What Is The Recycling Initiative?
The Recycling Initiative helps high schools to make use of the
Waste Wise WA model of getting recycling up and running in schools.
Waste Wise runs recycling workshops and will fund schools that are
serious about taking action in their school www.wastewise.wa.gov.au
Most school start with setting up paper and cardboard recycling
projects and build upon this success. Moving to composting food
scraps from Home Economics and the canteen can follow this. As well
as the recycling of aluminium, steel, plastics and glass.
ReDuce, ReUse, ReCycle
Why Should Our School Have A Recycling Initiative?
Schools have a responsibility to teach students to live morally
on this resource challenged planet. Schools can no longer be the
source of mountains of landfill-destined waste (especially paper).
Schools need to give their students positve reinforcement
Recycling is an essential part of living sustainably. While we
should all be trying to reduce the amount of waste we produce, it
is important that we keep as much of that waste from going to
landfill. We live in a world with finite resources - we need to
recognise this and take the steps to reduce thoughtless waste.
Making new items from recycled material saves energy and water
compared to when using virgin materials. By recycling one ton of
paper you save 13 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4100kWh of
electricity, 4 cubic metres of landfill and 31,780 litres of
water.
A recycling program forms an empowering background for learning
about concepts such as :
Reducing consumption, sustainable use of resources, landfill
pollution, linear VS closed systems
How Do We Create A Recycling Initiative?
STEP ONE
Attend a Waste Wise Workshop with at least one other
interested teacher.
STEP TWO
Conduct a waste audit to work out the priorities of your recycling
efforts.
STEP THREE
Put a call out to the school community to get involved in
setting up your recycling initiative. Interested teachers and
students form a Recycling Steering Committee.
STEP FOUR
Recycling Steering Committee decides what to recycle
first and how to achieve this.
STEP FIVE
Steering Committee writes School Waste Management Plan
and School Waste Policy (to be endorsed by school leadership).
Contact HotRock for an example of these documents.
STEP SIX
Apply for the Waste Wise grant.
STEP SEVEN
Make the school community aware of your planned action.
STEP EIGHT
Carry out your plans.