Special Nillumbik School Issue

Nillumbik Shire Council recently sponsored four local primary schools to participate in the Schools For a Sustainable Future program whose aim was to increase awareness about environmental and waste minimisation issues.

The participating schools were:

• Plenty Valley Christian School
• Diamond Creek Primary
• Diamond Creek East Primary and
• Panton Hill Primary.

Council's Waste & Energy Minimisation Officer, Rob Hay, said "the Schools For a Sustainable Future (SFSF) program forms an important part of Council's on-going waste minimisation education program."

He said: "The schools are participating in this exciting program which is designed to encourage the minimisation of waste output and integration of waste minimisation learning into the school curriculum. The program supports Council's commitment to raising community awareness about ways to reduce waste and as a result minimise impact upon the environment and live more sustainable lifestyles."

Mr Hay said "The Schools For a Sustainable Future organisation was providing the expertise for the project and Nillumbik Council was awarding prizes to the most innovative waste reduction strategy and for the best waste reduction performance.

The SFSF program has been successfully implemented in approximately 30 schools across the state to date."

SFSF Project Director, Joe Natoli, said "Education is certainly about priorities and one of the most critical issues our children face is the quality of the environment we leave them."

Learning the importance of being 'clean and green' and being prepared to be active leaders on these issues will be essential parts of creating a sustainable future.

It is an excellent initiative for local schools to become leaders in sustainability of the environment which is supported by other councils including Maroondah, Manningham and Monash.

Diamond Creek East teacher, Theresa Liddle, said "Children in grades three and four at the school are becoming leaders in sustaining the environment and have educated the whole school about recycling and waste reduction."

As 'envioronmental managers', the Diamond Creek East students monitor the compost, paper and rubbish bins in each classroom as well as the staff room and record how well each class sorts its rubbish."

The grade three and four students are certainly enthusiastic about being the 'leaders of change' and taking this responsibility seriously.

Ms Liddle said "as part of the program the children spread the message to the rest of the school and the local community about the benefits of worm farming for the environment." She said "the children have become very involved in all aspects of worms and the keeping of worm farms."

For further information about the SFSF program, please contact:

Nillumbik Shire Council's Waste & Energy Minimisation Officer
Robert Hay on (03) 9433 3219

or

Schools For a Sustainable Future
Project Director - Joseph Natoli
on (03) 9579 7224