Five Rangitikei schools have joined a growing number of Enviroschools around the country.
The programme encourages schools to include environmental and sustainability-focused projects in school life.
In July, Rangitikei District Council approved $5000 funding for district schools to join the programme, and it was taken up immediately.
Bulls, Pukeokahu and South Makirikiri schools, Nga Tawa and Marton Childcare have all started the transition to become Enviroschools.
"It is fantastic," Enviroschools regional coordinator Helen Thomas said. "These schools have been wanting to come on board for some while."
Mrs Thomas pushed for council funding for a facilitator to work with the schools to put sustainability, community and the environment at the forefront of what they do. "It's more of a framework than a programme which comes in, teaches something, then goes away," she said. "A lot of what they do comes from student involvement and inquiry learning."
Bulls School principal Kim Gordon said Enviroschools would be written into the school's strategic plan, and projects would probably begin early next year.
Ideas included introducing solar panels and having new construction on the property meet sustainable standards.
"They filter down to smaller things like litter," she said.
Mrs Gordon said it was a massive undertaking but important for pupils. "It needs to be part of their everyday thinking because they are the future.
"Our children will be the vehicle for change in the future."
Next door, Bulls Kindergarten has been in the programme 18 months.
Teacher Kelsi Mckay said it had brought in lunchtime recycling led by the children and had a "sharing cart" that stocked produce grown on site and secondhand clothing.
Done well, Enviroschools encompassed all school life, Mrs Thomas said. "We are looking to create future leaders and future enviro-warriors, if you want to put it that way."
There are 42 enviroschools throughout the region, including nine in the Wanganui District.