Notes Environmental Footprint

Chanel, Grace and Vanessa

● Green learning spaces.
● School garden which students are responsible for planting/growing and maintaining the plants.
● Diverse waste bins: general garbage, recycling, green waste/compost, paper.
Recycle bins to be situated in various areas around the school to encourage children to discard recyclable materials
appropriately.
Separate landfill, recyclable and food waste for worm farms through use of labelled bins throughout school.
● Containers for change (linked to various waste bins).Students, families and staff utlise the recycling bins to recycle eligible
containers in return for 10 cents. Money raised will be directed to P&C.
● Weekly waste free lunch boxes (no plastic wrappers) with a prize (newsletter mention and end of term pizza party) to be given to
the year level and/or class that has the least amount of waste.
● Scheduled clean up days - within the school grounds and/or as an excursion at a beach/reserve.
● Walk or ride to school days to promote active lifestyles and minimise the use of motor transport and carbon emissions.
● Curriculum-aligned program that allows students to explore solar energy, which will educate the students and staff about tips for
saving energy and reducing consumption as a whole school.
● Production of an environmentally safe playground using recycled plastic, tyres, concrete pipes, logs, gardens, mounds of dirt etc
● Produce surplus for community members, soup kitchens etc.
● Indigenous garden that grows traditional produce, inviting local elders into school grounds to talk about bush tucker and
decorate the garden with Aboriginal artwork with the students.
● Water saving plan - water efficient appliances to be fitted throughout the school, water meter to be installed to collate data to
form a whole school water saving plan.
● Promote water saving to the students at school - involving the Mackay Regional Council to promote stronger understanding for
students. Mackay Regional Council will provide students with shower timers to use at home which aims to encourage families
and the wider community to save and manage water effectively.
● Teachers to use keep cups instead of using takeaway coffee cups
● New School buildings to be energy efficient
● Recycling printer ink and toner cartridges
● Replace fluorescent lights with LED lights throughout the school to decrease greenhouse emissions and demand from power
plants.
Environmental Actions
Grace, Chanel and Vanessa

Water Saving Plan

- Water Saving Plan/Policy as a long term approach
- The involvement of the Mackay Regional Council promotes greater understanding for students, inclusion of student’s families, the wider
community and external experts like the water council.
- Promotion of family involvement through in-home water saving (short showers, turning taps off when brushing teeth, washing car on the
lawn)
- Creation of a slogan to be used around the school grounds to encourage and motivate the students.
- Long term - schools to be fitted with water efficient equipment throughout the school
- Water meter to be installed on school grounds with data to be collected to allow for a long term plan to be implemented to ensure the
school is water efficient.

Recycling containers for change

- Recycling recyclable containers in the correct bins for 10 cents.
- Money raised from the recyclable containers will be given to the school P&C.
- Promote incentive and participation of students through class competitions. The class to collect the most recyclable materials and raise
the most money for the term receives a newsletter mention and a class pizza party.
- Encourage parent and family involvement by asking for home recyclables to be added to the school collection bins.

Various types of bins throughout the school grounds.

- Recycle, compost, garbage, paper
- Teaches categorisation skills
Categorisation of rubbish reduces fossil fuel usage, conserves resources and increases local jobs
- Providing various waste bins will Improve the school environment and an overall cleaner community, which links to clean waterways,
oceans and reefs.
- Inclusion of members from the Mackay Regional Council who will promote recycling at the school by discussing exactly what and how
things need to be recycled.

School vegetable garden

- Improving ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Purifies air and promotes production of oxygen.
- Preserves soil.
- Teaches life skills such as gardening and cooking.
 - Vegetable and fruit products can be used to feed students breakfast prior to school commencing.
- Can incorporate curriculum subjects such as Science and Health.
- Can sell goods from vegetable garden to raise funds for the P&C.

