Environmental Policy

BIS is committed to educating students to respect and protect the natural environment. We have a duty to prepare students with the knowledge and skills to look after our planet, to manage the world’s resources wisely, and to make a positive contribution to the world by improving our local area. We therefore aim to develop good habits and behaviour patterns amongst staff and pupils.

We encourage both staff and pupils to think about their environment and how their actions impact the world on a national and global scale. We promote and encourage environmental education in all aspects of everyday life.

The ways in which we will strive toward our goal of minimal negative environmental impact is to reduce the amount of materials we use and waste we produce, recycle and re-use materials whenever and wherever possible, restore what is deemed to have been destroyed, and respect our neighbours and environment.

In our immediate school vicinity, our aim is to provide and maintain an environment which:

• Contributes positively to the learning, well-being, attitudes, behaviours, and motivations of students;
• Provides a safe and stimulating learning environment;
• Enables children to make maximum use of the opportunities provided by the school campus;
• Provides a safe, comfortable, and motivating place of work for all BIS staff;
• Is attractive to visitors;
• Reflects our values of care and respect toward each other and our school.

What we do at BIS has a much bigger impact than just at our own campus. It impacts our suppliers, our students, their families, and everyone they can influence while setting a proximal example to others in the Kyrgyz Republic and Central Asia as a whole.

Environmental Policy

Clean Air Policy

Bishkek has clean air for most of the summer but air quality deteriorates over the winter as more coal is burnt and cold still air traps pollution in the city. As a school we work with others to improve this situation in the city for everyone but this is a long-term program. In the short term our objective is to protect the health of students in the school now.

To help us achieve this, we have a PurpleAir air quality sensor outside in the playground with real time data. One of our PurpleAir sensors is also near the US Embassy – to compare with the official AQI data from the Embassy sensor. Outside air quality (PM2.5 AQI) is displayed on the main door of the school and Reception, and updated at 9:00, 12:00, and 15:00 to guide staff, students, and parents about outdoor exercise following the BIS AQI policy for outside play.

Inside school, we aim to keep AQI below 50. We have air filters on all air intake systems, we manage window and door open times, and we have air purifiers all around the school. Air purifiers are used during the school day when outside AQI is over 50. You can check online for the real time AQI in the library by clicking on ‘inside sensors’ in the bottom left of the screen. Other rooms are checked by staff using a mobile air quality sensor to maintain the AQI below 50 in all rooms.

AQI policy for outside play