Rutherglen Primary School

Rural/Regional: Located in north-east Victoria
Student enrolment: 230

Themes: Core,Waste, Water
Key Elements: Whole School Commitment,Community Links, Curriculum Plans, Policy, Action Plans, Implementation
Partnerships: Local Agricultural Institute, North East Water

Awards
Winner 2004 Waste Wise Primary School of the Year
Winner 2004 Regional Waste Wise School of the Year

Leadership
Students take visiting teachers and students on tours of the school to highlight environmental achievements and projects.

“The Senior students of the school are role models to the younger students.” Grade 6 student.

Summary

Rutherglen Primary School has been involved with the EcoRecycle Waste Wise School's Program for six years and has now extended its environmental activities from waste to water through Sustainable Schools. Students have been engaged in designing and conducting their own water audits and through other activities are on track to meet water use reduction targets. The school was the subject of a case study looking at the flow-on effect of waste wise behaviours from the school to school families. To read this case study, please visit the Gould Institute

• Students run the compost area, featuring seedling raising beds, vegetable garden and soil production.
• Students empty the only outdoor bins, located in the quiet outdside eating area developed with native gardens.
• Student prizes and Rubbish Free Lunch days are a weekly feature, with many students generating zero waste.
• Classroom reuse and recycle bins are emptied by student monitors in to the large co-mingled bins, which are then set out for collection by the “Bin Buddies” on a fortnightly basis.
• The problem of weekend litter dropped by outside users has been overcome with a quick 4 minute clean every Monday after lunch.
• Students remove litter from nearby Lake King during the Annual Clean Up Australia Day.
• Students run the Waste Wise canteen which operates along strict green purchasing principles.

• Previously the 3 cubic metre bin was collected twice a week. Now the same bin is collected, on average twice a term and sometimes less. This 90% reduction in bin collection has led to substantial fianancial savings.
• The cleaner is (gladly) no longer employed to empty bins throughout the grounds (as they have been removed), saving hundreds of dollars in cleaning bills, and largely eliminating litter.
• The amount of paper purchased has been reduced by one quarter, photocopier costs have also been reduced, as have the cost of purchasing student supplies and water bills.
• The total savings for one year are $6831, a remarkable achievement.

• There is an extraordinary level of student involvement, ownership and empowerment.
• A complete curriculum package for all Key Learning Areas from prep to grade 6 has been developed for waste, with other areas of sustainability to follow.
• Grade six students prepared the winning Waste Wise Schools Awards entry was prepared and presented by the students of Grade 6 as a literacy and communication task, “an exhausting eight weeks, but very rewarding for the students”.

• School captains give a weekly sustainability tip at assembly which is published in the newsletter which goes out to families. Students are encouraged to take Waste Wise messages home from school.
• Winners of the weekly student Waste Wise competitions are published in the newsletter, giving recognition to families who provide rubbish free lunches.
• The school has run a number of sustainability forums for the local community on topics such as Waste Wise and the 4R’s.