Students at one Australian school will soon be bringing home more than just their homework at the end of each day. They’ll be taking their trash, too.
Melbourne Girls’ College is set to launch a new initiative this school year that aims to create what they hope will be a zero-waste environment by having students carry out their garbage.
The principal of the school says the plan is aimed at raising the consciousness of its 1,400 student body with the hope the ideas of reusing, recycling, and repurposing, will stick with them.
One thing they’ll notice for sure — the classrooms will have no trash cans.
There will be three «exception bins,» the principal said, where students can dispose of things that might be too difficult to take home. She added that there will also be recycling stations that students will be able to utilize.
Money told ABC Radio Melbourne that part of the aim if to have students bring their lunch in containers made from recycled plastic. She also hopes they will minimize the use of disposable wrapping and packaging.
«We’re just trying to make it about education,» she said. «Not everyone is convinced yet, but I think we at least need to give it a go.»
Source of the notice: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/29/world/australia-school-take-home-trash-trnd/index.html
Thousands of Australian school students have urged greater action on climate change in protests across the country.
The students skipped school on Friday to highlight what they say are inadequate climate policies by the Australian government.
On Monday, Australian PM Scott Morrison rebuked their plans for «activism» during school hours and insisted his government was tackling climate change.
Many students said his remarks had bolstered their resolve to protest.
«We will be the ones suffering the consequences of the decisions they [politicians] make today,» protester Jagveer Singh, 17, told the BBC.
Australia has committed to reducing its emissions by 26-28% on 2005 levels by 2030, under the Paris climate agreement.
Mr Morrison most recently cited a renewable energy target, a clean energy purchasing fund, and a hydropower project as evidence of Australia’s progress.
He told parliament on Monday: «What we want is more learning in schools and less activism in schools.»
Resources Minister Matt Canavan, meanwhile, angered protesters by saying students would not learn anything from «walking off school and protesting».
«The best thing you learn about going to a protest is how to join the dole [welfare] queue because that’s what your future life will look like,» he told a radio interviewer.
Many students held placards criticising the government, and PM Morrison specifically. «I hate ScoMo [Scott Morrison] more than I hate school,» one said.
Australia had made «no improvement» in its climate policy since last year, according to the emissions gap report.
School Strike 4 Climate Action protests have been held in every state capital and 20 regional towns.
The BBC asked several students why they were taking part.
‘Education is our only power’
Image captionMilou Albrect (l) and Harriet O’Shea Carre organised the protest
The idea started with Milou Albrect and Harriet O’Shea Carre, both 14, in the state of Victoria.
«The climate change emergency is something we have been thinking about for a long time,» Harriet said.
«We wrote letters and did different things but they never seemed to make a difference. Really, education, is our only power. By sacrificing that [on Friday], it’s making a big point.»
Milou said: «We want our government to acknowledge publicly that climate change is a crisis. Stop digging coal, stop making new coal mines, switch to renewable energy.»
‘It’s really scary for us’
Image copyrightJULIAN MEEHANImage captionJean Hinchcliffe, 14, organised a rally in Sydney
Jean Hinchcliffe, 14, saw the idea to protest grow in Victoria and decided to start one in her home city, Sydney.
«I can’t just sit around until I’m old enough to vote,» she said.
«Everyone, all young people, we can see that climate change is a real issue and we’re completely sick of politicians’ inaction.
«It’s really scary for us, to see how it’s going to impact our future,» she said, citing fears about rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
‘It’s been an issue our whole life’
Image copyrightRUBY WALKERImage captionRuby Walker says her generation has grown up thinking about climate change
Ruby Walker, 16, organised a protest in her town of Inverell, about 570km (350 miles) north of Sydney, after seeing others’ plans on Facebook.
She had also been inspired by the activism of high school students in the US during environment and gun control debates, she said.
«I think social media is a big part of it. You’re constantly seeing these issues happening around the world and seeing other students stick up for things you believe in,» she said.
«I feel like Australia is an embarrassment when it comes to climate change.»
Source of the notice: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-46380418
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