This project offers a systematic approach to encourage a whole school community to act in an environmentally friendly way by implementing an environmental management system. The JEM management system was developed in a project funded by the European Commission and piloted in 10 European schools (Germany, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Poland). The experiences have shown that the consumption of resources and therefore costs can be reduced at the schools.

Objectives of the JEM management system:

• Improve the environmental awareness of involved students and promote their active citizenship.
• Students learn and act in a real context with real data and real consequences. They are involved in practical development processes with corresponding effects on learning motivation and learning efficiency.
• Students acquire competences in acting environmentally friendly (e.g. sustainably use of resources) and in applying professional management systems and instruments.
• The school is organized in an environmentally friendly way not only ad hoc but permanently.

The core elements of the JEM management system are components of the Deming circle (plan-do-check-act) added by a definition of basic responsibilities. In a first step the school formulates an environmental policy which states that the school commits to environmental protection and how it intends to do that. The environmental policy should broach issues like air and water pollution, waste management and use of resources. It serves as a framework for the adaptation of the JEM management system in the school. In the “check” phase, schools identify those operations that influence the environment significantly (energy use, resource use, waste disposal, water use and pollution, etc.) and collect data in their school.

The “plan” phase is based on the results of the “check” phase and the environmental policy of the school. Activities have to be planned to make the school more environmentally friendly. This means to define environmentally relevant objectives and targets for the school to be reached within a specified period and to specify a program with activities, responsibilities as well as necessary resources.

In the “implementation” phase these activities are carried out accordingly. The project group should also document their activities and progress.

In the “check” phase the project group has to check regularly on their effectiveness and efficiency and, if need be, redefine their plan.

In addition, the school has to assure that sufficient manpower with defined roles and responsibilities is available for implementing and maintaining the JEM management system.

A German guide for implementing the JEM management system can be found on the JEM platform http://www.jem-eu.org/. To register for the platform please contact Sabine Wiemann, swiemann@bupnet.de

Sabine Wiemann: swiemann@bupnet.de