A new waste education program for schools in the Whitsundays will aim to educate the region’s youngest citizens on how to reduce their carbon footprint.
The new program focuses on broader efforts to help protect the Great Barrier Reef in relation to reduction of organic waste going to landfill.
The School Waste Minimisation Program is being delivered by Whitsunday Regional Council and EnviroCom Australia to support schools in taking a bigger step in reducing rubbish and food waste.
Acting Mayor Mike Brunker said that implementing a program like this in our region’s schools aims to change behaviours around waste from an early age.
“[It] helps students develop good habits and of course take those ideas home to share with the family,” the Acting Mayor said.
“This program provides a fantastic opportunity to show our children how to make the right choices when it comes to waste with a focus on the reduction of food and garden waste to landfill, and how to prevent waste in the first place.”
The program promises to teach students about waste minimisation through activities like conducting a school waste audit, and the setting up of a goal-oriented Waste Management Plan, and organic waste diversion systems.
It hopes to implement these as ongoing programs.
“Living on the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef, it’s exciting we can provide them with the tools they need to implement ongoing sustainable waste management practices and help protect our environment now and into the future,” Mr Brunker said.
Whitsunday schools will soon be asked to complete an Expression of Interest to participate in the program anticipated to commence in Term 3.
