Sustainability in Action – From Recycling to Vertical Farming

By The English School, Kuwait, BSME Member School

This article was featured in the BSME Newsletter 2025-26 | Read the Full Newsletter Here

At The English School (TES), sustainability isn’t a standalone project - it’s part of our culture and daily routines. For over a decade, we’ve embedded environmentally conscious practices into every aspect of school life, inspiring our students, staff, and families to take real, measurable action.

Our long-standing recycling programme is at the heart of this effort. For more than ten years, students and parents have brought recyclable materials - metals, plastics, and paper - from their homes and communities. These are weighed, and every kilogram earns a house point, linking sustainability with our house system and instilling a sense of pride and responsibility. By involving entire families, our students have turned apartment blocks into community recycling hubs, with monthly collection totals proudly shared on our social media pages to celebrate progress and transparency.

TES also leads the way as a plastic-free school. Every student uses a reusable water bottle and refills it at classroom coolers, while lunchboxes are free of disposable wrappings. Given that there are no bins in the lunchroom, any plastic waste brought from home must be taken back, encouraging reflection and conversation around sustainable choices.

Most recently, we’ve expanded our efforts through indoor vertical farming - an innovative project where students grow fresh, organic produce on-site and harvest it for distribution to parents, staff, school activities and even to the salad bar at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel. This “farm-to-table” partnership not only reduces food miles but also gives students hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture. Seeing food they’ve grown served in five-star hotels brings immense pride and demonstrates real-world impact.

Complementing these initiatives, TES has transitioned to energy-efficient LED lighting, further reducing our carbon footprint. With a thriving Eco-Warrior team leading new projects and inspiring peers, sustainability at TES continues to grow from strength to strength - empowering our students to become true champions for the planet.