Re-Think : Review : Reflect : Renew

A small group of Central Australian teachers came together today to review and reflect upon their experiences with the Re-Thinking Waste in Schools Challenge of 2008

During 2008 the teachers lead their schools though a broad range of initiatives including reducing water use, recycling, composting, worm farming, growing food, the Wearable Arts exhibition, a sustainability musical and much much more.

You can read individual school stories on the Re-Thinking Waste Wikispace (Bradshaw, Braitling, Living Waters)

After this period of reflection, teachers began to think about their plans for next year. Sam Latz from Alice Solar City and Roger Chapman from Water Wise Schools. Both Bradshaw and Braitling will be part of the Energy Smart Schools Program next year, with targets to reduce their energy consumption.

All schools involved in the Re-Thinking Waste Challenge in the NT are part of the AuSSI-NT, a group of schools working to become more sustainable - part of the national Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative

If you are interested to find out more about becoming an NT Sustainable School contact the project officer on 8951 8718

8 ways to reuse a 2 litre drink botle

Rethinking Waste in Schools

If your school hasn't registerd for this please consider it as it is a great way to muster enthusiasm amongst staff and keep the momentum going.

The Keep Australia Beautiful Website and the wikispace developed for this project will give you more information.

Wikis are a great way for students to work collaboratively to document their planning and their projects development and share with others. If you would like to know more about how you can use wikis with your class check out the Using Wikis page.

If you would like to join the rethinking waste wiki please contact louise.fogg@nt.gov.au and she will make you a member.

Visualising your carbon emissions

Re-Thinking Waste Launch at the Bowerbird Tip Shop

Where better to launch the re-thinking waste initiative than at the Bowerbird Tip Shop.

Yamba, Wurgle and students from OLSH were at the Bowerbird on Tuesday to look at many alternatives for waste, from landfill to works of art.

Lucy Sneddon of the Arid Lands Environment Centre launched the program with a talk on the choices we have with regard to what to do with our waste. Also there supporting the program were Michelle Walker of the Waterwise Schools program, Kat Taylor from CoolMob and Heidi Groffen from Land for Wildlife.

Many thanks to the staff of the Bowerbird for allowing us to use their inspiring venue.

The re-thinking waste in schools pilot program will run for a year and will culminate in a celebration of artisic performance and waste workshops at the Araluen in August 2008. A workshop for teachers will be held on 30th November at the Desert Park. Teachers interested in being involved are invited to contact Emma.Bliss@nt.gov.au.

Re-Thinking Waste in Schools Workshop

The challenge invites all NT schools to encompass a broad range of long term sustainable initiatives for reducing all types of waste. What action can your school take in the areas of waste? This might include reducing water and energy consumption, reducing total waste, increasing recycling or reducing litter in your school.

A list of sustainability action project ideas and resources that participating schools may select from is now available on the Keep Australia Beautiful NT website www.kab.org.au/nt

Is your school ready for the challenge?

Come along to the workshop to get things rolling in your school.

Workshop
If your school would like to be involved you might like to have two facilitators attend a workshop to help with the planning of your action project(s).

When: Friday 30 November, 2007 (week 8) 8.30am – 4.00pm

Where: The Education Room, Alice Springs Desert Park

What: This workshop gives participants the opportunity to

• Find out more about the challenge and the types of action projects that students and teachers could be involved in
• Find out more about a whole school approach by looking at some examples from some of the NT Sustainable Schools who are part of the national AuSSI (Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative)
• Develop an action plan for their school projects
• Develop a funding proposal for the small grants available for the ‘challenge’
• Talk and plan with representatives from key supporting agencies/departments
  
  Ø NT Department of Employment Education and Training – Teaching, Learning & Standards Division,
  Ø NT Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts –Waterwise Schools
  Ø Desert Knowledge CRC Cool MOB
  Ø Arid Lands Environment Centre
  Ø Gardens for Wildlife
  Ø Alice Springs Desert Park
  
  ERT is available for up to 2 participants per school to attend the workshop. Application forms have been sent to all schools.

Contact Emma Bliss Emma.Bliss@nt.gov.au for more information

The Re-Thinking Waste in Schools Challenge is project managed by Keep Australia Beautiful and funded by NT Government and the Packaging Stewardship Forum

Re-Thinking Waste in Schools

This project, which includes support from Keep Australia Beautiful, Alice Springs Desert Park, Arid Lands Environment Centre, Gardens for Wildlife, DKACoolMOB and WaterWise Schools will be launched early next term. Look out for an information pack arriving in your school in week 1.

What is the Re-thinking Waste-in Schools Challenge?

The Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB)NT Rethinking Waste – in Schools Challenge invites all NT schools to encompass a broad range of long term sustainableinitiatives for reducing all types of waste. The challenge is based on actions your school takes in the areas of litter reduction, recycling, energy and waste reduction. A list of sustainability action projects and resources that participating schools can select from will be made available on the Keep Australia BeautifulNT website www.kab.org.au/nt

An application form will be available very soon on the KAB website. Please contact KAB ph 89815535 now if you would like a hard copy of the information pack and application form sent to your school.