Young eco warriors

By Bridget Cook
GARFIELD Primary School is looking to the future through educating their students about environmental sustainability from a young age.
The school has worked towards reducing their impact on the environment and last year received a five star rating with the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI).
Science teacher Mareta Singleton said the school decided to implement more environmentally sustainable measures as they felt the children needed to learn about something that was real to them.“This is something that impacts on their future,” Ms Singleton said. “It’s all about educating the younger generations.”
The Garfield School has been committed, particularly over the past three years, to taking a whole school approach to sustainability by becoming involved with the AuSSI.
The initiative involves participants to explore, through real-life learning experiences, improvements in the school’s management resources and facilities including energy, waste, water, biodiversity, landscape design, products and materials.
Ms Singleton said that the school had been taking measures for quite some time so they decided to sign up to something with some accreditation.
“Once we introduced it, the students took it over,” she said. “They have all been very keen and enthusiastic from the very start. Some have even taken the messages and practices home.”
This week the school signed up for the Gazette’s Green Army and will hand out the special welcome kit showbags to those students who have been taking on extra responsibility when it comes to the environment.
More than 20 students, from Grades 3 to 6, have volunteered their time as ‘environmental heroes’ since mid last year. These students are responsible for emptying the compost bins of the junior grades and ensuring lights are turned off in classrooms that aren’t being used.
“They are all very enthusiastic children who want to do a bit extra,” she said.
“They do not get any recognition for doing it, so the Green Army showbags will be a great reward for them.”