boy adding garden waste to wheelie bin

Green purchasing for schools

A page to provide Northumberland schools with ideas for 'green' purchasing. This page has a focus on buying recycled products.

Green purchasing for schools- a focus on recycled products and waste management equipment.

 

Page contents:

Sustainable Schools- Purchasing and waste logo

 

Buying furniture or other equipment for use in schooWaste Resources Action Programme logo ls?

You may find that you do not need to buy a new item of furniture or a specific piece of equipment!

Furniture

Schools can sign up to use the online portal

WARPIT is an easy to use online portal which provides a platform for organisations to redistribute (give, loan or share) resources legally and conveniently within the organisation (Northumberland County Council) and beyond, within other organisations.

The idea of this portal will not only ensure we act in a sustainable manner, but to encourage growth and development with organisations in Northumberland as part of the process; and to ensure that as an authority we are making efficient use of resources with procedures in place for unwanted items. 

 

Gardening tools

A Community recycling project:

 

GARDEN TOOL RECYCLING. The Conservation Foundation’s Tools Shed recycles and repairs garden tools in association with HMP Northumberland. Once they have been refurbished in the prison’s workshops, they are given free to school and community gardens and will be distributed at tool giveaway days at The Alnwick Garden. If your school or community garden would like to receive tools please email tools@conservationfoundation.co.uk with “Northumberland tools” in the subject line and including your contact details. 

 

You may also like to take a look at our Community Reuse and Recycling webpage for further ideas

 

Recycling and composting containers for Northumberland schools

 

Classroom recycling containers:

Schools that have not yet had any classroom recycling containers for paper can request to be added to a waiting list for free containers (budget permitting). Please contact Lorna.Tingey@northumberland.gov.uk

for further information.

Recycling in school

Compost bins:

Northumberland schools and colleges can receive up to 2 free compost bins from Northumberland County Council if they haven't already been provided with any in recent years and subject to available budget.

Please e-mail Lorna.Tingey@northumberland.gov.uk

for further information.

For schools that have already been provided with compost bins in the past from Northumberland County Council and would like to purchase more of their own, or to buy composting accessories, please click here.

Alternatively, further suppliers for compost bins and accessories can be found on internet search engines.

 Whittonstall First School
  Useful websites:  
 
 

 

Bins and litter picking equipment

Litter bins Litter picking equipment

 

Recylced stationary, green cleaning products and more

Recycled notebooks

 

Green bags

 

 

Supreme Creations

Go Jute

Ecoutlet

Eco-gifts

 Cotton bag

 

The Eco-Schools shop

 

 

 

 Please click here to go to the Eco-Schools shop

Eco-Schools logo

 

Outdoor play equipment and seating

Consider more sustainable options for playground surfaces and seating-

E.g. surfaces made from recycled tyres and picnic benches from plastic bottles. Please check with the individual companies to find out what types of recycled or eco-friendly products they provide.

 

Picnic bench

 

More ideas for green purchasing e.g. fairtrade and local

Grow your own:

 

Buying local produce:

 

Buying fairly traded produce:

 

Plant pots

 

Ideas and contacts to save to your computer

 

Disclaimer:

The information provided on this page, along with links to supplier websites are provided so that schools can make their own informed decisions as to where they could purchase 'green' items for their school. Northumberland County Council does not necessarily endorse the companies, or linking websites listed in this document. These links and contacts are purely provided for your information and consideration. Please also take into account any contracts and conditions that you already have in place with current suppliers.

There are many more websites listed on internet search engines for similar products. If there are any suppliers that you feel should be added to this page, please e-mail them to Lorna.Tingey@northumberland.gov.uk