Green School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School encourages a commitment to the environment. The school acknowledges the discussion on climate change and its associated issues. We recognize that each individual has an obligation to care for the natural environments and have a spirit of conservation towards the environment.

Holy Family Catholic Primary School seeks to assist students, parents and staff members understand that we each have an obligation to care for the environment. We realize that through a collective effort we can contribute to conservation. Holy Family Catholic Primary School implements a variety of programs to assist the environment and so show a spirit of conservation toward the natural world. Programs at the school include:

SOLAR POWER

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  • Turning lights off when the classroom is empty.
  • Turning power points off when not in use.
  • Use natural light and so turn some electrical lights off.
  • Use ‘economy’ mode for heating classrooms.
  • Turn heater off when the classroom is empty.
  • Where possible, turn heaters off 30 mins before the end of the day.
  • Use recycling facilities for paper, cardboard and plastic.

LIGHTS

Holy Family Catholic Primary School seeks to use energy saving lamps as replacement bulbs around the school. The use of incandescent lamps saving on lighting costs, reduce carbon emissions, are environmentally friendly and are energy saving.

WATER

Holy Family Catholic Primary School acknowledges that water conservation is important. The school has some automatic sprinkler systems which service our gardens and grounds. These systems operate at night to minimize evaporation. The sprinkler systems are adjusted seasonally to conserve water.

The school also seeks to fix leaking taps, bubblers, etc as soon as is possible as a demonstration of water responsibility.

Urinal flush flow is also turned off each afternoon to conserve water.

NEWSLETTER HINTS

Holy Family Catholic Primary School acknowledges a responsibility to help educate the wider community on matters of the environment and conservation. From time to time, the school publishes via the newsletter, hints for households which foster responsibility towards the environment.

‘WASTE WATCH PROGRAM’

Bathurst Regional Council conducts a ‘Waste Watch Program’, which is free to schools. From time to time, classes participate in this program. Council personnel visit the school to conduct workshops with the students that aim to minimise waste, reduce landfill and develop a spirit of conservation.

CLEAN UP

Each Friday, students engage in a ‘clean up’ at the school. This assists the school environment and ensures a minimization of litter and rubbish around the school playgrounds.

Holy Family Catholic Primary School participates in the ‘Clean Up Australia – Schools Day’ in March. This develops positive attitudes towards the ‘clean up’ and the environment.

FUTURE ‘GREEN’ DIRECTIONS

Holy Family Catholic Primary School acknowledges that in time, we can further improve our commitment to the environment. Some future ‘green’ directions for consideration include:

RECYCLING

Our local, Bathurst Regional Council implemented a kerbside recycling program in 2008. One of our students won a design competition to have a mural artistically painted onto the side of one of the new Council recycling vehicles. Our school name is proudly printed on the vehicle near the artwork.

On a weekly basis, Holy Family Catholic Primary School seeks to recycle as much paper, cardboard and plastic as is possible under the Council program. Class teaches are encouraged to develop student participation in the recycling program.

RECYCLED PAPER

Schools consume large quantities of paper. Copy paper as well as exercise books account for much of a school’s paper consumption. Where possible, Holy Family Catholic Primary School strives to purchase paper products, which include a percentage of recycled paper. We believe this shows a commitment to the environment and to conservation.

CLASSROOMS – THINKING GREEN!

Holy Family Catholic Primary School encourages staff to ‘think green’ at the school. By conserving energy we can each contributed to the environment. Some practical measures for classrooms include:

  • Installation of automatic monitors to toilet urinal flush systems.
  • Installation of low energy fluorescent light.
  • Installation of dual flush toilet cisterns.
  • Installation of rainwater tanks to assist toilet flushing and garden irrigation.

The school welcomes ideas from students, staff and parents that promote responsibility towards the environment.