MIC Thurles Green Campus

Litter and waste were initially identified during the first Green Campus Committee meeting as an important area that we needed to target, and it is still an important area of focus in 2024.

Litter in and around the campus is not considered to be a serious problem, in fact it is noticeable how little litter there is and how clean and tidy the campus is. The public areas of the buildings are regularly cleaned and any litter is picked up quickly and removed. The outside areas of the Campus are also regularly checked and maintained. The college grounds and maintenance staff ensure the outside areas of the Campus are kept in pristine condition and any litter found is soon removed. In 2023, a number of outdoor bins were provided around the campus which has become a popular place for walkers since the pandemic. All outdoor bins have both a general waste and recycling compartment.

However, the Committee recognised that waste can be a significant problem on the campus, particularly in terms of incorrect sorting of waste. Although all teaching and lecture rooms have waste bins that are regularly emptied, concerns were expressed at the lack of particular bins for materials that could be recycled and the available facilities for food waste that could be used by both students and members of staff.

The Green Campus Committee are keen to tackle this ongoing problem, and to aid the analysis and investigation of the waste produced by the campus we have divided the campus into three main areas.

• Refectory and Student Campus Accommodation
• Lecture and Teaching rooms including the Student Union area
• Campus Offices and Library

Whilst significant progress has been made over the last number of years there are still a number of problems in evidence in all areas.

The Refectory has a single multi-use bin, with clear signs and symbols to help users select the correct bin for their waste. However, the bins can get full on busy days. Much of the waste in the Refectory is food waste, single use plastics and coffee cups. The plates, cutlery and cups that are used in the Refectory are all single use and this generates a lot of waste that isn’t recycled.

The three campus student kitchen areas, in the Residential Block, have separate bins for food and other rubbish, but it is noted that they are often used incorrectly by the students, with the waste frequently going in the wrong bin and with the recycled bins being incorrectly used. The student individual bedrooms only have a waste bin.

A number of problems were identified in the teaching rooms, public areas and main corridors. In these areas there are a number of multi-use bins in the main corridors, but the bins in the lecture and tutorial rooms are not always clearly labelled to help users to be able identify which bin they should place their recycling, organic and waste. Many rooms and areas didn’t have a recycle bin or a separate food and organic bin. It was noticed that in the rooms where there were separate recycling bins and waste bins that waste wasn’t always put in the correct bin.

The staff offices now all have two bins, one for general waste materials and a ‘blue bin’ for recycle materials. This has allowed to staff to recycle most of the large amounts of paper that they handle as part of their work. The library also provides three bins in every study area: a general waste, recycling and paper bin.

Waste Collection from 2017-2024

A record of the waste and recycled waste collected from the campus were obtained by Ger O’Donoghue, Campus Manager, from AES Waste Management, Bord na Móna, and a detailed summary of the figures from the 2017-2023 calendar years are described in the report in the section “Monitoring and Evaluation”.

On comparing the figures of the waste wheelie bin collections with the recycling waste collections, a number of observations were made.

• The campus doesn’t have sufficient recycling bins around the campus to encourage students and staff to correctly recycle their waste.
• The cost of the wheelie bins being collected and emptied is significantly less for ‘recycling waste’ than for ‘waste’ collections. 

The waste that MIC Thurles produces is mainly paper based materials, plastic bottles, food waste from the Refectory and Residential Block, food packaging, and single use plates, cups and cutlery. Glass bottles and cans are collected from the Residential Block and stored in separate bins, and taken to the bottle and can bank in Thurles.

In September 2023, the college added a brown bin to collect food waste in the Refectory and a separate food waste bin and one for coffee grounds in the staffroom.

Water Bottles

One area of concern over the years has been the number of plastic bottles that are regularly found in the bins on the campus, students are typically buying energy drinks and bottled water from supermarkets and other outlets and throwing the container away when finished. The Green Campus Committee decided this was an area that could be effectively targeted. The Committee aimed to reduce the waste of single use plastics by encouraging the students and members of staff touse reusable plastic bottles.

When looking at the purchase of possible water bottles for the campus, the clear objective was to use bottles that can be recycled, biodegradable and are environmentally friendly. The committee also expressed a desire to use a local company if possible, in keeping with Green Campus aims and ideals of linking with the community. Several possibilities exist and the Committee continues to investigate this problem further.

To address the problem of water bottles the college purchased two drinking fountains, which provide students and members of staff with the opportunity to re-fill and re-use their bottles and containers with clean and accessible water. An extra feature of these fountains is that they show how many times users have filled water containers and this provides a very visible reminder of how many water bottles are being reduced by the continued use of the fountains.

Library Project

In 2020, the library embarked on a project to redistribute old folders and plastic wallets. Pre Covid, students would submit assignment and projects via paper and many of them would use folders and plastic wallets. These folders were often never collected after students graduated. As such, the library created a stationery area and left the folders for current students to reuse. This has the advantage of reducing the number of plastic wallets and folders that students will purchase, leading to a reduction in single use plastic. The initiative has been very popular with students as it has saved them money and contributes to overall sustainability.

Fuel

The knowledge of fuel consumption within MIC, Thurles, allows for the college to be aware of how to better monitor the usage of fuel used by both heating and illuminating the building. After carrying out research regarding the usage of fuel on MIC’s campus, this section will discuss the types of fuel used by the college, challenges of fuel consumption within a historical building and possible changes the campus could make to improve the overall usage of fuel, reducing their harmful contribution to the environment. The recorded data used in this report covers the years 2019 to 2024. The data we are using has been provided to us by Mr. Jamie Barrett, the facilities manager of the MIC Thurles campus.

Kerosene

MIC Thurles, uses kerosene as the main form of fuel which allows the college to heat the campus efficiently. This fuel is stored in an 18,000-liter (about 4755.1 gal) tank on college grounds, which is a safe distance from students and traffic, as per health and safety regulations. According to MIC’s purchase records, the tank is on average refilled four times per year, at around 1.1011 euro per unit. A total sum of 65,000 euro was spent on kerosene in 2023 to keep both the main college and residential block heated, allowing for over 500 full-time staff and students to keep warm, (Barret, J. 2024).

