Some ‘Eco-School’ ideas for consideration (either with Pre School, or Primary School, Middle School and High Schools)
- Create ‘Eco-Warriors’ or ‘Green Teams’ – Leadership groups within each Class or House (Students could design badges)
- Create ‘Eco-Code’ suitable and applicable to School – e.g. ‘Respect Country’, ‘Strong Country’, ‘Clean and Green’, etc
- Anti-litter sings (students draw anti-litter posters on any size paper and transfer to metal signs – A4 size A3 size, KAB to fund some)
- Pictograms (Aluminium post signs, universal animated bin rubbish pictogram, in nominated colours – KAB to fund some for you)
- Waste bin service audit/review (frequency of bulk bin emptying service, assess level of fill at each service, reduce excess servicing)
- Beverage container CDS Recycling bin stickers A3 size (Aluminium cans, plastic bottle, we have some in office)
- Paper and Cardboard Recycling system – (cost effective, cheaper than general waste services, reducing school carbon footprint)
- Students to create ‘Recycling Signs’ – draw recycling posters for KAB to transfer into metal signs
- Include Aboriginal Culture to school grounds – maintain Indigenous culture and heritage, create pride, achieve ownership
- ‘Eco-Disco’ – events with ‘sustainable’ themes (KAB looking to fund free Darwin Pre School Eco-Disco event at Marrara Indoor Stadium)
- We can create Class teams to conduct energy (air cons, power switches) and lighting audits review to identify ‘wastage’ & save $’s
- Conduct Water audits (Classes and School) – to identify areas of opportunity to reduce water wastage, half flush toilets, automatic tap spring release turn off or self-closing values, etc (graph reductions, competitions between classes/houses).
- KAB to provide ‘Perpetual Environment Trophy’ for presentation at each assembly – recognition for Sustainability efforts.
- BE CROCWISE – (Eco-School biodiversity) Art Class to create BE CROCWISE paper mache or permanent sculpture to display key message that Crocs are dangerous. (KAB could use this at 2021 Awards event Friday 26th November 2021).
- Native tree planting (greening) – Trees for shade, bush tucker, entice wildlife, aroma, flowers, windbreak, noise reduction, etc specially designed native garden beds with seating and fish ponds, for outside part lessons, etc. Some remote schools are creating native gardens patches to attract finches – students are sent to garden for ‘time out’ amongst the chirping finches. Propagate indoor pot plants to green up Classes and School creating ‘Green Rooms’ – rotate plants.
- School/Class veggie gardens – (self sufficient, use in canteen meals or by Students and Teachers or enterprise opportunity)
- Chicken enclosure – reduction food scraps to landfill, daily fresh egg collection, self sufficient – KAB will purchase chickens – consideration to goat that eat lunch scraps collected daily to help reduce waste service expenses.
- Composting – for plants and veggie gardens
- Worm farm – natural fertiliser for plants (enterprise opportunity to sell plastic bottles of Worm Wee to parents, students could label)
- Green Purchasing/Procurement Policy – (biodegradable disposable plates as opposed to oil based plastic plates – cost savings and reduced College carbon footprint).
- Boot Buddy Program – reuse of footy boots once they are out-grown, (reuse, reduce waste into landfill, save sporting costs)
- Mobile Phone recycling – free collection box at admin (School Front Office –Teachers, Students, Parents) plus free prepaid mail satchel delivery to recycling centre – reduce waste to landfill and reduce School carbon footprint, reduced toxins into landfill.
- Reduce or remove plastic straws from school canteen.
- Give consideration to introducing compostable Food utensils as opposed to petrochemical food utensils.
- Ink Cartridge refill and recycling – refills economical but can compromise print warranty (Teams can calculate $’s savings).
- Eco-School Healthy Living – drink more water, reduce sugar intake, regular exercise, etc
- Eco-School Biodiversity – create corridor or woodlands for specific wildlife in your community (e.g. identify regional rare birds, moth, insects, etc, students build bird baths, lizard feeders, permanent nests, etc)
- Cat tracking (monitor day & night movement – create awareness)
If your school is an Eco School, we would like to invite you to send us photos of your activities and initiatives, and we’ll feature you on our social media pages.
If you’d like some guidance on any of these, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Heimo.