It is an opportunity for staff and students to meet and discuss issues that they feel important relating to the environment.  The initiatives are ideas from our students, driven by students with guidance and support from staff.  At our last meeting we had over 20 students and staff present discussing issues they thought were important.

Last Friday, our College Captain and senior Prefects Rory Mackintosh, Joshua Toohey, Zachary Paterson and Tim McGill introduced an initiative at assembly to the whole school which provides students and staff with the opportunity to collect ‘Earn & Return’ items.  The items will be recycled at the College in cages that will be collected by Envirobank, with the funds being returned to the College.  Further to this, students will be given the opportunity to take home an Envirobank orange mesh bag and return it to the College filled with 10c recyclable bottles and cans (no glass) on a designated Tuesday once a month (dates will be advised through the daily notices, newsletters and student portals).  Each student will receive 2 Waterford hours and 2 Tatham points for each bag returned.  At this stage, students are working towards funds raised being donated to our sponsor child, Frederick, in Kenya to support his education.

The Tatham Project is awarded at our Annual Awards Evening at the end of the year for Stewardship of the Environment.  The Award goes to a student who has demonstrated enthusiasm for environmental awareness and preservation by introducing new initiatives aimed at educating students on the need for change, as well as implementing strategies to facilitate the changes needed to preserve and heal our planet.  It was named after one of our long serving staff, Steve Tatham who’s passion for the environment has been second to none.

At our most recent meeting, Year 11 Leaders and motivated Year 10 students came up with an idea to introduce a trash free Tuesday to the College in response to large amounts of plastic wrapping and packaging littering the playground at the completion of lunch and recess.  This initiative has already been introduced to a number of high schools on the Central Coast with great success.  At this stage students are seeking feedback from parents and students on this initiative with the aim of implementing it in Term 2.  If the initiative receives positive feedback from parents, carers and students, then students would start researching different options for parents and students who prepare their lunches to ensure its success.  Students also came up with the idea of senior students checking lunch boxes each Tuesday during Tutor and recording those students who have a trash free lunch.  Each student with a trash free lunch box would receive Tatham points and go in the draw to win prizes drawn out at assembly each Friday.  If you would like to provide any feedback to the students regarding this initiative or other ideas please email  mgentle@stedwards.nsw.edu.au and your feedback will be given to students at the next Environment meeting.

Students are also working on new ways the Cafeteria can cut down on waste and have already met with Cafeteria staff to discuss their ideas.

It is an exciting time to be at St Edward’s, and to be guided by students in our Environment Portfolio.  These students will led us towards a cleaner College and help to educate our young men on how to become real custodians of our planet.

Michael Gentle and Kylie Beynon
Facilitators