There are many advantages to the usage of kerosene in comparison to other fossil fuels. Kerosene is one of the most environmentally friendly fossil fuels and produces significantly less greenhouse gas emissions compared to other fuels i.e., petroleum. Kerosene is both efficient and cheap. It burns hotter than any other fuel, which allows for quicker heating of a building, ultimately reducing the amount of fossil fuel usage on campus. This type of energy is cheap to produce and by purchasing in bulk the college can savea significant amount of money. Kerosene also produces a significantly low level of carbon monoxide in comparison to other energy sources, which allows that campus to be a safe environment for both staff and students as it cannot ignite nor explode due to the low vapor levels, (Burngarner Oil Company, 2021).

There are a few noteworthy disadvantages of kerosene that MIC must be aware of. Kerosene is extremely hard to recycle, which is harmful for the environment as it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Kerosene is also subject to price fluctuations due to supply and demand. MIC have been lucky with the price of kerosene as in recent years, due to the global covid-19 pandemic the prices have stayed relatively low. The main disadvantage that MIC must be aware of regarding Kerosene is the maintenance that the oil requires. The tank where it is kept must be consistently checked and maintained to ensure it runs correctly and safely (Advantages and Disadvantages of Kerosene, n.d). An example of this is, slightly burnt fuel must be removed and disposed of, which adds an unwanted cost onto the fuel budget for MIC Thurles.

Solar Panels

In 2016, solar panels were installed on the roof of the residential block that is located on the campus grounds. The investment into the solar panels was costly, even without factoring in the labour also required. Ultimately, the reason is to try to reduce the campus’ carbon footprint and reduce the costs of providing the campus with energy.

After the initial installation the solar panels require little to no maintenance. The panels are installed at an angle, discouraging any rain or dirt from adhering to their surface. The panels are also a cylindrical, tube, shape and raised from the ground, preventing any possible interference from vermin. The brand of solar panels chosen by the college was Kingspan Varisol Heat Pipe Technology. This system is unique as “VarisolHP allows individual tubes to be simply clicked together to create solar collectors of varying sizes.” (Kingspan,2024), this allows for extension of the solar system should the College wish. The tubes come preassembled and allow for a system of up to 150 tubes.

Campus Lighting

For large institutions, it is recommended that an off-campus solar system is constructed to meet their overall needs. However, in the case of a small to medium-sized institution, like MIC Thurles, “installing onsite will make the most sense – the school's roof and surrounding grounds should provide ample space for a rooftop or Ground Mount Installation.” (Richardson, L 2023). The residential block roof was chosen due to its flatter surface in comparison to the other surrounding rooftops. Another factor encouraging the placement decision would have been the fact that much of the college building is listed as a historical building, therefore there are restrictions on what modifications can be made.

As of April 2024, all 931 of the campus's lights have been converted to LEDs, with the exception of those in the Residential Block Boiler house. Notably, the newly built student lounge, hallways, stairwells, restrooms, and corridors of the main building all have reactor lights that are triggered by motion sensors. Offices currently use manual controls, and each evening security patrols the campus to ensure that all lights are turned off and not left on overnight.

While lecture halls contain LED lights, they lack motion sensors and must also be manually controlled by lecturers. These lights have a multitude of settings and can individualise areas within lecture halls that need to be lit as opposed to having a standard on/off system.

Although there is uncertainty on the precise savings from switching to LEDs, broad use points to significant increases in energy efficiency through the decrease in heat production that LEDs provide over the previously typical fluorescent bulbs.

Current Lighting Configuration

The 931 lights on campus have all been updated to energy-efficient LED technology in recent years, demonstrating an impressive commitment and effort made by the campus to reducing energy consumption. The small deviations offer opportunities for further optimisation, such as in the Residential Block boiler house.

Many places in the main structure utilise sophisticated lighting control systems. The reactor lights throughout the student lounge hallway, stairwells, restrooms, and passageways are noteworthy since they are all motion sensor activated. By ensuring that lights are only switched on when necessary, this approach helps cut down on energy waste. The absence of motion sensors in offices necessitates human control, but this is partially mitigated by security guards on night patrols turning off mistakenly left-on lights.

Even if lecture halls have effectively transitioned to LED lighting, there may be an efficiency gap since lights remain on regardless of occupancy due to the absence of motion sensors.

Energy Audit

In order to ascertain energy usage across the campus, it was first necessary to conduct an energy appliance audit. Simply put this is an accounting of all appliances across the college and ascertaining their wattage output, usage and cost per student.

Methodology

It was decided to break the appliances down into three main areas – the main building, residential block and kitchen. A staff survey was carried out to obtain information on all appliance in their offices. A walkthrough of the main building and residential block was completed by a staff member and student. Wattage output was obtained via a combination of information from the facilities team, an electricity monitor and internet research.

While some appliances such as the server room and security cameras run year-round, the greatest amount of usage takes place during the 12-week semesters. Out of semester there are less people in the college and less appliances running. For instances PC’s and monitors in tutorial and lecture rooms would run approximately 5 hours per day over 5 days in term time; 2 x 12-week semesters. However, they get much less use out of semester. Therefore, a number of appliances outputs were calculated using an approximate estimate of their term time usage. In the future it would be recommended that a long-term usage survey take place to measure patterns in a more consistent manner over time.

Wildflower Meadow

The creation and management of a wildflower meadow /area on our campus has created a lot of interest and got a lot of people talking, not only amongst the staff and students, but also amongst the visitors to our campus and the local people who use our facilities and campus grounds.

A wildflower meadow provides refuge and food for wildlife, and creates a diverse habitat for plants and animals, inviting birds, bees, butterflies etc. to our garden and encouraging them to thrive. The wildflower garden is situated very visibly at the front of the campus, adjacent to the main building. The spacious campus at MIC Thurles has a variety of further locations that could also be used. One location suggested is the green space beside the hand-ball alley.

