Sustainability North College
School Environmental Management Plan
2014-2017
This School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) outlines Sustainability North College’s
commitment to sustainability. It highlights our achievements to date and a plan for what we would like
to achieve in the future.
This SEMP has been developed as part of ResourceSmart Schools, which we joined in 2014.
ResourceSmart Schools is a Victorian Government initiative that will help our school benefit from
embedding sustainability in everything we do. Our school will take action to minimise waste, save
energy and water, promote biodiversity and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainability
Victoria and Westside Council have funded us to participate in ResourceSmart Schools and receive
facilitation support from CERES.
Our SEMP is made up of the following key documents:
A. Education for Sustainability Vision
B. Sustainability Policy
C. Green Procurement Policy
D. Sustainability Snapshot
E. Curriculum Review
Date of next review: September 2017
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
A. Education for Sustainability Vision
At Sustainability North College we strive to inspire our whole school community to connect with the
environment and to make positive contribution to sustainability at school, home and beyond.
B. Sustainability Policy
Rationale
Sustainability North College aims to reduce our ecological footprint through adopting sustainable
practises in our everyday practices. We will achieve this by continuing to integrate sustainability into all
areas of the curriculum and instilling a sense of ownership of and pride in improving the environment.
We will lead the community by demonstrating exemplary practices in waste management, water and
energy usage, and continue to develop the school grounds to promote biodiversity.
Guidelines
Energy
 Reduce the use of energy consumption within the school.
 Where possible, replace fluorescent lights with LED lamps.
 Use resources and equipment as efficiently as possible.
 Include students in the process of developing and maintaining an Energy Efficient school.
 Students to be responsible for reducing energy use in their classrooms e.g. monitors
 Reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
Waste
 To minimise rubbish and recycle our waste throughout the school, as much as possible, on a
daily basis.
 To minimise the amount of paper waste that is produced. E.g. use paper on both sides, shred
the paper etc.
 Students to take responsibility for disposing of food scraps, paper and rubbish in the
appropriate manner.
 To reduce contamination of commingled (container) recycling.
 To have a “Nude Food School” on a permanent basis and students to take home any rubbish
they bring to school.
 To maintain the compost bin/worm farm.
Biodiversity
 To use a garden plan for the future development of our school grounds.
 To utilise our garden area to its full extent.
 To involve community members in maintenance of school grounds.
 For each year level to have ownership in the upkeep of an area of school grounds.
Water
 To reduce the water consumption within the school.
 To use resources and equipment as efficiently as possible.
 To involve students and staff in the planning of water conservation initiatives.
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
Aims and Targets
We aim to achieve the following goals and targets over the next three years:
1. To reduce waste by 25%.
2. To reduce water consumption by 10%.
3. To reduce energy consumption by 25%.
4. To increase the school community’s involvement in the vegetable garden.
Implementation
Curriculum focus
 There will be an environmental focus incorporated into the inquiry unit across all year levels
and in the classroom where possible.
Energy
 To promote a ‘switch off when you leave’ policy for technological equipment, lighting and
heating/cooling.
 Students to engage in units of work relating to energy.
 Students will investigate the best ways to conserve energy.
Waste
 To assign students to dispose of waste and recycled products daily in the appropriate manner.
 Student monitors to collect food waste daily and transfer it to the compost bin.
 Encourage use of both sides of the paper before disposal.
 Encourage double-sided printing/photocopying where possible.
 Use recycled paper for printers, photocopiers.
 Promote the reuse of one-sided paper in classrooms, staffroom and office.
 Shredded paper to be disposed of into the compost bin.
Biodiversity
 Consult local community members on ways to improve our garden (e.g. Where to plant, what
to plant).
 Involve community members in planting and maintaining our gardens.
 Enhance the wetlands area to attract more wildlife and to provide a ‘wildlife corridor’.
 Engage students and staff in the maintenance of our gardens.
 Continue to grow and harvest a range of vegetables/herbs to be utilised in kitchen classes.
Water





