Pals, which is made up of 30 student leaders across the school. The Planet Pals are led by Meaghan Webster the Sustainability Coordinator for the college and the Principal Bryan Ridgeway is very encouraging of the group’s activities. The Planet Pals meet every two weeks to discuss ways to make the College more sustainable and work toward gaining 5 star Resource Smart accreditation.
One of the first activities of the Planet Pals was to arrange a World Environment Day Festival. As well as being declared a nude food day, students and teachers dressed up in environmentally themed clothing and set up stalls selling and displaying sustainable goods.
The fundraising efforts at the festival were so great that the Planet Pals could afford to get paper recycling bins for the classrooms. Now the Pals have a roster to empty the paper and monitor for contamination. It’s not all smooth sailing yet though, as Meaghan explains. “We still have a problem with the bins being vandalized.”
Littering is also a lingering problem but the Pals have put in place a system for all levels in the school to manage the rubbish. Each level is responsible for a particular area of the school grounds and after lunch the Pals inspect and monitor littering levels. This is done with a visual guide put together by the schools’ maintenance department. The waste board has a movable arrow and following inspection is placed on low, medium or high. The message is clear and students know when more effort is required and it provides positive feedback when the arrow is on low.
The Pals also hand out cards during recess and lunchtime to students they see handling rubbish responsibly. These cards can be redeemed for prizes.
Since this system has been introduced parents and teachers have commented on the litter free appearance of the school grounds.
Meaghan and the Planet Pals have got lots of enthusiastic helpers to ensure their success. “I feel good knowing that the school is becoming more environmentally friendly and it is a fun challenge,” remarks one Rosebud student. Another agrees. “My favourite part is knowing I’ve made a difference to the school and its community.”
Rosebud Secondary College was a finalist for the Waste Smart School of the Year in 2008 and the judges were very impressed with their efforts. “They are providing hands on, authentic learning and giving responsibility for maintaining and monitoring waste targets. It’s great to see students and staff working together for a whole school approach.”
