Sustainability is high on our agenda at Byron Bay Public School where we aim to promote and develop sustainable practices within the school community. At the end of 2022, we were visited by Damon Gameau who showed his latest film and talked to students about regenerating Australia. At a seed propagation workshop which followed, students planted seeds which were ready to be transplanted at the Regeneration Festival on Saturday 4 March 2023 in the Mullumbimby Community Gardens. Students happily gave up their Saturday afternoon to take part in the tree planting.
As part of a regeneration project thirty-one students travelled by bus to Mullumbimby on 15 March 2023, where they met Dr Ray Moynihan and his team to help plant 700 trees on some public land in Mullumbimby. This was the culmination of several activities that Byron Bay Public School students have been involved in. Some of these young trees were planted at a seed propagation workshop at school last October 2022. The students worked hard and enjoyed learning 'hands on' how to help their natural environment.
The following week, students worked with Spencer from The Colony Bees Association and volunteer gardener Deb to plant trees for bees at the northeast corner of the school grounds. Planting for bees means supplementing the existing ecosystem with pollen and nectar sources through the seasons. Spencer and his team will be returning next term to run sustainable bee workshops to teach students about the vital role of bees in a sustainable community.
Term One 2023 ended with all classes participating in a recycling relay, coordinated by Linda Tohver from Northeast Waste. These fun-filled, energetic, education sessions were aimed at teaching students how to correctly sort waste into the three bins provided at school. Waste Warriors from amongst the senior students are in training to assist students in the lunch areas as they dispose of waste into the correct bins. Much of our food waste goes into the four Subpods we purchased with money from the Sustainable School’s Grant which we were successful in securing back in 2020. With 2000 worms housed in each unit, we worked out that each Subpod could use 30 kilos of waste per week. That certainly gives us some food for thought!