To promote a ‘water-wise turn off’ policy.
Students to engage in units of work relating to water conservation.
To assign students to monitor water usage and report wastage.
Repair and replace faulty taps when required.
Plant trees and plants that require minimal watering.
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
Community Involvement
We will encourage community participation in environmental projects undertaken, as well as invite
parents with expertise to help maintain and improve our school environment. We will also promote
sustainable living through educating the school community through our students.
All people within our school will be informed and responsible for implementing these programs. The
various committees in conjunction with the Principal will be responsible for keeping records and
reporting on the outcomes and progress of each program to the whole school community, through
school newsletters and the annual report. The parties involved will provide reports to staff and School
Council outlining the goals, aims, costing, savings and other relevant issues.
Evaluation
This policy will be reviewed every three years.
Next review: September 2017
C. Green Procurement Policy
Rationale
Sustainability North College is committed to sustainable practices within its community. It will
endeavour to purchase ‘green products’ in order to reduce its environmental impact and to help ‘close
the loop’.
Sustainability North College wishes to reduce its ecological footprint and to educate students on
making environmentally friendly choices for life.
Guidelines
When feasible, Sustainability North College will:
 Purchase 100% recycled paper for printers and photocopiers.
 Set printers to double sided print as default.
 Limit the amount of advertising materials sent home to students.
 Purchase furniture, equipment and other materials made from recycled materials.
 Source recycled products for book orders.
Evaluation
This policy will be reviewed every three years.
Next review: Semptember 2017
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
D. Sustainability Snapshot
In this snapshot we are documenting workplace, infrastructure and daily operations and community
engagement plus identifying opportunities for improvement.
Last updated: September 2014
Resource Area
BIODIVERSITY
ENERGY
WASTE
WATER
Targets
Increase
our habitat quality score
every year
250 kWh of electricity
0.9 GJ of natural gas
0.4 tonnes CO2 greenhouse gas
per student, per year
0.3 m3
of landfill waste
per student, per year
4 KL
of mains water
per student, per year
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
BIODIVERSITY
Audit Investigations
Measuring the number, health
and types of plants and animals
What we are doing?




Gardens for indigenous plants
and animals
Vegetable and herb gardens,
chickens, compost, worm farms
Activating Our
Community
Educating and empowering the
people in our school and local
community eg. projects,
campaigns, events, school tours,
sharing our stories





Orchard
Greenhouse
Kitchen Garden Program for
3-6












Nude Food Days
Clean Up Aus Day
Enviro Week
World Enviro Day
Newsletter articles
Staff PD
Kitchen Garden
Enviro Ed as a subject
Working Bees
I sea, I care
Eco Cubby
Regular Emu Bobs



Food Gardens


We have plants that
encourage bird life
Diverse plants
Wetlands – snakes and
frogs
Butterfly garden
We have rules about the
wetlands
We encourage respect for
the environment


Habitat Gardens
Garden classes
Lots of garden areas
Lots of diverse plants
What could we do better?
What else could we do?

Example document created by CERES Environment Park





More animal homes
Need to conduct
biodiversity audit
Start monitoring
Nesting boxes
Bird bath
Are they making a link?
Re-do indigenous garden
Make canteen user friendly
More Nude Food
encouragement
Make Nude Food Day
everyday instead of once a
term.
Student Leadership &
Celebration
Student role models, leaders,
teams, clubs
Celebrating and lifting the profile
of what we do
ENERGY
Audit Investigations
Measuring electricity, gas and
how people travel to and from
school







What we are doing?



Energy Efficiency
Lighting, heating, cooling,
computers, appliances,
signage, renewable energy






Activating Our
Community
Educating and empowering the
people in our school and local
community eg. projects,
campaigns, events, school tours,
sharing our stories
Enviro Leaders
Animal Carers
Classroom monitors for
compost bins etc
Competition for Nude Food
Day
Clean Up Australia Day
Earth Hour
Walk safely to school








Walk to school day
SWEP monitor our energy
use
Turning off unused
appliances
Timer lights
Motion sensor lights
Energy saving photocopiers
Using natural light in
classrooms
Signs in classrooms to turn
off lights
Solar panels on roof
Food Garden Program
Nude Food days
Earth hour
Walk to school day
Enviro Ed
Environment in mentioned
in school tours
Working Bees
School Grounds for
Learning
Example document created by CERES Environment Park


Posters, Campaigns and
student projects
More information at
assemblies and/or
announcements
What could we do better?
What else could we do?












Walking school bus
More kids should be
walking/riding to school
Using SWEP resources
More Solar panels
More efficient appliances
Encourage wearing jumpers
in winter instead of having
heaters on all the time
Keep heating/air con at a
comfortable level
Delamping in some areas?
Solar hot water
5 star appliances
Assembly updates on how
we’re going
More Enviro stuff in the
newsletters
Student Leadership &
Celebration
Student role models, leaders,
teams, clubs
Celebrating and lifting the profile
of what we do
WASTE







What we are doing?