Walk/ride to school days

- Easily achievable for low socioeconomic families as some may not have access to motor transport.
- Aims to reduce carbon emissions.
- Demonstrates to students that walking and riding is an active and healthy way to travel to and from school.
Blurb
At Ocean Beach Primary School we are passionate about looking after the land that we live on and arming the students with the necessary
skills to make positive changes at school and in their community.
Upon review of our school we identified that there were a number of ways in which we could ensure our school was more sustainable. Five key
areas were identified and it was agreed that they would be implemented as a whole school approach.
The school’s plan for the future is to empower our students with the knowledge and skills they need to effect change not only at school but will
allow for changes to happen within the community with the students being able to engage the help of their parents.
The actions detailed below have been designed to be managed within the school by the P&C however there will be a need for additional
support from other stakeholders. The sustainability action plan will be subject to ongoing review to ensure the focus areas are being met.
Once the changes have been made the environmental improvements will be as follows:
- Reduction of waste
- Plans will be in place to reduce water usage
- Carbon emissions reduced
Ocean Beach Primary School has a very supportive principal who is passionate about sustainability and will be at the forefront of making the
necessary changes throughout the school to ensure it becomes more sustainable.
Justification of Actions

Action Stakeholder Justification Due date

Responsibilities

Water Saving Plan Primary Stakeholders: To ensure that the flora and fauna of the Mackay region is Effective immediately
School Administration maintained at a healthy and adequate condition, Orange to create a long term
Staff are responsible for Beach Primary School has produced a water saving plan in and concrete policy.
contacting the Mackay conjunction with the Mackay Regional Council. Research
Regional Council to
commence the process proves that community involvement provides deeper learning
of producing the water and mastery of subjects while also showing students the
saving plan. relevance of their education. (Edutopia , 2015) Therefore,
students will gain a deeper understanding of the significance
The Mackay Regional in sustaining a healthy environment. The Mackay Regional
Council will work in Council involves students, and their families in the water
conjunction with the
saving plan by providing each family with a two-minute
school leadership and
management staff to shower timer to reduce water usage and prevent the
produce the most possibility of water restrictions applying to the region. By
effective and appropriate doing this, the natural environment of Orange Beach Primary
plan for the school’s School and the community is exceptional.
environment. The following list includes specific information that will be
included in the water saving plan:
Students, families and
● No plastic straws
teachers will work
together to ensure that ● Only stocking reef-friendly sunscreen, such as
the terms and conditions ‘Sukin’, ‘Endota’, and ‘Wotnot’ brands within school
of the water saving grounds. This ensures that common ingredients like
policy are maintained oxybenzone and octinoxate that are harmful to the
and met. reef are not used. (Tromans, 2014)
● Installing self-closing taps within the school
Secondary
bathrooms, that automatically shut off after a set time
Stakeholders:
 The aim of the water to reduce waste water. (SaveMoneyCutCarbon, 2021)
saving plan is to promote
a healthy environment
for the Mackay region.
As the Orange Beach
Primary school is
situated in close
proximity to the beach
and it’s reefs, the
positive effects of the
water saving plan will
ensure that marine life is
cared for.

Containers for Change Primary Stakeholders: The inclusion of containers for change within the school Effective immediately.
Students and staff of community promotes the message of, ‘reduce, reuse,
Orange Beach Primary recycle’. (WWF, 2016) It also ensures that pollution like
School will work together bottles, cans and bags are kept out of the ocean and
to ensure that recyclable
materials are discarded transformed into recyclable materials.. Teaching staff and
in the appropriate bins students of Orange Beach Primary School will work together
so that money can be to recycle aluminium, plastic and cardboard containers
raised for the school. (Moore, 2018) in order to raise money for the school’s P&C
community. Students will use the recycle bins situated in
Members of Mackay various locations around the school to discard their rubbish.
Regional Council’s
From here, the school’s maintenance team will take the
‘Anything Environment’
will educate students containers for change to the ‘Anything Environment’
and staff about the collection point to be transferred into money. The school’s
significance of recycling newsletter will include messages and information about the
properly. This aims to Containers for Change movement which will aim to
promote a deeper encourage in-home conversations about sustainable living
understanding for and hopefully involve students and their families into the
students and encourage recycling process. Students and families are also
conversations about encouraged to bring their own containers and bottles from
recycling and caring for home which will be added to the school’s total and increase
the environment. the amount of funds raised. The money raised from recycling
Secondary has the potential to be used for a variety of reasons and the
Stakeholders: final decisions will be made by the school’s P&C team, in
Marine life will benefit conjunction with the student sustainability council. Examples
exceptionally from The of how the money could be spent within the school are listed
Containers for Change below:
movement as it aims to ● Recyclable playground equipment
create healthy beaches,
● Supplies for vegetable garden
oceans and reefs.
● Donations to charities that are involved with
The Orange Beach protecting rainforests, wetlands and reefs.
Primary School’s ● To buy food and produce for school breakfast club
maintenance team will
be responsible for
emptying the school’s
rubbish bins and taking
the recyclable materials
to the ‘Anything
Environment’ collection
point.