The wildflower meadow provides a very visible statement from our campus on our commitment and appreciation of the environmental and biodiversity importance of looking after our outside areas. Staff, students and visitors frequently comment on the wildflower meadow and have been quick to voice their support and appreciation of this feature of our campus.

No Mow May

In 2024 MIC are taking part in No Mow May. Areas of the college have been left to grow wild for the month of May to let spring flowers bloom on campus in support of native pollinators. These wild areas are a good source of nectar and pollen for bees and other insects. Signs have been placed in areas left wild to raise awareness and show support for the project.

Composting

Although a compost bin has been suggested, the lack of a fulltime gardener on site reduces this likelihood as a compost pile would need careful management. At present, the landscape is managed by an external contractor. In line with good practice however, the external contractor uses environmentally friendly and pesticide free products. A longer-term plan is to have a full landscape audit and survey completed to ensure good use of the outdoor spaces.

One of the earliest targeted aims of the Green Campus Committee was to reduce the amount of waste that is produced by the campus, and the method identified by the Committee to achieve this was by removing the recyclable waste from the general waste through the students and members of staff on-going sorting and collecting of recyclable materials and the correct usage of recycle bins.

The Green Campus Committee has recognised the importance of the bins being able to signify and inform the user how they should classify and so deposit their rubbish. It wasn’t sufficient to include recycling options unless the user was aware which materials could be recycled; for example, which precise items could be placed in the plastics bin and which plastic items were to be placed in the general waste bin. Some bins were better in this regard than others.

The bins shown below have been placed at strategic locations in the corridoes and public areas around the campus.

Number of bin collections from the Thurles campus

Between 2016 and 2023 a total of 637 ‘waste’ 1100 litre wheelie bins were collected and emptied, and a total of 657 ‘recycled waste’ 1100 litre wheelie bins were also collected and emptied. Refer to Table 1, Number of Waste / Recycled Waste Bin collections. During this time frame marginally more ‘waste’ bins were collected than ‘recycled waste’ bins. It is interesting to note that the Green Campus Committee was formed in 2018 and prior to this point the number of collections of ‘recycled waste’ bins was falling, from 76 on 2016 to 55 in 2017. The work of the Green Campus Committee can be seen to have had a significant impact in 2018 with 80 ‘recycled waste’ bin collections and a further increase to 90 collections in 2019. Since the addition of the brown bin in September there were 5 collections up to December which works out as more than one a month. We expect to see this increase in 2024.

The COVID years of 2020 and 2021 can be seen to have had an effect on the number of collections, due largely to the extensive periods of the campus closures to students. During the years 2020 and 2021 there was significantly more ‘recycled waste’ bin collections than ‘waste’ collections, and this highlights the amount of waste that is generated by student activity.

Interestingly the number of ‘recycled waste’ bin collections each year is higher than ‘waste’ bin collection from 2019 onwards, which suggests that the work of the Green Campus Committee is having a positive impact on the awareness of the problems of waste and the responsibility everyone has to try and recycle as much of their waste as possible. It has been noted that the number of waste bin collections appears to be levelling off at roughly pre-Covid levels, but in 2023 the number of recycled bin collections rose significantly. The growth in the collection of ‘recycled waste’ waste can, in particular, be attributed to the support of the Campus Manager in supplying more appropriate waste and recycle bins in offices and around the campus, and the increased awareness amongst students and members of staff of the problems of campus waste and the better sorting of waste by students and members of staff into the appropriate bins for collection.

The weight of ‘waste’ and ‘recycled waste’ collected from the Thurles campus

It is also interesting to compare the weights of the two categories of waste that are collected. Refer to Table 2, Collection of Waste / Recycled Waste by Weight.

The weight of the ‘waste’ collections grew between 2017 and 2019, which could be attributed to the significant growth in the numbers of students attending courses on the campus, and their subsequent production of ‘waste’. During this same period the weight of the ‘recycled waste’ also went up and this is most likely a consequence of the factors described in the previous section.

It is interesting to note that the weight of the ‘waste’ collections is higher than the weight of the ‘recycled waste’ collection during the years 2016 to 2020, but that 2021 and 2022 showed a higher weight of ‘recycled waste’ being collected. As noted in the previous section, the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 had a significant impact on the weight of waste that was collected, but that in 2021 the weight of the ‘recycled waste’ was significantly higher, again showing the impact of the students on the patterns of waste collected by the campus. The weight in 2023 of the waste returned to pre-Covid levels, but it was surprising that despite the number of recycled waste bin collections having risen that this didn’t correspondwith a rise in the weight collected.

Another initial targeted aim of the Green Campus Committee wasto reduce the amountof single use plastics that are produced by the campus, and the method identified by the Committee to achieve this was through the use of water fountains. These fountainsare used extensively by students and members of staff as a place to access water and to refill their reusable water bottles whilst on campus.

The Committee were keen to obtain water fountainsthat both provided water and could fill water bottles, with the added feature of being able to show the number of times the fountain had been used to refill water bottles. Two water fountains of this type were purchased and installed on the campusin 2019. One was positioned in the Refectory (since moved to the main corridor outside Reception and the other outside the main Lecture Hall, as shown in the photographs here.

These photographs also show the count display that the water fountains have. This count indicates the number of times that water fountain fills up a water container, and provides a clear readout of how many plastic bottles have been saved through the use of this water fountain.

The water fountain on the left is positioned outside the main Lecture Hall and has saved 51,403 single use plastic water bottles, as a result of students and members of staff using this water fountain to refill their water containers. The water fountain on the right is positioned just outside Reception, and has saved 67,759 single use plastic water bottles

Adding these two figures together means 119,162 single use plastic water bottles have been saved on MIC St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles from 2019 to 2023.

A listed historical building can have many restrictions about what elements can be changed and. updated. “A protected structure is a structure that a planning authority thinks is of special interest from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical point of view” (Citizens Information 2024). These rules can cause the college issues when attempting to upgrade essential systems and reduce energy consumption. To maximize energy efficiency within the college many expensive changes would have to be made, all the while the dedicated staff would need to keep a close eye on the process as many of the building materials that were initially used in the college are now unavailable. Finding the most suitable substitutes and replacements can take a lot of time and customisation.

