Year 7

A change in lifestyle could bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power. 

This is what consumer movements accomplish by boycotting certain products. They prove successful in changing the way businesses operate, forcing them to consider their environmental footprint and their patterns of production…This shows us the great need for a sense of social responsibility on the part of consumers. “Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic – act.” Today, in a word, “the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our lifestyle”. 

Laudato si' #206

The Holy Father’s groundbreaking 2015 encyclical Laudato si' ('on care for our common home') opened the door for Catholics and all people of goodwill to look at environmental issues through the lens of faith. In particular, it situated environmental issues within Catholic Social Teaching, which is a relatively modern but very significant element in the body of faith.   

In light of this, our College places great importance on sustainability. We have Sustainability Student Leaders who are passionate about reducing our contribution to landfill rubbish and with that aim, they have established 'Nude Food' days every Wednesday. Information can be found here about the idea of ‘nude food’.

To kick this off, we are running a competition for the Year 7 students. Year 7 Homerooms have the chance of winning a prize for the whole class by achieving the most students who bring a lunch with no rubbish in a fortnight.

This will run with the assistance of the fabulous Year 7 Homeroom teachers and the Class Captains. Students need to present their 'Nude Food' lunch for inspection to the Class Captain during Homeroom each morning for two weeks (from Monday 9 August to Friday 20 August). This will be compiled in a Google Spreadsheet that the Year 7 and 8 Sustainability Leaders will organise. 

The highest number of students per class after the ten school days will win. Prize to be announced! 

A 'Nude Food' lunch should have no single use plastic (i.e. glad wrap or zip lock bags as it's too hard to monitor whether these are thrown away or reused), no chip, biscuit or muesli bar packets, no single use yoghurt containers – yes, it’s tough and challenging! Reusable containers and beeswax/reusable wraps are encouraged. Fruit/food waste is fine as long as it goes home or is thrown on the vegetable compost pile. Only solid drink bottles accepted (not disposable plastic bottles that students say they will reuse!) 

The Year 7 Sustainability Leaders are Indira Alappatt and Charlotte Quigley, and we commend them for their initiative and commitment. This is a great example of genuine moral leadership.

More information about our call to be stewards of creation can be found HERE. 

Below is a copy of Laudato si’.

Bill Fitzsimons

Level Leader: Year 7