Environmental Studies >> Water
Core Sustainability Programs
Our H2O heroes are the WATER WIZARDS.
They’re out to save every drop of precious water. In a blink they turn off taps and collect water from the bubblers in buckets.
This H2O is then used to make plants grow. Their magic is already at work in the toilets and on every tap where special valves slow the flow of water. They prevent the wastage of water everyday in lots of ways.
Growing
Water saving mechanisms, including dual flush toilets tanks to supply all toilets, timer taps, Aquabubblers, buckets under taps and replacement of old leaking pipes.
Despite population increase and some extensive leaks, our water consumption graphs show that last year we reduced our water usage by over 25% and we are on track to improve further this year.
We propagate and plant indigenous native flora - using water crystals and mulch tanbark
Discovering
Water Day activities allowed students to measure water usage in everyday life and raised issues (living with little/no water) through explorations and support of Water Aid. Students carried water containers on their head to gain perspectives on how some people access daily water.
Local environment excursions provoked discussion about water pollution. Environmental Leaders created a water rap to spread the message and presented at several venues, including a Yarra Valley Water LILI PD. They capably communicated aspects of ENPS’s water reduction practices (that have been instrumental in ENPS becoming a gold LILI school) as 50 participants joined their school tour.
Creating
Gardens are only watered using rain or harvested water. By embedding SS across the whole curriculum, we learn about water and develop water saving practices. Creative talents of the students appear in song, poems, slogans and messages around the school and in gardens.
Whole school involvement
Structure
The school improvement team with input from students and school community plans water activities. Whole school events occur in water week. Problems are readily identified with Smart Meter, SETs monitoring and audits. Water events focused on the water we use and monitoring were incorporated in World Environment Day activities and families nominated actions in the Greenhouse Games challenge. The focus this year in all these programs is to reduce our water consumption.
Resources
Provision of grants to fund water saving initiatives, appropriate materials, reference material, access to expertise, excursions and incursions has enhanced the classroom, coaching and extra curricular learning for all students.
Communication
Information for and by Environmental Leaders, other students, members of the SIT team is regularly communicated. The trend to use the website ensures student activities, newsletter updates and general information relating to Water are available to the whole community.
Continuing the learning
Our students explored water websites as a part of their learning units of work. Regular newsletter updates with actions, information for students and parents ( GHG challenge helpful hints) are posted on the school website.
Achievable Change
Achieving success has spurred us on to involve both students and our school as a resource and provide support. We have set up partnerships with other schools to help them in their SS journeys and examine how we can address water education at all levels of the curriculum.
A Great Start
Water education starts with our transition program when our new Preps and parents are introduced to our water hydration program and start the year with water bottles (water hydration program) that are easily refilled at the Aquabubblers. Early in the year they are introduced to our ENPS Enviro Water Heroes –the Water Wizards.
Support
ENPS’s management structure supports the implementation of the SS components, including Water. Our School Improvement Team has representation from each level of the school ensuring effective communication and implementation of our long term plans. A budget and the School Council facilities team supports these actions. Our curriculum includes units of work based on Water, and the coaching program expands learning opportunities for water conservation practices. Support comes from Yarra Valley water, Melbourne Water, Edendale farm and other providers. Water audits conducted by Environmental Leaders, monitoring our usage via sets and State of the school reports, as well as our Smart Water Meter monitoring - reinforce and encourage the water conservation strategies. Helpful hints / information is communicated through projects like: Greenhouse Games Challenge, Water Week activities and World Environment Day activities. Monitoring our water usage reveals that despite a significantly larger school population (25% increase) and leaks from old pipes, we have still managed further savings of around 25%.
Our Journey
Some of our achievements include success in reducing usage, increasing our learning about water and involving everyone in our journey We call this our H20 plan
ENPS received accreditation for the Water module. The focus of this module is to reducing water consumption, support student initiated projects in the school and community, and model water wise projects and activities for local communities.
How can we keep reducing?
Our mission continues the search for opportunities to reduce water usage by maximising water harvest and reducing water flow. ENPS is utilising a $50,000 water grant to supply additional water tanks to service all toilet blocks, gardens and greenhouse. Toilets and taps have been upgraded.
To Increase Learning
Learning occurs across the school in many forums, including powerful peer learning in multi-age activities:
Our Environmental Leaders engage in a variety of tasks: meetings, discussions, monitoring, leading classmates, presenting in and beyond the school setting (an original H2O rap at Water LILI launch), Assemblies.
On World Environment day mixed–age groups from Prep to year 6 engaged in a range of water activities.
Planning includes: Level 3 unit - utilising water LILI program, Yarra Valley Water, Waterwatch and an action research project at Edendale farm
Others involved in the journey
To develop broad understandings and a comprehensive range of experiences utilises various resources: local community and council, DEECD, Waterwatch, Yarra Valley Water, Edendale, CERES. Fundraising activities e.g. Water for Life develops students as global citizens and raises awareness of our precious resource – H2O.
To achieve these significant Water Smart outcomes we have implemented some effective solutions.
As our school population has risen we have had to address a number of challenges: providing extra facilities, increased demand (computer usage, interactive whiteboards, extra classrooms, installation of air conditioning). Our auditing processes reveal that our usage has remained constant. This indicates that our shutdown practices and Energy Saving Devices have compensated for increased demand. Our challenge now is to explore opportunities to continue further reduction of energy throughout the school. Our involvement in the Carbon Sinks project is providing us with goals and opportunities to achieve this. An application for a Solar grant, another energy audit, involvement in carbon sinking projects like: Local land care (carbon sequestration) all have the aim of reducing energy usage and our carbon footprint.
Promotion of the ‘Walking School Bus’ and ‘Walk on Wednesday’ programs are simple initiatives that our students and parents are being encouraged to support.
Unreliable power supply and energy sapping appliances were identified. The facilities team (School Council) has overseen an upgrade of power provision, installation of skylights (to enhance natural lighting). Energy efficiency has been considered in our building projects, including window placement and appropriate insulation, and in the upgrading of refrigeration and hot water systems.
Sustainability Policies
Environment Policy
Energy Policy
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