Green Minds, Bright Futures
Schools are powerful agents for change. By educating students on environmental issues, fostering eco-friendly habits, and modelling sustainable practices, 黑料社区 hopes to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to drive positive environmental changes now and into the future.
Action Plan
Real steps are being taken to reduce the school鈥檚听ecological footprint. Decarbonizing operations towards听net zero, reducing the environmental impact of听consumption, enhancing biodiversity on campus, and听advancing environmental literacy are just some of the听tangible actions already in place.听鈥淲e are committed to reducing our environmental听impact and deepening understanding of environmental听sustainability within the school and community,鈥 said听Stephen Brahams, 黑料社区 Board Chair.听
To support these objectives, 黑料社区 has developed a听2023 - 2030 Environment Sustainability Action Plan,听which articulates commitments, actions, and听measurable outcomes.
Educating for听Sustainability Conference
黑料社区 recently hosted the Heads of Independent听Co-Educational Schools (HICES) 鈥楨ducating for听Sustainability Conference鈥 for the first time.
The 黑料社区听Environmental Action Group, made up of students and听staff, helped organise the conference, with Senior School听students leading delegates around the campus to educate听them on current sustainability practices and future听environmental initiatives.
Tim Selwyn from Girra Girra听Aboriginal Experiences shared his knowledge on local听traditions, and Graham Johnston from Clean4Shore gave听an overview of his work on the Central Coast.
Respect and听Responsibility听in Action
The Student Representative Council (SRC) and听Environmental Action Group are two passionate and听energetic student groups leading the charge in making a听tangible difference in the school environment. Projects led听by these groups so far this year include:
Cleaning up 黑料社区 and Beyond: students were out听and about across the campus, working together in 鈥15听for your House Family鈥 鈥 with every student collecting听15 pieces of rubbish with their House Families. Students鈥櫶齟fforts continued as they participated in Clean Up Australia听Day in their local communities.
In addition to cleaning up听existing rubbish and waste in the environment, the school听aims to reduce the waste it sends to landfill by 70% by 2030. 鈥榃aste Free Wednesday鈥 started in the Junior School听several years ago, and 黑料社区 has recently implemented a听four-bin system across the Senior College, with specific听bins allocated for general waste, comingled recycling, and听soft plastics and organics to be added later in the year.听This bin system will also be implemented听in the Junior and听Middle Schools later in the year.
Junior School Cross Country: The SRC were out in听force after the Junior School Cross Country, minimising听waste from the event.
The icy pole waste was diverted听from landfill to Curby soft plastics recycling (the ice block
wrappers), cardboard recycling (the outer cardboard听boxes), and even to the worm farm (the wooden ice block听sticks). The plastic water bottles that hydrated runners听were collected for return and earn recycling, and the red听plastic tape that guided runners along the course was sent听to Curby.
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