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Princes Hill Primary School became a 5-Star Sustainable School
in May, 2007, as part of another nine inner-city Melbourne
schools developing sustainable practices through the Innovation
and Excellence program. Over the span of the program, due
for completion in December 2007, all nine schools met to share
their experiences, discuss the course of action and sustainable
programs in their schools, including expert knowledge and
advice at hand from Eric Bottomley at CERES. These have including
curriculum development, school policy development and operations,
maintaining auditing records and data to measure outcomes
in terms of social, environmental and economic savings.
The Innovation and Excellence project also provided financial
assistance with a budget allocated to each school. This incorporated
invaluable CRT coverage to complete documentation, develop
action plans and targets, professional development and training,
discussion time in teams, preparing grant applications, festivals,
planting days, purchasing shower timers for all nine schools,
conducting visits to view programs at other schools –
the list goes on!
Despite Princes Hill Primary School’s 5-Star accreditation,
the sustainable school’s committee continues to look
for innovative ideas to strengthen the momentum of our environment
programs into the future. What often assists and inspires
our green crusade are the shared experiences and innovative
ideas borrowed and revamped from other schools. Conversely,
like all schools, we encounter challenges along the way, whether
practical setbacks such as water leakage from old piping or
maintaining behavioral or ideological shifts in thinking that
keep the “green campaign” alive.
For us in our school the most pressing challenge will be
maintaining priority in the sustainable programs, and continuing
to look at new ways to improve the programs in existence,
avoiding the conviction that sustainability has been “done”
now that we have our 5-Star mantle. Confidently, the operational
frameworks we have developed will continue to meet sustainable
targets in the future.
What follows is a brief overview of Princes Hill Primary
School sustainable school program, looking at the four modules
and ways in which we have sought to reduce waste, water and
energy use and increase biodiversity at school. A brief overview
is included about the community links developed throughout
the program and our whole school Sustainable Festival in 2006.
For waste, reduction program involves compost, recycling
and landfill bin stations in the school yard, with all students
across the school involved through a three-week roster to
audit, monitor and collect rubbish in the school yard. Tuesdays
are Rubbish-free lunch days and the school has established
eating areas to reduce litter in the grounds. Since these
measures were introduced, approximately 24 cubic metres of
compost is created each year. Every year, the school recycles
approximately 14,400 litres of paper and 14760 litres of plastic
and glass.
For water, buckets are placed under all drinking fountains
as a way to reuse grey water, with the water collected used
to water garden beds. Automatic flush systems were installed
into the boys’ urinals and this year we hope to install
PB Selector Flushes on existing toilet systems that can regulate
the amount of water used per flush. Currently, two water tanks
harvest rainwater from our roofing that are used for watering
new plants and later this year a rainwater garden, provided
by Melbourne Water, will be established off our new art complex
building. A comparison of water records between 2004 and 2006
school years indicates a 21% reduction in water cost and 30%
reduction in use, also attributed to droughts and water restrictions.
For Biodiversity, the school has participated in National
Tree Day over the last three years, establishing indigenous
garden beds which are mulched and weeded by our 3/4 Environment
Club. A wildlife corridor was planted in 2005 to provide habitat
and a food source for native fauna between the Merri and Moonee
Ponds Creek. An additional 700 indigenous plants will be established
on the grounds in July this year. We are also hoping to revitalize
our vegetable garden program and develop a whole grounds plan,
including outdoor learning centre for environmental and outdoor
curricular activities.
To conserve energy, all classrooms have energy monitors
who check computers, lights and heaters/air-conditioner use
in the classroom. A combined look at gas and electricity use
over the same two year period indicates a reduction in the
school’s energy use. Estimations were issued for the
gas utility charges making comparisons difficult, however,
our electricity costs have dropped by $2030 per year (from
$10,583 to $8213), saving approximately 15 tonnes of Greenhouse
gases. The school regularly promotes active transport and
bicycle programs, with regular audits showing approximately
56% of staff and students involved in active travel to and
from school.
Despite our school’s 5-Star accreditation, the sustainable
school’s committee continues to look for innovative
ideas to strengthen the momentum of our environment programs
into the future.
More
info.
For more information about the school contact Elke
Bleeker on 9389 5300, email bleeker.elke.k@edumail.vic.gov.au
or go to the Princes Hill PS website at http://www.phps.vic.edu.au. |
