Green Schemes, the social enterprise arm of Living Ecosystems, promotes the adoption of a sustainable approach to economic development in the North West of England. It is also our particular goal, to encourage and facilitate the incorporation of sustainable development themes into the delivery of the National Curriculum in state schools; to facilitate and progress the transition to more sustainable agriculture and land use; and to support local authorities in their delivery of the LA21 Agenda. Green Schemes is an unincorporated not for profit association
More specifically Green Schemes intends to help improve the health and well being of pupils in state primary schools. It is hoped that we will be able to start a scheme which will distribute locally grown fresh fruit and vegetable boxes from primary schools. This scheme would be supported by the provision of in-school teaching and INSET training for teachers focussing on healthy eating and sustainable agriculture
Particular themes would include the need for a healthy diet; how vegetables grow; and sustainability issues in agriculture such as seasonality, organic growing, food miles, and biodiversity concerns. Where possible participating schools would be helped to create a dedicated nature area; either on the school grounds or in a neighbouring local authority open space area. These would include elements designed to benefit local wildlife, but also incorporate the cultivation of fruit and vegetables; particularly those of the rarer 'old fashioned varieties' which can no longer be found in commercial cultivation (such as Quince, Medlar, Plymouth Pear). This would provide an opportunity for children to develop a first hand understanding of the growing process, and the interactions between the natural and human world.
In the longer term it is hoped that the Green Schemes project will be able to establish a network of co-operatives which will enable local communities to grow fresh fruit and vegetables for themselves using allotments, private gardens and community open spaces. The project also aims to encourage and promote the re-adoption traditional rural crafts, land-management techniques and appropriate technologies where these represent a more sustainable approach.