Tips and Tricks

Stats & Facts

Schools throw away, on average, 33 tonnes of waste per school each year at a cost of $1200. Joining ResourceSmart Schools program can help your school introduce or improve recycling and composting, which can reduce your school's waste by up to 80%!

Teachers' tips for success

Check out some of the tips from teachers who have attended Waste Wise workshops or won Waste Wise and Sustainable Schools Awards.

• Designate an "environmental hour" once a month or term for all classes to do something to improve their school's environment
• Provide each class with gardening tools and a garden area for them to cultivate
• Run an "environment week" with a range of activities
• Provide each classroom with two or more coloured bins to allow separation of compost, recyclable materials and rubbish. Monitors need to empty these bins daily.
• Set up an "environmental group" to monitors school grounds and award these students with points and a raffle ticket. Raffle prizes and Certificates of Merit can be awarded at assemblies.
• Designate an area for students to eat to help control littering. A variation of this is where only students with food covered in wrappers need to go to a designated area. This area is monitored by the yard duty teacher.
• Give shredded paper to the local pet shop or use it for garden beds or craft activities.
• Purchase reusable crockery and cutlery instead of disposable plates and cups.
• Use unwanted paper with printing on one side only for fax machines, student newsletters and computer printers.

Key elements of a successful Waste Wise School

• The principal is committed and supportive.
• There is a team of committed people who meet regularly and work together in the school.
• There is a focus on targets, goals and action plans.
• The program is integrated with the curriculum.
• There is a policy on waste minimisation that has been accepted by the whole school and adopted as school policy by the school council.
• The students own the program.
• There is a whole school approach.
• There are good systems in place that simple and well maintained.
• There is a process of continuous improvement.
• The program is filled with fun!  
• The program is built on trust and respect between all members of the school community.

For more information on running a successful waste smart school visit www.ceres.org.au or email rssaussi@ceres.org.au.

Top | Last updated 27/05/2008