Staff members of the

‘Anything Environmental’
collection point will be
responsible for sorting
through the recyclable
materials and producing
the total dollar value.
Rethink Waste Primary Stakeholders:
Waste is a big issue in
schools and the rethink
waste initiative is to
show students to reduce,
reuse and recycle and
by doing this they can be
part of the solution as
opposed to the problem.
Various bins provided
around the school and in
classrooms to
encourage students to
recycle correctly
Secondary
Stakeholders:
With the implementation of this program in the school it Immediately
allows for students to gain positive environmental values in
● Student the school environment. They can then implement this new Ongoing with regular
Sustainability review by the
knowledge in their home environment and even when they
Council Principal, Teaching
● Principal are out and about. group in charge of
● Teaching staff in implementing the
the classroom to Schools can educate their students in a variety of ways and sustainability action
educate their show their students how to reduce, reuse, recycle. The plan and the Student
children rethink waste program is implemented as a whole school Sustainability Council
● Teaching staff on approach to increase the success of the program (Tudball &
duty to ensure
Brett, 2020).
students are
using the right
bins The implementation of this program will see various bins
placed throughout the school and in classrooms to ensure
the students are able to recycle efficiently. Education will be
provided around the ways in which these bins are to be used.
The school and students will look to create less waste by
● Grounds people
who are utilising the following:
responsible for
the bins ● Lunch boxes to be a reusable container
● Cleaners to ● Waste free lunch box days once a week
ensure bins in ● Teachers to use keep cups for their coffee as
classrooms are opposed to using takeaway coffee cups
emptied into the
● Teachers to print on both sides where possible
correct bins
● Queensland ● Newsletters / permission slips to be emailed home
Turtle instead of being printed
Conservation ● Homework sheets to be emailed and students to
Project complete work in their homework books
● Recycle bins in the classroom for scrap paper
 ● Compost / organic waste bins to be provide to allow
for organic waste to be used in the school garden

The implementation of this program will give the students a

thorough understanding of ways in which they can have a
positive impact on the environment and reduce waste to help
prevent this rubbish making its way into the waterways and
impacting on the turtles and other marine life.

Links to curriculum

● Science - living things

School excursion to the local recycling depot to allow for
visual learning to occur and interaction with the Turtle
conservation project to look at how rubbish impacts,
specifically turtles but also the environment in general.
Linked to an assessment piece where students are to come
up with solutions as to ways in which they can reduce
rubbish in both the school and the home environment.

● Links to English
● ICT’s

Vegetable Garden Primary Stakeholders: Having a school operated vegetable garden encourages the Effective immediately,
The staff and the students to engage in an interactive and outdoors program however 6-12 months
students at Orange which educates them about science and sustainability. It’s needs to be allowed
Beach Primary School important that student knowledge is fostered and supported before the produce
will the primary in multiple ways. Having a school vegetable garden has a can be sold or
stakeholders as they multitude of positive impacts such as: donated.
worked cohesively to ● The gardening experience reinforces curriculum This will be an ongoing
ensure that they begin practices for example ecological systems program for the
 and maintain a ● It provides students with skills and knowledge which school.
successful school they can use to impact their home environments
vegetable garden that ● Supports students emotional growth as it encourages
supports environmental pride and responsibility (CERES School of Nature
change. and Climate. 2021)
A school garden also promotes sustainability which is a key
focus in the Australian Curriculum’s cross curriculum
Secondary priorities as it teaches students “...the knowledge, skills,
Stakeholders: values and world views necessary to contribute to more
The parents of the sustainable patterns of living” (Australian Curriculum,
students attending Assessment and Reporting Authority. 2021). It is critical that
Orange State Primary our students become considerate and sustainable individuals
School and the wider as their actions impact the community in particular the reef,
community will benefit therefore teaching sustainability through programs is
from this garden as essential.
students will bring
samples from their
garden into their homes The impacts of this garden can also be felt by the wider
and community. community as produce can be sold at local markets to
fundraise for the school’s equipment and student’s trips or it
can be donated to local charities.

