Adopting better sustainability thinking

Having worked in sustainability education for over two decades - both in the classroom and beyond - I’ve come to believe that truly impactful change happens when sustainability is embedded as a whole-school, whole-community approach, rather than being treated as a stand-alone subject. 

At Solar for Schools, we start with energy literacy: helping schools understand where their energy comes from and how to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

But sustainability extends far beyond energy.

From the buildings we teach in, to the food served in canteens, the paper students use, and how they travel to school - every aspect of school life presents an opportunity for co-benefits through joined-up thinking. 

This integration creates real efficiencies.

When sustainability is a strategic focus, it nurtures community links, boosts employability skills through real-world problem solving, and fosters respect for shared spaces. It also connects pupils to their local and global environments in meaningful, purposeful ways. 

Our work - grounded in 18 years of experience running the Sustainability Learning Conference, developing the Solar for Schools mobile app, and leading an award-winning Eco Group—has shown that collaboration is key.

Whether you're a lone trailblazer or part of a thriving eco-committee, our role is to support, connect and scale.

We’ve walked the journey ourselves and built partnerships that allow us to signpost others to their next steps. 

Sustainability education is uniquely positioned to deliver co-benefits: not just environmental, but social and economic too. These include improved student wellbeing, reduced operational costs, stronger local partnerships, and empowered young citizens.

The shift doesn’t require immediate curriculum overhaul - it starts with small, strategic actions led from within. When schools become the heart of this change, the ripple effects are far-reaching.