SCHOOL students have devised a plan to reduce the size of their school's carbon footprint on the planet.

Design technology students at Spennymoor School invented a recycling system to tackle one of the biggest problems on the school's environmental report card.

The youngsters researched all aspects of the school's impact on the natural environment, from carbon emissions associated with transport, energy use and school meals, to water use and waste disposal.

They found that most staff and pupils were conscious of their impact on the environmental so scored well on an ecological calculator. But they also discovered that lots of waste is being binned every day when much of it could be recycled.

To tackle the problem, they designed a scheme to improve recycling rates throughout the building and raise awareness of the problem.

They want to install a series of colour-coded "eco bins" in every classroom and the school canteen specifically designed to hold waste from each department.

The project was devised by pupils competing in the North East Dott 07 Eco Design Challenge and has been selected for the final shortlist of 20 entries.

Now they are waiting to see if they win the final during the Dott 07 Festival in October, which is the culmination of a programme of community projects promoting sustainability in the North-East.

If their submission is selected, the prize includes the realisation of their idea and the "eco bins" will be installed in school.

Caitlin Bones, 13, said: "We collected lots of information from throughout the school about the impact we have on the environment.

"Travel was pretty good from staff and pupils as most live nearby, so can walk or use buses instead of all getting lifts in separate cars.

"But waste disposal was one of our biggest problems.

"The recycling bins we came up with would be really bold and bright so people use them and are specific to each area. The canteen bin would have compartments for uneaten food, drink and packaging waste and the DT classroom bin would have sections for paper, wood, metal.

"We really hope we win so they can be introduced, but hopefully the project itself has made us more environmentally aware."