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A ready-to-deliver sustainability programme that gives teachers the tools and students the knowledge to make real environmental change.
What if the most powerful lesson about climate change came not from a textbook, but from a wave? When Raquel Noboa survived the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, it left her with years of eco-anxiety and a feeling that nothing she could do could make a difference. That changed when she discovered that small, intentional choices create real impact. That shift, from hopelessness to hope, is exactly what Building a Greener Future brings to schools across Ireland.
Developed by Raquel’s company, Fifty Shades Greener, the programme gives teachers ready-made online content covering energy, waste, water and biodiversity so they can deliver meaningful sustainability lessons without specialist expertise. Students don’t just study the issues, they get involved by auditing their own schools, designing action plans and implementing real changes while learning green, digital and citizenship competences along the way. Over 15,000 students aged 14-18 have taken part since 2021, with over 80% reporting they better understand sustainability and are actively changing their behaviour. Building a Greener Future is not just teaching the next generation about sustainability – it’s helping schools live it.
“It was great to understand more about the sustainability of the world and what we can do to avoid overconsumption.” Leigh Alonzo, St Dominics College
Read on to find out why this initiative was selected as one of the nine finalists of the New Learning Award 2026.
The project
Most schools want to teach sustainability but few have the time, expertise or resources to do it well. Building a Greener Future solves that problem directly – providing a structured, hybrid programme where teachers deliver lessons using expert-designed online content, supported by the Fifty Shades Greener team.
Students take the lead. Working in project teams, they investigate real issues in their own school environment, including measuring water flow rates, identifying energy waste, auditing biodiversity and analysing recycling habits. They calculate results, identify solutions and implement changes that have measurable impact. Digital tools allow schools to track progress over time, turning data into something meaningful. Through these activities, students naturally develop green, digital, citizenship, entrepreneurial and STEAM competences, building the in-demand skills that the jobs of the future will require.
Teachers play a guiding rather than expert role, connecting findings to bigger questions about climate and resource use and helping students reflect on what the data means. The programme is easy to incorporate into any school setting, requiring no prior knowledge from students or specialist qualifications from teachers.
Since 2021, over 15,000 students aged 14-18 have taken part across Ireland, with over 80% reporting a better understanding of sustainability and consequent changes to their behaviour. But the real long term impact? Students start asking questions, teachers notice positive changes, and sustainability becomes part of everyday school life – not just a lesson on a timetable.
Why this practice stands out
The ETF and its partners have selected this initiative as one of the nine finalists for the New Learning Award 2026. Here is why this learning practice stands out:
- Born from lived experience – Founded by a tsunami survivor who turned personal experience into a mission for change, this programme transforms climate anxiety into confident, purposeful action
- Removing barriers for teachers – By providing fully designed, ready-to-deliver content, the programme brings high-quality green education into every school, regardless of resources or expertise
- Real impact, measurable results – Over 15,000 students have benefitted, with over 80% reporting changed behaviours and increases in confidence and awareness
- A model to grow – Already adapted for the Gulf Region with funding from Kuwait’s Gulf bank, the programme is expanding internationally bringing contextualised sustainability education to new countries
"The course content was both engaging and thought-provoking, prompting meaningful discussions and fostering a rich learning environment..." Kevin Sexton and Stephen McDonagh, geography teachers, Salesian College, Celbridge
The future
Building a Greener Future is already crossing borders. With the Gulf Bank sponsoring three schools in Kuwait in 2026 and active exploration of European expansion, the programme is proving that its model of expert-developed content, teacher delivery and student leadership works across different educational and cultural contexts.
New modules on climate resilience, circular economy skills, biodiversity and green careers are in development. The ambition is to give every student, everywhere, the knowledge and confidence to move from eco-anxiety to action – and prove that when individual choices come together, the impact is anything but small.
VOTE FOR THIS PROJECT!
Your vote counts! Cast your vote for Building a Greener Future as an inspirational new learning practice.
- Back to: ETF New Learning Award 2026
- Learn more: Fifty Shades Greener - schools programme
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