CUS outlined several objectives for their project:

• Reduce the amount of general waste
• To tackle the problem of contamination
• To encourage the students to take responsibility for their environment
• To raise awareness on the amount of single use plastic in the school
• To encourage the students to be aware on the amount of excess packaging that they’re bringing to school

Students took part in Neat Streets training and then established a committee. Students began their project by regularly checking the contents of bins and monitoring for contamination. In September Green bins were placed in every class and teachers were asked to monitor the bins. The Neat Streets group emptied the bins and did a report on the level of contamination in the bin.

The usual culprits were coffee cups, energy drink cans and milk containers. The school continually informed both staff and students about this issue with the aim to reduce the amount of waste being produced. A Green-Schools newsletter was also published to inform parents about current litter & waste issues in the school.

To address the litter problem in the locker areas the Neat Streets Committee organised a Spring Clean during the first two weeks of February. An increase in the student body coupled with a change in sport facility meant that the student’s sports bags, excess books and exam papers were on the floor and on the tops of lockers.  This allowed litter to accumulate on the floor around the bags and on the tops of lockers. The Neat Streets Committee cleaned the locker areas and introduced a recycling area on the corridor for the students.  The committee decided on a Star Wars theme for their project to add an element of fun that would encourage students to participate.  The art department made R2D2/Yoda bins and commissioned posters for the project.  A cleaning rota was created whereby two boys would clean the corridors every break. The result was “21 Days to Change a Habit”.

Dublin’s inner city experiences a build-up of StreetSide rubbish on a regular basis. Catholic University School is located on a busy street in the heart of Dublin City Centre. Students on the Neat Streets Committee organised a Street Clean.

The top items of litter found were coffee cups, bottles, paper, and cigarette butts. Students used the litter pickers, gloves, and High Vis vests that they received at the Neat Streets Conference.

CUS had great success in encouraging students to take part in Neat Streets Instagram Competition #instabin. Neat Streets received several entries from the school with two entries subsequently winning a prize. The students continued with their Star Wars theme and everyone in the school got involved. The Neat Streets committee found that the competition helped to promote Neat Streets in the school.

Students came up with several Star Wars themed slogans to promote the new ethos of the school.

• Recycle You Must
• Save the Galaxy
• Be a recycling Jedi

In order to change the untidy habits all students must now store their sports bag in the sports hall. Any books found on top of the lockers are sent to lost and found.

The Neat Streets Committee engaged in constant discussion with the school’s canteen staff. The students are trying to get rid of all single-use plastics in the school. The canteen has come on board and are now committed to working with the Neat Streets Committee.

• Increased recycling in the school
• Students, management, and parents are involved
• Corridors are clean
• Students and staff are more aware of the litter & waste problems in the school

Over the next few years the Neat Streets Committee plan to continue with Green-Schools and try to achieve all Green flags for their school. The students will also be working on developing a green garden behind the prefabricated buildings.

CUS attended the Neat Streets Awards 2019 held in the historic Gresham Hotel, Dublin. After presenting their work on the Neat Streets Programme students were presented with the Neat Streets Award.