While the outside of the college still retains its former glory, the inside has been continually improved upon ever since MIC was incorporated. The inside is modern and orientated to support the students throughout their daily studies. The rooms in the college are large, the ceilings tall and the walls solid block, this brings challenges withheating the areas, as insulation is not a very accessible solution. Knocking or rebuilding sections of themain campus building are out of the question, MIC acknowledges the importance of retaining theexceptional history associated with St. Patrick’s College and its importance within the local community. The windows present within the college are made of thin panes of glass, with insufficient sealing, allowingheat to escape at a rate that is considered concerning. The college has been looking into methods to reducethis loss of energy.

Potential Upgrades to Improve Energy Systems Within the College

The electric radiators that MIC has considered implementing onto campus will allow for the adjustment of the heating temperature, it will also allow the college to turn off the heating in specific rooms that may not be in use. The implementation of these electric heaters will both cut costs regarding fuel and significantly improve the campus’ greenhouse gas emissions as it will reduce usage of kerosene.

The most promising solution being considered to improve the inefficiency of heat retention in the college building is the replacement of at least 25 windows with double-glazed glass. This improvement would be costly as the shape of the windows is now uncommon so the glass would have to be constructed to strict specifications. There are talks about tackling this issue in stages, to accommodate costs and to reduce the disruptions to the students.

Since MIC’s incorporation in this campus all the underground pipe systems have been updated. This has improved energy consumption, reduced the risk of issues occurring and made it simple to make future improvements as the systems will require less caution and analysis. However, there are still small things that will require upgrades as the years go on, e.g., the direction of which the water enters the college. Which will need to be changed due to the older systems of the town depleting the water pressure entering the college grounds. Should this be left undone for an extended period of time, it may damage some of the internal radiator systems within the college.

Conclusion

Fuel consumption within MIC Thurles is heightening as the years go on due to the rising number of both staff and students on campus. Though it is evident that the college is attempting to improve their campus by opting for more environmentally friendly energy options such as kerosene and solar panels. There are many changes that could be made to further improve fuel efficiency within the campus and according to the facilities manager for MIC Thurles, in the coming years the hope is to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut the cost of fuel in the college. This campus has a dedicated staff that will ensure that it continues to improve over the coming years.

Although LED technology is widely used, it is still challenging to find accurate data on energy savings. Due to LEDs' lower power consumption and longer lifespan, the shift immediately results in a gain in energy efficiency; nevertheless, assessing the true impact requires a detailed analysis of pre- and posttransition energy usage patterns. Industry standards and evidence indicate that adopting LEDs can result in considerable energy savings.

A number of suggestions are offered to raise sustainability and increase energy efficiency:

• Uncover further opportunities for efficiency and to ascertain the true savings from switching to LEDs, do a comprehensive energy audit.
• Installing motion sensors will ensure that lights are only turned on when needed in areas like lecture halls and offices that aren't currently automated.
• Replace the remaining fluorescent lights in the Residential Block boiler house with LED counterparts to increase campus-wide energy efficiency.
• Encourage energy-conscious behaviour among campus residents by implementing awareness campaigns and educational initiatives. One such initiative is the production of stickers for office doors that serve as a gentle reminder to switch off lights when not in use.

The switch to LED lighting on campus represents a substantial advancement in sustainability and energy efficiency. But there's always room for improvement, particularly when it comes to automation and spreading awareness of methods to reduce energy consumption even further. The campus can keep moving forward in its goal of being an academic industry leader in sustainable energy management by implementing the recommendations made in this research.

Based on the energy appliance audit that was completed, a number of findings can be observed:

High Energy Consumption Appliances: Appliances such as Water Heaters, Electric Heaters, and Coffee Machines have exceptionally high energy usage per year due to their high wattage and continuous operation. As these are necessary appliances the main recommendation is to invest in energy-efficient models and to ensure regular maintenance.

Consistent Usage Appliances: Devices like PCs, Monitors, and Docking Stations are used consistently throughout the day and week. In recent years the ICT department has replaced lecturer PCs with docking stations for laptops. This has reduced the number of PC’s needed on campus and also means that lecturers are not leaving their own PC on when they are not in use. A wider recommendation is to encourage users to turn off these devices when not in use to reduce energy consumption during idle periods, particularly in lecture rooms and the library. The phone system has also been upgraded resulting in the removal of almost all phones as most staff now use Teams. There are only 2 phones left in the building.

Low utilisation of unessential appliances during different seasons: While the audit captures usage at a particular moment in time, a longer-term study would help to analyse variations in usage patterns, especially for appliances like Water Heaters and Electric Heaters. A number of electric heaters now have temperature controls which help to optimize energy consumption based on seasonal temperature changes.

Replace Inefficient Appliances: Identify and replace older or inefficient appliances with newer, more energy-efficient models. This includes appliances like Plug-in Heaters, which have high wattage and low utilization efficiency. It also includes appliances like Hand Dryers and Microwaves, which have high usage rates and should be maintained to ensure optimal performance.

Smart Energy Management: Implement smart energy management systems to better track energy usage and cost over time. It is also worth investigating if some appliances can be scheduled to run during off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower. This can result in significant cost savings over time.

Regular Maintenance: Ensure regular maintenance of appliances to keep them operating efficiently. Malfunctioning or poorly maintained appliances can consume more energy than necessary. The scale unit is an example of a high energy appliance that requires careful maintenance. Due to Thurles being a hard water area, the scale unit is necessary to prevent degradation of equipment and unnecessary replacement of same. The residential block appliances have high usage during term time and low usage out of semester. A schedule of maintenance or replacement would ensure better efficiency and lower cost over time.

The Green Campus Committee anticipates that as we will continue to develop and improve our campus approach to waste, recycling and energy usage and that we will continue to see benefits from these improvements. The progress that we have made to date is just the beginning and we have so many more ideas for the future.

