Sustainability

ECO WARRIOR NEWS

Eco Warriors have been busy collaborating on ways to ensure our school takes care of the environment, with a focus on improving the disposal of our rubbish at SOGS. They have brainstormed ideas, conducted school wide bin inspections, and re-introduced the GOLDEN GNOME award to recognise outstanding efforts from Year Levels. 

Currently, their main project involves finding sustainable ways to reward students. Instead of using reward stickers with plastic coatings, they're implementing the principles of the 3 Rs: Rethink, Refuse, Reuse. The Eco Warriors opted to use bottle lids as tokens and are initiating a project to recycle overflowing scrap paper into tokens. This student-led initiative demonstrates their commitment to sustainability. Upcoming sessions will involve some hard work in repurposing paper waste and creating these tokens. This is an exciting space to watch out for and they can’t wait to share with the whole school.

Introducing the Golden Gnome: Each year level has an area of the school yard to keep tidy. The Eco Warriors will identify the cleanest areas on the yard and award the year level the Golden Gnome every Friday.  

World Environment Day 

Early June marked World Environment Day on the 5th of June, uniting communities worldwide to raise awareness and take positive actions to protect the planet, our only home. It also fosters our appreciation of the Earth’s abundant resources which sustain both humans and all precious animals. Last week, the renowned 90 year old Jane Goodall toured Australia. She shared reflections on her remarkable life journey, and conveyed a message of HOPE in the face of today’s environmental challenges.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPguvHYS6EI 

Her message of HOPE encompasses the following; 

1. The energy, commitment and dedication of young people: Once young people know the problems, young people are empowered to take action. We need to ensure we protect their future, as well as nurture their curiosity.
2. The extraordinary intellect of ours: The biggest problem is how the most intellectual creatures to ever walk the earth are destroying their only home, and it seems there is a disconnect between clever brain and human heart, LOVE and COMPASSION. But the HOPE is when we can learn to link head and heart to work in harmony. If each one of us tries in our own life to leave as light an ecological footprint as possible, then we will start to see a difference.  
3. The resilience of nature: If areas are destroyed; give it time, give it a chance, maybe give it some help, and things can be restored. We have environments all over Australia where at one time there was a lot of damage and now, thanks to conservationists, things have improved. We have animals on the brink of extinction that, thanks to conservationists, have been given another chance. 
4. The indomitable human spirit: The people who tackle the impossible. Every single one of us has the same indomitable spirit, we just have to nurture it and let it free to make an impact on the world around us. 

Dear God,

Reveal to us, God, how to work together to protect, care for, respect, and honor each other and our home. Let us discover each day the life-sustaining elements of this earth that heal and restore. 

Inspire all humanity to move in harmony with the natural flow of Earth. 

We are grateful, God, for the beauty, peace, and divine order we experience as we move about our day. 

AMEN

Weekend or Holiday ideas: thing to build connections that are missing as Jane Goodall explain for HOPE;

1. CERES: always have hands-on programs https://ceres.org.au/whats-on/
2. Sea Life:  Student interactive programs https://www.visitsealife.com/ 
3. Outdoor Classroom Day: Free resources for activities to do outdoors, such as Alphabetical Nature Walk or Nature Play Bingo https://outdoorclassroomday.com.au/resources/ 
4. ACMI: Free entrance to view various exhibitions  and activities https://www.acmi.net.au/ 

National Gallery of Victoria: Free exhibitions https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/