Audit Investigations
Measuring landfill waste,
recycling, compost, rubbish free
lunches, paper usage







Waste Systems
Enviro and Kitchen Leaders
Garden Clubs
Wetlands Club
Compost and Recycling
Monitors
Animal Carers
Garden leaders
Nude Food Competitions


What could we do better?
What else could we do?
Small landfill bins and large
recycling bins
Recycle Paper
Compost bins in classrooms
Recycling bins for
containers in classrooms
Nude Food Days


Nude Food Days
Compost for garden
Container recycling
2nd hand uniform shop


Signage, using bins, rubbish free
lunches, paper use and reuse,
collecting food scraps





Recycled toilet paper
Green Purchasing
Buying products that are better
for the environment and for the
people who are involved in
making them (fair trade)
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
Nude Food Week instead of
random days



Reduce canteen litter
Encourage more double
sided printing
Reuse old worksheets
Shred used paper and put
in compost
Purchase a bokashi bin
Increase signage in
classrooms, corridors,
offices, public places in
school.
Use less paper! (students to
be involved in monitoring
paper being used on both
sides before it is recycled)
Mobile phone recycling
Buy paper made from
recycled paper
Buy more fair trade
products
Environmentally friendly
cleaning products
Activating Our
Community

Enviro blog

Educating and empowering the
people in our school and local
community eg. projects,
campaigns, events, school tours,
sharing our stories
Student Leadership &
Celebration
Student role models, leaders,
teams, clubs
Celebrating and lifting the profile
of what we do
WATER





Measuring our water use, our
impact on our waterways, litter,
soil, run off
Water Efficiency
Pipes, tanks, taps, toilets,
dishwashers, appliances,
sprinklers, irrigation, gardens
Enviro Leaders
Awards for Nude Food
results
Garden Club
Animal Carers
What we are doing?

Audit Investigations









Wetlands provide a home
for frogs and other native
wildlife
Mulch
Measuring water use
through SWEP
All water off our buildings
goes either into our water
tanks or wetlands
Using water tanks
Mulch/compost use
Native plants in wetlands
Block off grassed areas for
growth
Reduced pressure on
students taps and cisterns
Example document created by CERES Environment Park

Share student projects
more
Run more competitions
with families and
communities
Keep people informed of
our energy/water use, via
newsletters and school
website
Apply for ResourceSmart
Schools awards
What could we do better?
What else could we do?








Put signs up to remind
students to use less water
Sensors on taps
New washers
Cleaners store room has a
leaking tap
Other leaking taps in toilets
Buckets under taps for
plants
Water funnels for new trees
Toilets flushed using tank
water
Activating Our
Community
Educating and empowering the
people in our school and local
community eg. projects,
campaigns, events, school tours,
sharing our stories


Grade 5 Frog project –
corroborree frog
Enviro videos
Student Leadership &
Celebration
Student role models, leaders,
teams, clubs
Celebrating and lifting the profile
of what we do

Grade 6 Enviro Leaders
Example document created by CERES Environment Park




Posters in kitchen/toilet etc
Implement Eco Cubby
Project
Discuss at assemblies
Attend Melbourne Water
Kids Teaching Kids
conference
E. Curriculum Overview
We are committed to including a sustainability/environmental focus into inquiry units across all year level and as part of daily classroom practices where
possible.
Last updated: September 2014
Year
6
5
4
3
Name of Inquiry Unit, Curriculum Area or Learning Activity
Term 2 – (WED) - Climate change
Term 3 & 4 (Food Garden Program) – (Life cycle of plant, seed dispersal,
chicken anatomy, history of gardening, benefits of bees, compost, daylight
changes)
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Term 2 – (WED) – Frogs and invertebrates in our wetlands
Term 3 &4 – Animals
One semester (Food Garden Program) – (Life cycle of plant, seed dispersal,
chicken anatomy, history of gardening, benefits of bees, compost, daylight
changes)
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Term 2 – (WED) – Birdlife – bird nesting birds
One semester (Food Garden Program) – (Life cycle of plant, seed dispersal,
chicken anatomy, history of gardening, benefits of bees, compost, daylight
changes)
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Term 4 - Geography
Term 2 – (WED) – Interactive Catchment Education
One semester (Food Garden Program) – (Life cycle of plant, seed dispersal,
chicken anatomy, history of gardening, benefits of bees, compost, daylight
changes)
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Example document created by CERES Environment Park
Biodiversity
Water
Waste
Energy












2
1
P
Term 2 – (WED) – Interactive Water Cycle
Term 3 – Natural disasters
Term 3 – Food chains
Term 4 – Landmarks
Term 3 – Nude Food
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Term 2 – (WED) – Recycling Race
Term 1 – Habitats
Term 3 – Endangered animals
Term 3 – Nude Food
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Term 2 – (WED) - Compost and worms
Term 1 – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Term 2 – Connecting to Nature
Term 3 – Weather
Term 4 – Animal coverings/baby animals
Term 3 – Nude Food
Term 1 – Setting up for Success (Recycling, compost, bin and energy saving
monitors)
Term 4 – Geography e.g. school, home, natural/man-made
Example document created by CERES Environment Park











