The Green-Schools Expo took place in the Industries Hall of the RDS on Thursday, February 22nd for a jam-packed event focused on Climate Action to showcase practical steps schools, homes and communities can take to combat climate change. It is estimated that approx, 5,600 students attended the event. Neat Streets developed an exhibition stand for the event.
A gym and fitness theme was adopted to engage with students on the topic of litter and waste in a fun, relatable, and interactive way. Fitness and strength training is trendy right now and young people are becoming more and more interested in working out, keeping fit, and looking after their physical and mental health. Fitness and the environment aligns well with current research being undertaken with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Health Service Executive in Ireland partnering on the topic of ‘Our Environment, Our Health, and Our Well-being’. The aim of the Neat Streets Gym was to promote a greater awareness of the impact of environmental quality on human health when we litter and generate waste, as well as, a greater awareness of the health benefits to be derived from a clean healthy environment.
On the day of the expo, Neat Streets promoted the benefits for both humans and the environment when we reduce litter and waste, as well as, the actionable steps that can be taken to reduce waste in schools and the wider community. A gym programme was displayed on the wall, and of course, a sound system in place – a workout is incomplete without a killer playlist!!!
The main goal of the gym was for students to have fun. It was something different they would have not seen before. Once the selfies and boomerangs were out of the way we were then able to start a deeper level discussion with students about the challenges and solutions to litter and waste. The Neat Streets Gym was a great success, and as a concept, it will be developed further into a Neat Streets Session available to schools as a fun activity to aid in getting creativity flowing.
