REsource+Smart+Waste+Audit

** Audit of practices and plan for action ** ** School: Aquinas College ** ** Date: February 2011 Prepared by John Cull ** //58 practices required for certification// //Practices in place (17) practices for consideration (19) // //more immediate attention require d(5 litter) // A: Workplace/Daily Operations A1 Systems Design and Management //__ All __// practices present
 * ResourceSmart Certification Tool - Waste **
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Waste assessments undertaken ||   ||
 *  Litter assessments undertaken || ??? ||
 *  Baseline data completed and on School Environment Tracking System (SETS) ||   ||
 *  Use of DEECD’s advice to Principals to help support targets (Administrative Guidelines) or similar systemic initiatives for Catholic & Independent Schools ||   ||

A2 Development and Planning At least //__three__// practices present
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Whole school waste and litter reduction plan in place || Additional bins from visy for cardboard managed through science department ||
 *  Professional development for staff on waste, litter and associated themes ||   ||
 *  The school has applied for waste reduction related grants and/or entered environmental awards and competitions (e.g. Rubbish Free Lunch Awards, ResourceSmart Schools Awards) ||   ||
 *  Green Purchasing Policy in place || Review current practice and consider future options ||

** A3 Waste Reduction - Management, Maintenance and Monitoring ** At least //__five__// practices present


 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Interpretive signage provided (e.g. re what to place in bins, two sided printing reminders, paper reuse reminders) || Look to get more interpretive signage especially around paper reuse reminders ||
 *  Maintenance regimes implemented (e.g. for emptying compost buckets/ bins, turning compost) || VCAL students managing paper recycling and monitoring amounts ||
 *  Waste monitoring systems in place and waste data on Schools Environment Tracking System (SETS) || VCAL ||
 *  Green purchasing is taking place regularly || Follow up with checks on paper supply and other possibilities ||
 *  Progress made replacing paper copies with digital (e.g. newsletters, files, assignments) || College newsletter electronic display boards around the school information available on intranet for students ||
 *  School events target zero waste ||   ||

A4 Recycling - General //__ All __// practices present staff room operating since 2008 as part of council collection ||
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Paper recycling containers (e.g. printing) in place in classrooms, staffroom and administration areas || Visy recycling paper boxes and recycled computer boxes in most classrooms and admin areas throughout the school ||
 *  Cardboard and newspaper recycling containers in place in staffroom, canteen and administration areas || Cardboard storage bin organised Feb 2011 ||
 *  Recycling containers in place in canteen (subject to OH&S and if school has a canteen) || Check this ||
 *  Recyclable materials (e.g. bottles, cans, codes 1 – 7 plastic containers) commingled/recycling containers in place in school yards, staffroom, canteen and administration areas || Just implemented in senior school 2011

A5 Recycling - Other Materials At least //__two__// practices present
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Materials (e.g. corks, milk bottle tops, clothing) collected for social support, reuse, charity, donated goods programs or fundraising ||   ||
 *  Ink and toner cartridges (for refilling and/or recycling) and mobile phones, computers and peripherals (for recycling or donation) collected ||  Check on programs in place and advertise on intranet and web page  ||
 *  Used furniture collected for resale or recycling ||   ||
 *  Bikes, toys and other goods collected for reassignment (e.g. local charity) ||   ||
 *  Waste electronic and electrical products (WEEP) recycling/disposal process in place ||  Mobile phone collection in staffroom again check on who is managing  ||

** A6 Reuse ** //__ All __// practices present


 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Paper reuse containers in place in classrooms, staffroom and administration areas || Have seen some reuse in science prep room not widespread throughout the school ||
 *  Other products (e.g. plastic containers, photocopy paper, newspapers, shopping bags, boxes) collected for reuse || Some reuse of computer boxes as paper recycling boxes ||
 *  Reuse of single sided sheets in all printers ||   ||
 *  Furniture, decorations and other materials reused in school or community ||   ||
 *  Bins/lockers regularly cleaned out, contents sorted for reuse/recycling ||   ||

** A7 Reduction ** At least //__five__// practices present

Email parents ||
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  School uses green purchasing to reduce materials entering the school (e.g. recycled photocopy paper, unbleached toilet paper, recyclable cups) || Photocopy paper check on other avenues for green purchasing  ||
 *  Students actively encouraged to use reusable drink bottles and lunch boxes (e.g. divided lunchboxes on school equipment list) || promoting through middle school musings ||
 *  Paper reduction plan in place (e.g. double-sided photocopying, class sets of worksheets, family newsletters emailed) || Newsletter emailed
 *  School organises their own rubbish free lunch days/nude food at least once a term || Rubbish free lunch once at end of term 4 2010 as part of year 8 CEPD ||
 *  Minimisation practices in place for classrooms (e.g. reduction in photocopying handouts, regular photocopy free days) || Consider signage over photocopiers ||
 *  Reduction of newspapers, promotional materials, cardboard etc. entering school ||   ||
 *  School has carry in/carry out process for packaging waste ||   ||

