De MOS-klimaatbende van Beersel

They’re called the ‘Bende van Beersel’ (Beersel Clang): 8 primary schools in the city of Beersel who do everything they can in the 5th year to decrease their ecological footprint. During climate class, the pupils work with the energy case, which contains a CO₂ detector, a light meter and an energy meter. After that, they watch an animated video on renewable energy or they play memory with examples of energy generation. ‘The fun part about the energy case is that the pupils learn to evaluate what is and isn’t energy-efficient’, says Leen, 5th year teacher of the local primary school in Dworp. ‘This year the theme is ‘Maat van het Klimaat’ (Climate Friend)’, add Deborah and Tijl, two climate heroes from Leen’s class.
‘In 2015, when we started the Beersel Climate Clang, the goal was to save 5% of energy per schoolyear’, Leen says, gloating. ‘Our school in Dworp saved 20% of energy that year. The heating is lower, the lights go out whenever possible and the coffee machine is turned off when the coffee is done. Even the digital whiteboards are turned off if they can, at the insistence of the pupils.’

Insulating ice blocks

In October, we have the yearly starting shot for the climate clang. Then the 8 primary schools of the Beersel Clang come together. ‘We play games together to introduce the climate theme in a fun way’, says Leen. Throughout the year, there are some more activities every school participates in. ‘We insulate a block of ice to learn how insulation works’, she explains. ‘Our last activity is a climate-friendly picknick together, where we learn all about seasonal and local food.’
The individual schools can organize extra activities whenever they want. ‘GBS Dworp visits farmer and beekeeper Daan every year. ‘We get to know his bees there and learn about biodiversity’, says Leen. ‘It also fits perfectly within the Sustainable Development Goals, the 17 SDG’s of the United Nations’. Finally, there is the pick-your-own farm where we learn about the concept of seasonal eating. The parents can come along, ‘because they too can learn a lot about cooking according to the seasons.’
When the pupils of the 5th year go camping, they travel 50km by bike, there and back. ‘The next Tom Boonen just might be in our class’, Leen jokes. A visit to the Eoly wind turbines is also on the schedule every year. Eoly is the sustainable energy supplier from the Colruyt Group.

Sad globe

Every month, there is an environment council with two pupils from every year. ‘The pupils come up with their own ideas and initiatives’, says Leen. ‘There are always three teachers present, but the ideas come from our climate heroes. They set goals for the next period and they take these to the respective classes. That way, the other teachers are automatically involved in the narrative.’
Every year, the school makes handmade Christmas cards and this year they also had a sad globe on them. The pupils also encourage the local businesses into saving energy, ‘by for example turning off the lights in the store windows at night’, pupils Deborah and Tijl add.

Aldermen in polar bear suits

Initially, it was the city of Beersel itself who came to MOS with the question of how primary schools can practise energy and climate education. ‘A city that takes initiatives, provides practical materials where necessary, and that finances measuring instruments, is worth a lot’, says Leen. ‘The city even keeps the energy meter readings to calculate how much CO₂ the Beersel Clang saves in a year.’
But even the city doesn’t escape the watchful eye of the pupils, and is challenged by them to set ambitious climate goals. During the yearly start event, the responsible city councilors propose their climate goals. In polar bear suits! ‘Doing that shows a lot of commitment as a city’, says Leen.
Besides that, MOS coach Ann Thienpont offers support when necessary. ‘We were the first who got started with the MOS Climate Clang concept’, says Leen. ‘Without the MOS follow-ups, a lot of the initiatives could lose momentum. MOS keeps us on top of things.’

Climate fines

Our biggest challenge is tempering our climate heroes in their activism’, laughs Leen. ‘The first couple of years, the plug was pulled form the teacher’s computer sometimes’. After that, special fines were introduced, that can be given by pupils who see someone leaving the lights on for example. ‘On those fines, there is a funny assignment, like singing a song,’ Leen continues, ‘because there’s nothing as fun as being allowed to point fingers at the teachers.’
Another challenge is finding a pleasant room temperature for both the teacher and the pupils. ‘The kids in the environment council strive to turn the radiator on as little as possible in the classroom,’ says Leen, ‘but the teachers are still the boss of course, and they sometimes want to turn on the heating if it becomes difficult to work due to the cold.’
At first, the efforts for climate were a bit of a ‘have to’ for the teachers, ‘but now, we see the teachers growing in this concept and they’re on board with the project.’ According to the colleagues, Leen’s class is a contagious example for the other classes.

Ambassadors

By now, it has become a habit to turn off the lights whenever possible. ‘Our goal is still to try and do a little more every year’, says Leen. ‘It would be nice to get the parents at home on board, or to inspire more schools to start climate clangs.’
‘It’s our ambition to come forward with our results more’, says Leen. The school has earned the Green Flag of Eco-Schools for the second time now. That’s an international label for sustainable schools. ‘That way, we also want to inspire other schools to focus on sustainability’, she concludes.

A report from Always Hungry (2021)