The Environmental Review has helped the Committee to progress and develop the plans and ideas that we had formulated with a view to make our campus a ‘greener’ place, and it is particularly important to recognise the significant work that the Estates team carry out in efforts to improve sustainability. The Director of Estates Rachel Costello, manager Ger O’Donoghue and Thurles facilities manager Jamie Barret have been hugely supportive both in overseeing important work and have willingly shared statistics and reports with committee.

Although the report does not address the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), it is standard policy that electrical appliances are sent to WEEE centres. The same policy is enforced by ICT who ensure environmentally friendly disposal and recycling of computers etc. Many electrical goods contain hazardous materials, such as certain metals, chemicals or batteries. These materialscan cause serious environmental damage and are dangerous to human health. Recycling rather than dumping WEEE means valuable components can be used again in new products and this can also help to reduce the mining of certain raw materials.

In addition, we should explore and investigate how we could recycle glass on campus, perhaps through the use of bottle and can banks. Other areas that need to be investigated further are how we could reduce the amount of paper used in the campus, by switching to a greater use of electronic means to circulate materials, handouts and teaching aids. At present there is very little guidance, checks or restrictions on printing or photocopying on the campus.

One of the noticeable and contributory factors of waste on the Campus was single use 500ml plastic water bottles. Introducing water fountains with a refill facility has significantly reduced this particular problem. While we would promote the consumption of drinking water over other types of bottled drinks, we could promote the students’ and staff purchase of drinking bottles. Discussions have been held, and are ongoing, on the possibility of providing an MIC branded drinking containers for all first-year students during their induction on commencement of their studies at MIC St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles.

One initiative that was introduced on the Campus, but which hasn’t been evaluated, due to the Covid-19 interruptions, was the reusable coffee cups and the 2GoCup project. This project aims to eliminate paper coffee/tea cups from the Campus. Users pay €1 for a cup, which can then be reused multiple times and with users having the option of handing the cup back and getting a clean one.

In evaluating the approach of students and members of staff on the Campus towards waste and recycling, it was noted that people were happy to recycle and were keen to become more knowledgeable about materials that could be recycled, but that the visibility and positioning of recycling bins was sometimes a problem, as some materials that could be recycled are still finding themselves into waste bins. This problem should be alleviated with the purchase of additional recycling bins, strategically positioning educative and informative posters and developing a greater awareness amongst students and members of staff.

We anticipate that as the awareness of sustainability issues increases, and with improved expertise and experience of recycling on campus that we should be able to improve upon the targets that were set in our Action Plan 2022-2024. materials, handouts and teaching aids. At present there is very little guidance, checks or restrictions on printing or photocopying on the campus.

One of the noticeable and contributory factors of waste on the Campus was single use 500ml plastic water bottles. Introducing water fountains with a refill facility has significantly reduced this particular problem. While we would promote the consumption of drinking water over other types of bottled drinks, we could promote the students’ and staff purchase of drinking bottles. Discussions have been held, and are ongoing, on the possibility of providing an MIC branded drinking containers for all first-year students during their induction on commencement of their studies at MIC St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles.

One initiative that was introduced on the Campus, but which hasn’t been evaluated, due to the Covid-19 interruptions, was the reusable coffee cups and the 2GoCup project. This project aims to eliminate paper coffee/tea cups from the Campus. Users pay €1 for a cup, which can then be reused multiple times and with users having the option of handing the cup back and getting a clean one.

In evaluating the approach of students and members of staff on the Campus towards waste and recycling, it was noted that people were happy to recycle and were keen to become more knowledgeable about materials that could be recycled, but that the visibility and positioning of recycling bins was sometimes a problem, as some materials that could be recycled are still finding themselves into waste bins. This problem should be alleviated with the purchase of additional recycling bins, strategically positioning educative and informative posters and developing a greater awareness amongst students and members of staff.

We anticipate that as the awareness of sustainability issues increases, and with improved expertise and experience of recycling on campus that we should be able to improve upon the targets that were set in our Action Plan 2022-2024.

The following is taken from Dr Maeve Liston’s report to the HEA describing MIC’s response to the government’s Climate Change Action Plan (Liston, 2020). Staff at MIC hold significant expertise in the areas of Environmental Sciences, Education for Sustainability (EfS) and STEM Education. Research interests among academics in the Faculty of Arts, namely the Geography Department, relevant to Climate Change include Human-environment relations; Interaction of the biosphere and environmental change; Urbanisation, regional and local development; Sustainable development; Modern urban ecosystem services; GIS and Remote sensing. Within the Faculty of Education (Geography, STEM & Developmental Education) staff are leaders in their fields i.e., Environmental Sciences, Developmental Education, Education for Sustainability and STEM Education.

Academics with the above-mentioned specialist expertise incorporate their knowledge and translate their research into the design and development of their undergraduate and postgraduate courses. MIC is committed to raising awareness around Climate Change and embedding the topic of Climate Change through Teaching and Learning and Research activity involving staff and students but also through a wide range of Engagement & Educational Outreach Initiatives that are delivered on campus annually and through Membership and Collaborating with Relevant Organisations. The proceeding sections will provide further details in how MIC is endeavouring to achieve the above-mentioned goal.

MIC ensures that the visions and actions of Ireland’s Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 and the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland, 2014- 2020 guide the design and delivery of our Teaching & Learning, Research and Educational Outreach across faculties and campuses in both Limerick and Thurles.

Incorporating the vision of Ireland’s Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 involves ensuring that our education system is progressive and equitable having the power to transform lives. The overall ambition of the plan is to make Ireland’s education and training system the best in Europe by 2026:

• Improve the learning experience and the success of learners
• Improve the progress of learners at risk of educational disadvantage or learners with special educational needs
• Help those delivering education services to continually improve
• Build stronger bridges between education and the wider community
• Improve national planning and support services

The vision of the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland, 2014-2020 is that “education contributes to sustainable development by equipping learners with the relevant knowledge (the ‘what’), the key dispositions and skills (the ‘how’) and the values (the ‘why’) that will motivate and empower them throughout their lives to become informed active citizens who take action for a more sustainable future” (DES, 2014, p.3).

