Waste wise: Berwick Secondary College year seven student Lauren Johnson with Helen Smith, Matthew Ellen, Annette Williams, Ryan Taylor, Kevin Thomson, Ash Szalek, Brad Micallef, Hannah Motyka, Siobhan Hudson-Clarke and Lisa Benn. By Paul Dunlop
STUDENTS at Berwick Secondary College don’t take any rubbish.
Their waste-wise ways have made the school one of the cleanest in the state.
Taking pride of place in the college grounds are 35 recycle bins with another 20 in the staffrooms. The move has slashed almost $3000 off the school’s annual tip bill.
Reusing ink cartridges and reducing photocopying have also saved the school thousands of dollars.
A hard-working environment committee consisting of 20 students, staff and parents have led the charge that has made Berwick’s green ways a major talking point.
The college’s efforts were recently recognised when it won it a regional award in the Waste Wise Sustainable Schools Awards.
Berwick was also a state finalist in the Waste Wise School of the Year, an award it won last year.
Continued finetuning of the waste wise program also won the college a $500 innovation and excellence award.
Environment coordinator Lisa Benn said the monetary savings and the cleaner, greener approach were the result of a whole-school commitment to cutting back waste.
The Waste Wise awards were held on 3 November at the National Gallery in Melbourne and were presented by Environment Minister John Thwaites.
Ms Benn congratulated the school community on a fantastic achievement.
“Everyone from the cleaners to the students are all working as a team to make a difference,” Ms Benn said.
“It has been a great year as attitudes have begun to change, curriculum content has become more waste wise, canteen offerings are healthier and the physical surroundings of the college are looking great.
“All these factors have contributed to the recognition received and we intend to keep that momentum rolling.”
For winning the regional award in the sustainable schools category, the Berwick college received a worm farm.
Ms Benn said the $500 monetary prize would go into the school’s environment fund and be returned to the students through canteen vouchers, shoulder bag prizes that would be issued as incentive awards and support environment activities.
Year seven students Hannah Motyka and Lauren Johnson were also finalists in the Waste Wise Communication award for their power point presentation that showed how to “Bin it Right at Berwick Secondary College”.