** A8 Organic Waste Management ** At least //__five__// practices present

organic waste what amounts might be generated? ||
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Food scraps collected in classrooms, staffrooms, yards and canteen and incorporated in composting area /worm farm  || Foodscraps collected in staffroom ||
 *  Zero target for food scraps going to landfill ||   ||
 *  Garden waste composted/mulched || Investigate the purchase of a mulcher ||
 *  Large objects of garden waste chipped on or off site and used as mulch on school gardens || Site for collection, mulching and composting to be determined. Discuss with Laurie ||
 *  On-site or off-site well managed compost bins or heaps, worm farms and/or other animal fertilizer production ||   ||
 *  Composted material used in soil building (e.g. ‘vegie’ garden) ||   ||
 *  Effective micro organisms (e.g. Bokashi) used on organic waste || Bokashi used in staffroom need to check on Food technology
 *  Plantings favour low leaf loss, low water use, native and indigenous plants to reduce leaf fall || Not sure of the emphasis here or purpose of this ||

** A9 Litter ** //__ All __// practices present


 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Yards and other areas are mostly litter free and have signed rubbish bins with/out lids (as appropriate) or no bins || Contentious point here. We have the bins but the yard is not often litter free ||
 *  Student monitoring/auditing of yard litter || All these points need further work ||
 *  Meals eaten in designated eating areas or classrooms or process to minimise litter in yard (e.g. no wrapped food outside) ||   ||
 *  System in place to collect litter in yard (not used as a punishment activity) || Maintenance job or kids on duty ||
 *  Student reward system in place for litter management || Not apparent ||
 *  Canteen area has litter reduction systems in place || check ||
 *  Use of appropriate signs for bin lids and other waste management areas ||   ||

B: Learning and Teaching ** B1 Waste and Litter ** At least //__six__// practices present

· use of the school grounds as an authentic learning space for nature-based, informal, outdoor learning about waste · reduction in waste and litter · excursions to provide students with first hand experience of landfills and/or local waterways/natural areas and/or to waste education centres · links to home-based projects and behaviour change in waste and litter ||   ||
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  There is an action plan which clearly targets classroom activities across the school to address school sustainability in waste policy/curriculum (see //Learning to be Waste Wise// and/or ResourceSmart Schools teaching guide //How to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Waste in Schools// ) || Not sure that waste and litter education is targeted in class activities ||
 *  Clearly targeted classroom activities in waste and litter issues that match the students’ stages of learning and personal development ||   ||
 *  Classroom activities in waste and litter issues are clearly linked to outcomes in the Victorian Essential Learning Standards ||   ||
 *  Learning and teaching in the classroom are linked to practical, ‘hands-on’ activities that encourage:
 *  School program provides students with the opportunity to take responsibility for classroom activities and programs in waste issues || investigate ||
 *  Interactive ICT resources used by students to gain information on and increase understanding of waste and litter ||   ||
 *  School engages indigenous learning perspectives in curriculum development on environment and relates this to waste ||   ||
 *  Incursion to provide students and teachers with knowledge and motivation around waste and litter ||   ||
 *  Guest speakers as part of in-school education programs on waste and litter ||   ||
 *  Using SETS (Schools Environment Tracking System) as a curriculum activity to monitor progress in waste reduction in the school ||   ||

C: Whole School Engagement ** (Note: Implementing ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic – Waste program provides a whole school planning approach) ** ** C1 Policy and Reporting ** //__ All __// practices present


 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Waste policies, targets and action plan approved by School Council/planning committee ||   ||
 *  Regular communication of waste and litter activities and programs provided to the whole school (e.g. reports at school assemblies, annual school reports, newsletters, displays and end of year assemblies, parent/teacher night presentations, School Council reports) ||   ||
 *  Regular feedback on the waste and litter activities and programs sought from the whole school (students, staff, parents, school council/committee and community support personnel) ||   ||
 *  At least one case study of school success in waste issues completed and uploaded onto school/departmental/sustainability website ||   ||
 *  Sustainability education in waste included as a priority or focus area or emphasis in the school goals (in School Plan, Policy, Administration and/or Curriculum Charts ||   ||
 *  School events target being ResourceSmart or zero waste ||   ||

** C2 Student and Parent Leadership ** At least //__two__// practices present


 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  Students involved in planning and managing the waste and litter program (e.g. Student Action Teams) || Investigate through SRC ||
 *  School environment leadership through students instituted in the school ||   ||
 *  School Environment Club active ||   ||
 *  Parents and other members of the school community assist in the planning and management of the waste module ||   ||
 *  Parents and other members of the school community assist in implementing actions of the waste module ||   ||

C3 Community and Communication Links At least //__four__// practices present
 * ** Towards best practice activities ** || ** Examples/Comments ** ||
 *  School liaises and/or works with local or regional waste or litter groups (e.g. regional/council education officer, litter task force, NGOs) to develop school-based and joint projects ||   ||
 *  Staff and/or students have attended local environmental network meetings ||   ||
 *  Staff and students participated in local waste and litter activities (e.g. Clean-Up Australia Day) ||   ||
 *  Questions about the attitudes and changes in home ResourceSmart behaviour included in annual parent surveys and wider school community surveys || Investigate inclusion of relevant questions ||
 *  Ideas and activities for being more ResourceSmart at home included in school newsletters to families || Include information in lighthouse ||
 *  Staff and/or students mentor other schools ||   ||
 *  Students and staff open dialogue about waste related issues with other schools across the nation and globe ||   ||
 *  Staff and/or students give presentations on their school waste and litter programs to other schools ||   ||
 *  School liaises with political representatives from local, state and federal governments and local business and local ‘friends of’ groups for support of projects ||   ||