Sustainability
Everyone at Belle Vue Primary School is working together to become the most sustainable school community that we can be. Staff and students are positive role models for sustainability within our community and strive towards preservation of a healthy environment for all, both now and in the future. Belle Vue Primary School develops responsible, resilient and respectful citizens who make informed decisions to reduce their impact on the environment.
Belle Vue began its journey towards its goal of becoming a five star sustainable school in 2015 and is currently a 2 star “discovering” school. Since 2015, we have significantly re-designed our curriculum so as to incorporate a wide range of integrated sustainability themed topics across all levels of the school. Energy saving measures across the school include the installation of LED lighting in and around the Administrative Building and Library (thanks to a successful application for a $10,000 energy grant). Student Leaders have run sustainability themed assemblies and been involved with our annual EnviroDay (Run during Cool Australia’s Enviroweek).
During 2016, students throughout the school designed activities for EnviroDay based on the focus of biodiversity. The event was successfully run by the Grade 6 Student Leaders. The idea of a sustainability themed day created for students, designed by students and run by students created a template for future events.
2017 Waste Focus
In 2017 the focus will be on waste. Students will be devising ways of changing our habits regarding the way we recycle items such as paper and photocopier consumables. We will be trying to move towards reusing, reducing and rethinking the way we use these items. Students have taken part in a range of waste auditing activities. An example of this can be seen at the following Newsletter Item showing the Grade 6 Leaders auditing the amount of paper waste that the school produces:
The results of this audit were then communicated to the school by the Grade 6 Leaders at a special assembly. During the assembly the students presented new student designed signs to be put on bins around the school. They also reminded the school of the importance of issues such as producing zero food waste. Teachers were reminded to print on both sides of paper or reuse single sided paper. Finally, some details of EnviroDay 2017 were revealed. The newsletter item that was produced for this assembly can be viewed at the following link:
As highlighted by the Grade 6 Leaders at the special assembly. The whole school then took part in EnviroDay 2017 on 6th September 2017 (as part of Cool Australia’s Enviroweek). As in 2016, the event was created for students, designed by students and run by students.
EnviroDay was a huge success with the students taking part in a range of events that looked at Recycling, Reusing, Reducing and Rethinking waste. You can read all about the event at the following link:
During EnviroDay students created upcycled labels to help sell reusable fruit and vegetable bags (Freggie bags). These bags have been produced with the single aim of reducing the amount of soft plastics being produced. By ordering a bag for $5 dollars you’ll be helping the environment and contributing to future sustainability initiatives at Belle Vue. You can see more details, including how to order one by clicking on the following link:
Previous Sustainability Initiatives
Click on some of the links below to find out what’s been happening over the last few years: