Environmental Council

We hope everyone has had a great start to the year! As the Environmental Council, we have steadily been chipping away at organising and setting into motion our many exciting projects and events for this year. These include our regular work on the Regeneration Project taking fruition, the effective recycling, planting, and paper shredding groups working hard, our recent involvement in the McCarthy Swimming Carnival alongside the St Vincent De Paul’s Committee, and the preparation for the McCarthy Clean Up Australia Day event!

The combined efforts of our student committee, working either in assisting in the collecting and sorting of recycling, paper shredding, planting and seed collection in the nursery, or cleaning up of the area behind the oval, is making strides in our progress on the Regeneration Project and improving the overall sustainability of our College. We still hope to further our recycling initiatives with the introduction of a 10c Recycling Program. Thanks again to all members getting involved and lending a hand to make a difference to the culture and environment of the College.

The swimming carnival last month marked one of the highlights on the calendar for the Environmental Council. In tandem with Vinnies, we were able to provide drinks and the annual BBQ for the swimmers, raising both a significant amount for charity and awareness of the work of both committees. Thank you to all members from both the Environmental Council and Vinnies who came out to assist, making sure the day went without a hitch. We would also like to thank Woolworths for their support on the day, including providing bread and funding for the selling of the drinks.

If you are not already a member of the Environmental Council and would like to get involved, meetings are on every Thursday lunchtime. The team is always open to contributions to new or existing projects and ensures a welcoming environment for new and returning members! Upcoming events include:

• Rescheduling of McCarthy’s Clean Up Australia Day event - make sure to keep an eye out to get involved and keep our school clean!
• Regular periods in which our specific student groups in the school collect recycling bins from around the grounds for correct disposal or repurposing, paper shredding for mulch towards the Regeneration Project, and seed collection and planting at the regeneration area behind the oval. Speak to Mr Nichols at one of our meetings if you would like to get involved in any of these groups.
• Guest speakers to discuss conservation, sustainability, and volunteer opportunities with members.

To conclude, we would like to give special thanks to Mr Nichols, Mr Leu, and all members of the Environmental Council for their continued support of projects, meetings and goals. Special thanks to all members who assisted Vinnies and Environmental executives at the swimming carnival, and to those who continue to support the Regeneration project and recycling initiatives at school! 

Marianne Flood - Environmental Council Communications Officer