Photo: Supplied.
FROM MRS. HEATHER CASTLE, MURARRIE STATE SCHOOL
How do you get a whole nation recycling better? Part of the answer might lie with our children.
Students in Years 2, 3 and 4 at Murarrie State School undertook a deep investigation into the amount and type of rubbish in the school bins and the community. Teaching adults how to change their habits can be difficult, which is why our students argue targeting the younger members of the house could be the key to change.
“The kids love it; they go home and they teach their parents, and that’s really what we want to happen,” classroom teacher Miss Jo Young said. “The idea is they teach their family and anyone who’ll listen, and we basically try and get them to promote recycling, sustainability.”
The students undertook a “War on Waste” action project, which entailed gathering data in a range of ways, including collecting, sorting and weighing the school’s rubbish.
The students were then honoured to be invited to present the “War on Waste” action research findings at Di Farmer MP’s Eco Forum. Visitors to the stall were amazed by the breadth of the students’ research, the depth of the students’ knowledge about sustainability, and how passionate the students were about persuading our community to improve how we manage our waste and work towards a more sustainable solution.
Students said they were teaching their parents and friends about what they can and can’t put in their recycling bins. This is vitally important!
Murarrie students are active in addressing real-world problems, which makes a difference in them becoming lifelong active community members.