The strategy was primarily influenced by the national strategy on sustainable development, Our Sustainable Future – A Framework for Sustainable Development in Ireland (hereafter referred to as Our Sustainable Future), published by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in 2012. ‘Our Sustainable Future’ identified three key policy areas that Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) should focus on:

• Environmental issues (climate change; disaster risk reduction; biodiversity; environmental protection; natural resource management; urban decay; water security)
• Socio-economic issues (economic growth; poverty; food prices; child labour; social exclusion; justice; debt-security; human rights; health; gender equity; cultural diversity; production and consumption patterns; corporate responsibility; population growth; migration)
• ‘Political’ issues (citizenship, peace, ethics, human rights, democracy and governance)

The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland 2014-2020 (DES, 2014) highlights the need to integrate ESD in the curriculum from pre-school up to senior cycle. The strategy identifies eight priority action areas which are considered to be key leverage points to advance the ESD agenda in Ireland:

• Leadership and coordination
• Data collection and baseline measurement
• Curriculum at pre-school, primary and post primary
• Professional development
• Further Education and Training
• Higher Education and Research
• Promoting participation by young people
• Sustainability in action

Both the Art and Education faculties at MIC have a long history of integrating the key fundamental principles of the above-mentioned strategies and action plans and thus providing a cohesive and wellintegrated education for all our students across different career paths. The Faculty of Education have also been adapting and delivering programmes in Initial Teacher Education that respond to and address The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland 2014-2020 for many years now, well before 2014, which also link with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2019, preparing our future educators to raise awareness about Climate Change and Climate Action among our students at both primary and second level. This approach has been adopted by MIC to ensure that ESD and EFS are developed right across the education system, developing a spiral approach, making connections between primary, second, third level and future careers.

There is widespread consensus that education has a key role to play in our attempts to realise ecologically sustainable economic development. MIC therefore delivers a wide variety of modules addressing Education for Sustainability and Education for Sustainable Development: a concept that encompasses a new vision of education that seeks to empower people of all ages to be responsible for creating and enjoying a sustainable future (UNESCO, 2002, p.71). Modules are characterised by the following features as set out by UNESCO (2002):

• Are interdisciplinary and holistic
• Are value-driven
• Encourage critical thinking and problem solving
• Use a wide range of methods, media and activities
• Foster participatory decision-making
• Address local as well as global issues

Below are details of undergraduate modules delivered by MIC Thurles that include elements of sustainability, green issues and climate change.

An obligation to bring a sustainability dimension into every level of the education system is demonstrated in the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development and Climate Action Plan strategy and MIC has committed itself to providing much needed leadership in this area.

A recent Irish Joint Committee on Climate Action (2019, p25) states that: “Children and future generations will be most impacted by climate change and it is imperative that they be given the necessary educational training on climate change and its consequences both nationally and globally. Such an education will equip them to make informed choices as they grow up”.

This committee has tasked the DES in consultation with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to review the curricula for primary and post-primary education in terms of climate change content to ensure that all students ‘are fully literature on climate change and its potential impact’ (ibid: 25). Faculty within MIC are carrying out a wide variety of action-based research with pre-service and in-service teachers, informing their practice and teaching in ITE based on evidence and national and international research in the area of Climate Change.

Modules in education and educational outreach initiatives at MIC have been adopting the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Figure 1). The 17 SDGs reflect economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, providing a unique framework for teachers for thematic teaching, global learning, sustainability, and citizenship education.

MIC has been involved in a wide variety of research projects revolving around the theme of Climate Change and Climate Change Education in the past and continues to carry out a wide variety of research in these areas. All such projects involve collaborations with a variety of key stakeholders including many higher-level educational institutions nationally and internationally, the informal education sector, the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and SFI (Science Foundation Ireland) (Please refer to section 6.7 on Engagement and Educational Outreach Initiatives for further details). This research plays a significant role, not only in informing the teaching and learning at MIC, but also in informing national policy in the area of education (Developmental Education, Education for Sustainability and STEM Education), educational outreach, urbanisation, regional and local development (environmental issues and environmental sciences). The below outlines and describes the most recent and current MIC research that involves MIC Thurles in these areas.

ESD & Climate Change Research and Projects involving Staff & Students at MIC

Climate Change Education in Postprimary Schools: An Interdisciplinary Approach

This project involves a CPD programme on climate change education for members of staff from MIC, UL and LIT which will culminate in the publication of a book on the pedagogy of climate change education for secondary schools. Specifically, the CPD will be designed and delivered by staff from MIC and the Ubuntu network. This CPD will include a visit to the Eco Village in Cloughjordan and a writers’ retreat. The project aims to enhance collaboration between NISE partners through a focus on climate change education.

This research project will generate a minimum of two journal articles using the collaborative process as an action research project. Participants will be invited to reflect on the overall process through reflective journals and interviews completed by Dr. Anne Dolan. The project will generate a penultimate publication: Climate Change Education in PostPrimary Schools: an interdisciplinary approach. Every participant will author or co-author a chapter for this book.

Contributors to this book’s chapter from MIC Thurles are: Dr Finn Ó Murchú, Dr Nigel QuirkeBolt, Dr Jonathan Burroughs, Dr Eamonn Fitzgibbon. Further details given below

Involvement of MIC Staff, Students & External Contributors & Organisations
The project aims to enhance collaboration between NISE partners through a focus on climate change education. This involves the establishment of a climate change education network (for second level teacher educators) within the NISE partnership. This network will include staff from MIC, UL and LIT which will culminate in the publication of a book on the pedagogy of climate change education for secondary schools.

The project aims to: 

• Create a climate change CPD programme for teacher educators based on the expertise within NISE.
• Support researchers to conduct research about discipline specific climate change education and present their work within one book.
   

