25 October 2019
Green Clean: sustainability at Saints
Since I have joined St Peter’s College the conversation around sustainability and a ‘war on waste’ has been gaining momentum. Our boys have brought ideas to me, to their teachers and to each other about how we can change the way we handle the waste we create.
We’ve had students write poetry, create their own waste sorting bins, collect rubbish with litter pickers and suggest ‘nude food’ lunch box days and banning clingfilm and bins. We’ve had boys offer to collect 10c recycling to raise money to buy more bins.
For this reason I am thrilled that the School has engaged Australian Green Clean to help us reach our sustainability goals. Mr Browning shared a zero waste by 2022 goal with all staff at the commencement of Term 4. Following this announcement, Charlie Aykroyd, General Manager at Australian Green Clean, has presented to Junior School staff and students at our staff briefing and Junior School Assembly. On Thursday and Friday, we tipped out the rubbish in our current bins and gave the boys an opportunity to sort our current waste into our new waste sorting streams. In the coming weeks our bins will be replaced by landfill, organics, 10c refunds, paper and cardboard and recycling bins.
It will be great to continue the waste sorting that we do in our own homes, at school. You can use our Saints bin labels at home to further promote our waste diversion initiative.
Don’t forget that beeswax wraps are available to purchase in the Junior School Reception Area.
Outdoor Education Programs
Seeing the Year 2 students experience their first school residential experience last Friday night was inspiring in that it marked the beginning of their outdoor education.
Further to this, talking to the Year 3 boys upon their return from their Mylor Camp and visiting the Year 4 boys at Finniss, demonstrates the progression of the expectations we have around, independence and resilience.
When representatives from Year 2, 3 and 4 gave their Camp Reports in this week’s assembly, it was wonderful to hear them mention being challenged and having an opportunity to demonstrate and develop character strengths. Examples of these include showing ‘bravery on the flying fox’, ‘perseverance in the crate stacking challenge’ and ‘kindess by thinking of others and letting them sleep quietly at night’.
A huge thank you to the staff who put in the extra time, to make these overnight experiences possible. So many rich learning opportunities come out being outside of the classroom in unfamiliar settings. Further thanks to Mr Browning for cooking the BBQ for the Year 2 boys’ dinner last week.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Jasmine Taylor
