Go Greener

Sustainability education for our Kindergarten students

This Semester Kindergarten students have been engaged in a unit called Places We Belong as part of their Geography program. Within this unit they have been exploring special places and how to care for them. SCEGGS is a special place to these girls and is important for them to be aware of how they can care for our school in a sustainable way.

Last Thursday Ms Anderson, the Kindergarten teacher, explained to the girls they were going to do something different with their rubbish for the day. Everything was to be deposited in a special bin outside their classroom marked Kindy Rubbish Only. After lunch we did an audit of the rubbish, sorting it in to the four waste streams, and we discussed what we could do to reduce our personal waste.

What did we find?

• Rubbish can be a bit yucky to deal with.
• Kindergarten girls produced very little rubbish needing to go in to the landfill bin. This was a big win as it is not required to be trucked down to Goulburn!
• There were several bananas and apples which had only been partially eaten. The girls suggested they ask for smaller pieces of fruit from their parents in the future.
• There were lots of paper bags from the cafeteria and waste paper from the classroom. This was the easiest rubbish to sort.
• The mixed recycling was confusing as there were so many items that could go in the yellow bin. It was important if they had things like a yogurt container that the yoghurt was emptied into the organic bin first and the container then went into the mixed yellow recycling bin. There were also numerous small biscuit/chip packets for this bin. To reduce the amount of plastic, it was suggested that larger packets of food stuff be purchased at home. The amount of food required is then put in a small container which could be taken home for washing.
• It was also easy to recognise what needed to go in the organics bin. The girls learnt that the containers from the cafeteria were compostable so if they did not eat everything it could go into the organic bin with the container. The clear lids are made from sugar cane, and these can also go in this bin.

The girls found examining the rubbish they produce a powerful experience. Hopefully, it has started a journey for Kindergarten girls to become environmentally conscious, super recyclers and custodians for special places.

Sue Zipfinger
Sustainability Coordinator