Shorter showers and only flushing the three P’s down the toilet: Tipperary students win green schools award
The students from Cashel won an award for their efforts to raise awareness at their school about water conservation
Cashel Community School has been named a regional Water Schools of the Year at the An Taisce Green-Schools awards, which were held in Dublin last month.
The school emerged as regional winners in the secondary school-level category on the back of their inspirational efforts in water conservation and environmental action.
The Water Ambassador team at Cashel Community School led a focused campaign promoting everyday water conservation actions within their school: shorter showers and only flushing the three P’s down the toilet.
They were awarded Top Participation in the “5 Minute Shower” challenge, where the team used surveys, posters, and school-wide displays to raise awareness and influence student habits—ultimately logging909 five-minute showers and saving an estimated 45,450 litres of water.
This team also educated students on proper toilet use through interactive games and awareness posters, helping reduce blockages and water waste. Finally, they introduced rainwater harvesting by installing a water butt to reuse water for the school garden. To further engage the school community, they organised a “Walk for Water” fundraiser for World Water Day.
Cathy Baxter, An Taisce Director of Education, said: “The Green-Schools Water Awards are one of the highlights of our year. They celebrate the creativity, commitment and teamwork of students and teachers working together to protect one of our most precious resources: water.
“These young people are leading by example and showing that real environmental change begins in our schools and communities. We’re so proud of their efforts and inspired by their impact.”
Uisce Éireann’s Head of Customer Operations, Geoffrey Bourke, who was on-hand at the award ceremonies said:
“The vital work being done by Green-Schools in schools across Ireland is clearly bearing fruit in terms of how our young people think about water and the need to conserve and respect it. We in Uisce Éireann are proud of our long-standing sponsorship of the programme.”
Throughout the current academic year, An Taisce has been engaging with 450 schools on the Water Flag, working with over 100,000 students and 10,000 teachers across the country.
The Green-Schools water theme is a grassroots sponsorship that aims to foster awareness and understanding of a range of activities, tailored to students at both primary level and secondary level.
In addition to developing awareness around water conservation, the sponsorship incorporates wider engagement around stewardship of our water resources.