Walk or Ride to School Primary Stakeholders: A whole school approach to environmental sustainability has Effective immediately
been found to be the most successful. Specifically, walk or
Reduce carbon ● Student ride to school day whereby students, teachers and families Ongoing
emissions and create a Sustainability are involved in making changes to help implement and
future that is carbon Council execute the plan (Tudball & Brett, 2020).
positive. By introducing ● Principal
regular walk or ride to ● Teaching staff By implementing this initiative on a regular basis it provides
school days we are engaged to help both schools and their communities a simple way that they
showing the students with can work together to reduce their carbon footprint. All while
that by making a small implementing promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
change such as not sustainability
using the car they can throughout the There are both health and environmental benefits from
have a positive impact school students choosing the walk or ride to school. There is a
on the environment and ● Parents and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions therefore reducing
a sustainable lower families to global warming.
carbon future. support the
school and When implemented as a whole school approach discussions
provide their can be had at assemblies to educate the children on the
children with the benefits of walking or riding to school. Fewer cars on the
opportunities to road means that for every kilometre a student travels by bike
walk or ride to or on foot means that 243.8 grams of carbon emissions are
school being saved (Victoria State Government, 2019). With this
information the Student Sustainability Council can provide
Secondary visual representation of the positive impact that the students
Stakeholders: can have if all students were to walk or ride.

● Local council to Students can also be encouraged if they live too far away
promote walk or that they can walk or ride part of the way and that they are
ride to school day still having a positive impact on the communities ecological
● Bicycle network - footprint.
co-ordinates
national ride or Links to curriculum
ride to school ● Health and Physical Education
days with prizes ● English
and resources ● Maths
provides for the ● Science
school When implemented as a whole school approach, teachers
have the ability to adapt and implement key learnings in their
lesson plans allowing for various curriculum areas to be
covered.
 References

Edutopia. (2015, November 10). Using Community Experts to Extend Teaching . Retrieved from Edutopia:
https://www.edutopia.org/practice/learning-partners-co-teaching-community-experts

Gilbert, R., Tudball, L., & Brett, P. (2020). Teaching Humanities & Social Sciences: Teaching and learning across Australia (7thed.).
Cengage Learning Australia

Mackay and District Turtle Watch (n.d.). https://mackayturtles.org.au/

Mackay Regional Council (2021). https://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/community/arts_and_culture/aboriginal-torres-strait-islander-

information

Moore, T. (2018, September 22). How to use Queensland's new container recycling scheme. Retrieved from The Sydney Morning
Herald: https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/how-to-use-queensland-s-new-container-recycling-scheme-
20180921-p50596.html#:~:text=Which%20containers%20can%20be%20recycled,Eligible%20cans%20for%20recycling.

SaveMoneyCutCarbon. (2021). Ecotaps. Retrieved from SaveMoneyCutCarbon:

https://www.savemoneycutcarbon.com/category/taps/self-closing-taps/

Tromans, C. (2014). Here's how you can help save the Great Barrier Reef today. Retrieved from Queensland:
https://www.queensland.com/au/en/places-to-see/experiences/great-barrier-reef/ways-to-help-the-great-barrier-reef.html

Victoria State Government. (2021). Walk to School. https://www.walktoschool.vic.gov.au

WWF. (2016, May 31). Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Retrieved from WWF: https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-
live/reduce-reuse-recycle#gs.23pdys

Grace Reference:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 2021. Sustainability. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-
curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/sustainability/

CERES School of Nature and Climate. 2021. 20 Reasons to have a Vegetable Garden at your School. Retrieved from:
https://sustainability.ceres.org.au/resource/20-reasons-to-have-a-vegetable-garden-at-your-school/#:~:text=Students%20understand%20the
%20role%20of,Garden%20experiences%20reinforce%20classroom%20curriculum.&text=The%20garden%20setting%20helps
%20broaden,both%20curriculum%20and%20their%20students.