift Flip event from 9 am to 12pm. They can advise on how to reduce, reuse and recycle e-waste. WEEE will also collect your e-waste items for free so why not clear out your unused or broken laptops, mobile phones, printers, televisions, cables, batteries, etc. N.b. Please don’t bring fridges, freezers or anything bigger than a TV or home computer!
Here’s how to find your nearest WEEE e-waste recycling collection point: https://tinyurl.com/weee-collection-points
SFE and CNA meeting with Simone Anderssen, WEEE’s CEO, in February 2022
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