2023 | ISSUE 12 | Sustainability News

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS TERM 3

August 18 Eddy’s Preloved (Lunchtime Clothes & Accessories Sale)

August 20-24 World Water Week

September 7 National Threatened Species Day

EDDY’S PRELOVED – CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES SALE

A reminder that our greatly anticipated Eddy’s Preloved thrift shop sale will be conducted during lunchtime on Friday 18 August in the Edmund Rice Gymnasium. Led by student leader Benjamin Starinskis, the clothing sale will provide an opportunity for students wanting to sell items, to develop their entrepreneurial skills and for others to secure some unique items to wear. Shoes and accessories will also be sold and no item will exceed $50.

CAREY EMBANKMENT REVEGETATION PROJECT

Over the past fortnight, watering has been the key focus, helping to establish our new indigenous flora species, planted by various groups on Tuesday 1 August, to celebrate National Schools Tree Planting Day. In total, 586 plants were planted on the Carey Oval south embankments. Species planted include; Minnie daisy (Minuria leptophylla), Climbing saltbush (Einadia nutans), Austral indigo (Indigofera australis), Hop goodenia (Goodenia ovata), Lemon beauty-heads (Calocephalus citreus), Kidney weed (Dichondra repens), Corkscrew (Austrostipa scabra), Small fruit fan-flower (Scaevola albida), Common raspwort (Gonocarpus tetragynus), Tufted bluebell (Wahlenbergia communis). Yellowish bluebell (Wahlenbergia luteola), Running postman (Kennedia prostrata), Austral storksbill (Pelargonium austral), Soft tussock- grass (Poa morrisii (sub A strictum)), Blue pincushion (Brunonia australis (sub A strictum)), Rock correa (Correa glabra).

30 FOR 30 CHALLENGE

In acknowledgement of Keep Australia Beautiful Week, on Friday 11 August, 30 volunteers set aside 30 minutes of their lunchtime to clean up various areas of the school grounds. Students set to task with great enthusiasm and collectively, the filled a 240L bin with a variety of collected items. As litter in the yard has been an area of concern, we are concentrating efforts with various strategies to minimise waste and streamline the collection of recyclables. House leaders and Year level Coordinators are facilitating regular “Clean Ups” in the yard with students and our CUT THE WRAP initiative has been promoted and introduced to the new Year 7 cohort, with weekly inspections.

In addition, over the past fortnight, GDP Industries have visited the Edmund Rice Campus to collect two bales of polystyrene and a 240L wheelie bin of E Waste.

CUT THE WRAP

We encourage all families to support our CUT THE WRAP initiative by adopting a plastic wrap free approach to making lunches to reduce waste at the school. In doing so, it promotes a wider conversation at home regarding purchasing items in bulk rather than individually wrapped items, which ultimately saves money as well. There is also an opportunity to purchase baked goods at the VCAL Café on Wednesday. A reminder that lunchbox inspections occur on a weekly basis for Year 7 students during their Wellbeing period on Mondays (with the exclusion of the last week of each term).

CUT THE WRAP PROCEDURES & REWARDS

Students presenting a “plastic wrap free” lunch will be rewarded with a credit stamp.

Classes with 100% participation (on any given week) will be awarded a second credit stamp (each student).

Note: A canteen order or money for the canteen, does NOT qualify as a wrap free lunch.

DRINK STATION GARDEN BED

During lunchtime on Friday 11 August, volunteer students upgraded the decommissioned drink station outside the Drama studio, providing a touch of colour, with the introduction of some Monstera (Monstera deliciosa) and Cyclamen (Cycamen persicum).

COMMUNITY NOTICES

ST HELENS CLEAN UP – SATURDAY 26 AUGUST - SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

The 3220 Beach Patrol Geelong group have scheduled a one-hour beach “Clean-up”, commencing at 9am at St Helens on Saturday 26 August. Reusable bags and claws will be supplied. Participants are to bring their own gloves, hat, water bottle and “can-do” attitude.

For more information and to register your interest, visit the 3220 Beach Patrol Group on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/3220beachpatrol/

TREE PLANTING WITH THE FRIENDS OF WAURN PONDS CREEK– SUNDAY 3 SEPTEMBER -SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

All families are invited to join the “Friends of Waurn Ponds Creek” on Sunday 3 September for tree planting activities. They will gather from 9.00am on the creek to plant grasses and shrubs at a site between Brearly Reserve bridge and Winter St. You may access the site via the walking track from Winter St. Morning tea will be provided at approximately 10.15. Volunteer may simply turn up and register on the day. Please take your own gardening gloves.

Service learning hours will be assigned in accordance with the number of hours of service.

For more information, visit the following website; https://friendsofwaurnpondscreek.org.au/aa%202023/07%20July%2030%20NTD.html

Kelly Jenkins
Sustainability Coordinator