Images of Learning Around the World

This project aims to gather 100 diverse images of ‘learning’ from around the world with a view to creating a resource for teacher education, to be used within selected modules in MIC Thurles. This project will run for the next academic year between September 2020 to May 2023, with funding and support having been approved by Concern Worldwide.

When complete the 100 photographs will be printed, professionally mounted and publicly exhibited in MIC Thurles and through a range of methodologies, actively used to heighten awareness and clarify understandings of both teaching and global realities.

Involvement of MIC Staff, Students & External Contributors & Organisations
This project is managed jointly by Dr Nigel Quirke-Bolt from MIC Thurles and Dr Gerry Jeffers from Maynooth University. The steering committee is comprised of eight second-year student-teachers from MIC Thurles.

The abstracts for the chapters for the forthcoming book Climate Change Education in Postprimary Schools: An Interdisciplinary Approach are shown below:

A Changing Climate in Post-Primary Schools
Nigel Quirke-Bolt and Finn Ó Murchú

Abstract: This chapter presents a contextual overview of some of the key changes that post-primary schools in Ireland have experienced in recent times, and some of the curricular opportunities that are emerging as a result. The chapter describes the ecological, technological, cultural and political changes that are presenting challenges for schools and their communities and how the Irish educational system is responding to these demands. A number of key developments that are being introduced into the postprimary curriculum are discussed, as are the changing and evolving professional pedagogic practices of teachers, which has enhanced the changing curriculum and resulted in the increased application of dynamic, responsive and reflective teaching and learning approaches. The voice and perspectives of pupils are also considered, in particular their growing awareness and concerns of sustainability, the environment and ‘green issue’ problems. The chapter suggests these developments, when added together, are presenting schools with unique opportunities to provide adaptable, integrated and inter-disciplinary curricular initiatives, that can address such topics as education for sustainable development and climate change, strengthen the active engagement of pupils and provide a heightened relevance to the schools’ curriculum.

Building Bridges at Multiple Levels: Linking Climate Change Education, Student Leadership and Transition Year
Gerry Jeffers and Nigel Quirke-Bolt

Abstract: In this chapter, three distinct features of Transition Year (TY) are identified as particularly relevant for climate change education. The freedom schools have regarding curriculum content, the invitation to develop interdisciplinary study and the opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom (DE, 1993) all offer potential to address this urgent and complex issue in some depth at a critical age (15-16 years). Furthermore, young people’s concerns for the future of the planet provides schools with significant opportunities to enable and nurture ‘student voice’ (Lundy, 2007; DES, 2016). Thus, climate change education offers freedom and space for TY students to develop their collective capacity and reveal individual leadership attributes as they pursue creative school and community focused initiatives. The available data on evaluations of TY are examined to see how schools have been realising such possibilities. Tokenism, both in relation to climate change and student voice, is also discussed. The chapter asserts that TY presents schools with unique opportunities to develop climate change education that is informed, appealing, interdisciplinary and critical. In particular, we propose that more practical engagement between schools, local community groups, and other civic society actors, is likely to both strengthen TY students’ involvement in the programme and to deepen their learning.

The Golden Rule for teaching Climate Change through Religion
Jonathan Burroughs and Eamonn Fitzgibbon

Abstract: The role of Climate Change in the teaching of Religion in post-primary schools in Ireland is arguably an undervalued and underappreciated one. This chapter aims to offer a way for the teaching of religion to engage constructively and critically with Climate Change. In particular, this chapter will explore the Golden Rule (which is captured by the principle of reciprocity of ‘treating others as you want to be treated’) as a hermeneutic for Climate Change Education. It will argue that, while the Golden Rule is usually understood as applying to our ethical human relationships, it should also be applied to our relationship to the earth and all its contents (whether human or not). Moreover, a just living out of the Golden Rule would include a just ethical relationship with future generations. Consequently, the principle of the Golden Rule may be reformulated to: ‘treat everything as you want to be treated.’ In teasing out that reformulation, this chapter will contribute to the conversation around climate justice and will offer examples of how the Golden Rule may be taught creatively in the contemporary postprimary classroom to students of all religions and none.

MIC staff manage and organise a wide variety of educational outreach initiatives for staff, students, teachers, children and the wider public with the overall aim in developing Science Literacies and Science Capital around climate change and environmental awareness.

SFI’s Agenda 2020 Excellence and Impact Plan for the period from 2012 to 2020 sets out to have the most engaged and scientifically informed public (SFI, 2015). SFI defines an engaged public as “one that understands the role of science, can judge between competing priorities and arguments, encourages young people to take science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, and feels that is has the appropriate level of engagement with, and influence upon, the researchers.” (SFI, 2012, p.23).

A science literate society allows people to make informed decisions about their everyday lives. Science Capital is the measure of people’s knowledge, attitudes, skills, and experiences with science. It looks at what and how they know, what and how they think and who they know. People with Science Capital engage with science as part of their normal, everyday life.

Science Capital is affected by experiences i.e., exposure and engagement with science at school, at home, during informal learning experiences through educational outreach both in and out of school and everyday life experiences (Archer et al., 2015).

Therefore, MIC is involved in the delivery of high quality, effective sustainability communication in order to develop responsible human interactions with the natural and social environment and an understanding of the human-environment relationship.

Environmental Awareness and Climate Change Engagement and Educational Outreach Initiatives at MIC

Climate Change Professional Development for MIC Staff (2018-2020)

This programme of professional development was delivered by staff and members of external organisations to MIC staff across the Faculty of Arts and Education from 2018-2023. 18 members of staff were involved. Two-hour meetings were held every second month over a two-year period. A field trip to the Eco-Village in Cloughjordan was organised.

Involvement of MIC Staff, Students & External Contributors & Organisations
18 members of staff from a wide variety of subject areas for example STEM Education, Visual Arts, Geography, History, Developmental Education participated in the CPD, translating what they learned into their practice with undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The DICE (Development and Intercultural Education) Project

Each year, through the DICE Project, a wide variety of engagement and educational outreach events on Climate Change are held at MIC for staff, students and primary and second level teachers.

