Jeffery, M., & Cribb, J. (2010, October 15)
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Priority Domain:
Water Conservation throughout the school By Jasmin Cutlack The Aim: The Water Sustainability Action Plan will help the committee to run a school in a more efficient way, assisting students to learn about saving water and teach the community about living in a manner that will leave a lighter impact on the planet. The financial implications of reducing water wastage are also significant. By learning about the costs involved in water consumption, we can go about the process of reducing that expenditure, saving money for the school so that funds can be spent better elsewhere. The Water Sustainability Action Plan has been developed with the vision of saving a valuable natural resource and engaging students in some constructive activities while also helping the environment. Action Plan Steps: Step 1: The process begins by discovering how much water the school uses. The general use of sprinkler systems, drinking fountains, amenities use and hosing concrete play and meal areas. Contact with the school’s cleaners will be informative to uncover what water is used for sanitation. The Water Saver Volunteer will make contact with the school sustainability officer, if one is employed at the school, regarding water consumption: how many kiloliters are used per day? Complete a school water audit to find out water usage, and wastage, throughout the school. A link to a School Water Audit can be found here: http://www.sydneywater.com.au/ Contact the administration department or Business Services Manager (BSM) at the school. This person is a large part of the Budgeting and Financial department. Make enquiries to the BSM about the cost of water rates: how it can be reduced so this money can be redirected to other facilities/departments. Timeframe: By Week 5 Term 1 Responsible: School Sustainability Officer, Volunteer, Admin/BSM, Cleaners. Step 2: The Volunteer will set up a meeting with the sustainability committee and talk about reducing water consumption:
The water usage includes washing for laundry and toilet flushing, along with irrigation of plants. Treated greywater is suitable to irrigate both food and non-food producing plants. The nutrients in the greywater, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, can provide an excellent fertilizer/food source for plants. •Reducing the need for fresh water. Saving on fresh water use can significantly reduce household water bills, but also has a broader community benefit in reducing demands on public water supply. •Reducing the amount of wastewater entering sewers or on-site treatment systems. Again, this can benefit the individual household, but also the broader community. Timeframe: Week 7 Term 1 Responsible: Cleaner, Aboriginal Representative, Teacher, Environmentalist, qualified plumber, student, volunteer. Step 3: Create a promotional package to inform the school staff, students and local community of the ‘Save Water’ sustainability plan that will be implemented into the school. Promotion of the plan involved the creation of posters and a weekly newsletter, created in conjunction with the volunteer and administration staff, to keep students, parents and community up-to-date about the program, how to use it and how it is proceeding/making a difference. Students can partake in an educational lesson on Water & Wetlands, which include the use of find-a-word puzzles, Indigenous perspectives and various wetland ecosystem classroom activities. Timeframe: From Week 9 Term1 Responsible: Volunteer, administration staff. Step 4: Volunteer to organise a class excursion with teachers. BSM and parents to assist with funding excursion to the local waterway and/or beach for students to understand water waste and pollution in the local community. Misuse of water, leads to a natural resource going into drains, and along with rubbish, leads to waterways, which eventually lead to the ocean. Pollution can harm marine life. The involvement of an Environmental expert is required to educate students on water waste, and the importance of recycling, reusing and reducing waste. A visit to a nearby Wildlife Sanctuary will educate students on the importance of not polluting our waterways and oceans. Timeframe: Term 2. Week 2 Responsible: Volunteer, teachers, BSM, Environmentalist. P & C, parents. Step 5: A thorough Water Sustainability Report to be created showing the impact the package has been on the school and community. The Report will include:
Timeframe: Mid-year Report due Term 2, Week 6. Responsible: Volunteer, BSM, Environmentalist, Students. |
What agencies, organizations, or individuals need to be involved?
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What resources will be needed and how could you obtain these resources?
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How will you track progress and know you have succeeded?
Progress can be tracked through the creation of the Water Sustainability Report: Step 5 of the plan.
The report details water savings (financially), water usage reduction and educational knowledge instilled into the community and students through excursions, classroom activities and informative newsletters. |
References
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Primary classroom resource. Retrieved from http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/21499ab3-dbc5-445d- ab82-ed727019de31/files/classroom-resource.pdf
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congruence-does-it-really-matter
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. (2016). Wetlands Find-a-word. Retrieved from
http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/21499ab3-dbc5-445d-ab82-ed727019de31/files/wetlands-word- games.pdf
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Earth Living. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://nabilaandya98.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/mother-earth.jpg
Get Involved. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ashmoress.eq.edu.au/Ourcommunity/PandC/Pages/PandC.aspx
Green Plus. (2016). Sustainability Plans: What is it?. Retrieved from http://gogreenplus.org/nuts-and-bolts-guide/performance-nuts-
and-bolts-guide/sustainability-management/sustainability-plans/
Green Tourism. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/hanisivai/final-green-tourism-
13-oct-2014
Hovdal, B. (Photographer). (n.d.). Water Heart. [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock- photos -water-heart-isolated-white-background-image39869098
Jeffery, M., & Cribb, J. (2010, October 15). Water is the key to sustainability. The Australian. Retrieved from
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/
Join Sustainable Human. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sustainablehuman.me/
Martirena, Alfredo. [Cartoonist]. (2015). Water Leak. [Cartoon]. Retrieved from https://www.cartoonstock.com/
Nilikha (Artist). (n.d.). Conserve Water. [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-conserve-
water-image24737835
Our Mission. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://oritamefabaptistchurch.org/ourmission.php
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http://www.dreamstime.com/
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Sustainability. [Image]. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.stockland.com.au/residential/vic/highlands-sustainability.aspx
Sustainability: meeting present needs.[Image]. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.sustrana.com/blog/2015/8/31/meeting-present-
needs-just-because-you-can-doesnt-mean-you-should
Sustainability Resources for the next generation and the next. [Image]. (2016). Retrieved from
http://bv.com/Home/news/solutions/energy/sustainability-resources-for-the-next-generation-and-the-next
Sydney Water. (2013). School Water Audit. Retrieved from http://www.sydneywater.com.au/
Vallat, B. (Artist). (2016). Sustainability. [Image]. Retrieved from https://bastiendesign.com/?s=sustainability
Water Sustainability. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ecm.co.uk/water-management/water-sustainability/
What Tour Operators Can Do To Promote Sustainability. [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.rezdy.com/blog/what-tour-
operators-can-do-to-promote-sustainability/World Commission on the Environment and Development. (1987). Our Common
Future. Retrieved from http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf
Who are we? [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nationalprotection.net/who-we-are
Why. [Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.authenticmoms.com/the-why-behind-authentic-moms/
Youth Thinkers' Society. (2015). Types of Sustainability. Retrieved from http://ytsnepal.org/blog/types-of-sustainability/