Involvement of MIC Staff, Students & External Contributors & Organisations
The DICE Project is a national education initiative, funded by Irish Aid, which promotes the integration of development education and intercultural education in Initial Project Teacher Education at primary level in Ireland. The project is implemented by DCU, Maynooth University, Marino Institute of Education and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. DICE events are open to both students and staff at MIC.

Science Week – The Tipperary Festival of Science

The Tipperary Festival of Science is managed and delivered by Mary Immaculate College in collaboration with Science Foundation Ireland and Limerick Institute of Technology through arranging events with a wide range of collaborators in a variety of venues across Tipperary i.e., in higher education institutions, schools, libraries, theatres, youth clubs, art galleries, retail spaces, industry etc.

In the past number of years, a focus has been placed on the theme of Environmental Awareness and Care and Climate Change during the festival, offering workshops, talks and seminars in this area to staff and students at MIC, schools and the general public.

Involvement of MIC Staff, Students & External Contributors & Organisations
Sessions delivered to all MIC staff, students, local schools in Thurles and the general public.

MIC Thurles hosted a number of Science Foundation Ireland events with local schools and members of the public being invited on campus to attend talks, view films and various other activities These events involved various members of staff and helped to raise awareness of Sustainability and Climate Change.

MIC Thurles staff and students have been able to attend a number of conferences during the past few years. Two of which were organised by the Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) and are listed below:

On the 22 September 2022 the ESCI Climate and Nature Committee organised an Energy Webinar in collaboration with EcoEd4All. EcoEd4All, established in 2018, is a voluntary group of subject matter experts focused on developing free environmental education course material for Transition Year students. EcoEd4All’s pilot programme has been rolled out in schools around Ireland. It is the educational pillar of Corrib Beo.

The Climate Crisis: Hope and Action in Schools online conference aimed to build the capacity of educators to support young people as agents of change in working towards a sustainable future. The conference hoped to inspire school communities to accelerate change through practical and meaningful actions. This conference was delivered online on 28 January 2023 and included a stellar list of contributors, including Anne Dolan from MIC and the Environment and Sustainability Committee.

Stephanie Keating, Director, Athlone Education Support Centre; Sheila Nunan (former General Secretary INTO; Norma Foley, Minister of Education; Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin UCD; Dr. Anne Dolan, MIC; Dr. Éanna Ní Lamhna, Broadcaster; Philip Boucher-Hayes RTE; Kate Murray, Principal Clontuskert National School; Codie Preston, Teacher, Rookbrook Park School; Dr. Maurice Harmon, MIC; Duncan Stewart, RTE; Dr. Patrick Kirwan, Founder of the Irish Schools Sustainability Network (ISSN); Dr. Daithi Ó Murchú, international consultant; Simon Lewis, Principal, Carlow Educate Together; Clara Hutchinson, Teacher, Ramsgrange Community School, Co. Wexford; Professor Luke O Neill, Trinity College; Jessica Gill and David Giles, United Nation Youth Delegates for Ireland; Fiona Forman, author and facilitator; Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland; Assumpta O’Neill, Director of Waterford Education Support Centre.

Dr Nigel Quirke-Bolt has been interviewed on two local radio programmes in recent years to speak about ‘sustainability’ and the work of the Green Campus committee at MIC St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles.

These interviews were with Tipp FM, where he was interviewed by Jim Finn as part of an ‘Ag Report’ special. Secondly, with Kilkenny Carlow Radio (KCLR), where he was asked about the steps we could take to incorporate sustainable practices into our every day practices and way of life.

Dr Brighid Golden (MIC Limerick) and Dr Nigel Quirke-Bolt (MIC Thurles) organised an ‘On-campus Sustainability’ workshop, in Thurles on 6 December 2022. This was funded by DICE and aimed to foster closer links between staff in MIC Limerick and in MIC Thurles on the essential issue of sustainability. The DICE project aims to develop and extend staff capacity and expertise in partner institutions and embed the development education and intercultural education as essential elements of initial teacher education at primary level in Ireland.

Discussions on the day centred on the progress of MIC Thurles in securing Green Flag status and in mobilising an active and engaged college sustainability community, and also in forging stronger links between the three campuses of MIC Thurles, Technological University of Shannon (TUS) and MIC Limerick. We were fortunate that Deirdre O’Carroll, An Taisce Green Flag, was also able to attend to share her insights and expertise. One of the outcomes of this meeting was that Deirdre suggested that we make a presentation at the upcoming Green Campus Network Meeting, further details below.

The Green Campus Network Meeting was held in the Hyatt Centric Hotel in Dublin on 2 February 2023. Speakers were drawn from a variety of colleges, institutions and schools, including: Trinity College Dublin; An Taisce’s LEAF/ an Choill Beag; MIC Thurles, TUS and MIC Limerick; University of Galway; Cork College of FET; Maynooth University.

Anne, Kevin and Nigel presented our ‘sustainability’and Green Campus stories titled ‘Synergy and benefits of crosscampus collaboration’. We believe it was a powerful presentation that captured in part some of the amazing work that is being undertaken in Thurles and Limerick, and beyond! Our presentation gave a really interesting and thoughtprovoking input to the event, which provided an appealing snapshot of our three campuses. It was evident that we each have many similarities; however, our three inputs were grounded in our own contexts and approach and this difference, and the connections we have made, added to the entertaining richness and appeal of our presentation. The feedback we received afterwards from both the organisers and the attendees was particularly interesting - we seemed to strike a chord with the audience.

The Consortium of National and University Libraries (CONUL), is at the heart of Ireland’s global advance in fostering and enabling new research, excellence in scholarship and teaching, digital depth and cultural breadth. Irish research libraries preserve Ireland’s memory and advance Irish discovery.

The 2023 conference hosted by University College Cork (UCC), Sense and Sustainability: Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability in Libraries, explored aspects of how libraries are responding to current sustainability issues, and discussed likely future trends and developments in relation to library design, services, technology, collections, teaching and research.