The week ahead (August 26-30) is an exciting and full-on week for students at Sancta Maria College. With the dedication and planning from our Enviro Team, they have organised ‘Enviro Week’. This is the time to focus on all things Environment! Many interesting events are happening during Enviro Week, including the important collection of waste (glasses, batteries, mobile phones), peanut butter and soft plastics.
Did you know that phones, batteries and glasses are items that get put into landfill waste although they are still useful? Handing them into the Student Centre allows these products to be reused. No longer needed phones are sent for repair then sold on, with the proceeds going towards the Lions Club where they are cleaned, sorted and packaged to be sent to the ‘Sustainable Coastlines Organization’ and glasses are sent to Papakura on the way to the Pacific Islands for new owners.
The ‘Stream Clean Up Project’ took place earlier this year and the Year 7 and 8 students were fortunate to be involved in upgrading the stream near our school. We also now are focusing on the removal of pests, to help the newly planted trees in this area. To trap these pests, we need bait… any delivery of peanut butter donations to Mr Bidwell would be much appreciated.
We are bringing the Blue Bins back. These are placed outside CG8 and the Student Centre for our school’s benefit. The bins are for the collection of soft plastics only, plastics that do not go into recycling bins. This is because soft plastics are materials that can be used to create a range of important products in New Zealand. A bonus to this collection is house points will be allocated during Enviro Week homerooms.
Alongside the collections are other fun activities. We start the week on…
Monday: A special Enviro Speaker. He will be coming in and talking about climate change in the AM1/AM2 classrooms during lunchtime. Coming along includes a free pizza lunch.
Tuesday: Bring Your Re-useable Cup. Taking your cup to the School Café (CG6), on Wednesday and Thursday as well, will get you free hot chocolate and coffee. This is to challenge you to consider the number of single-use coffee cups used, that aren’t recyclable.
Wednesday: A Waste Free Day. There will be no bins in the courtyard per usual, so we can become responsible for our own waste and then take it home with us. The removal of the bins will make us think about the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Thursday: The ‘Plastic Free Lunch Challenge’. Bring your plastic-free lunch to school in your self-decorated paper bag. There is a pizza prize for the best, most creative, enviro-related paper bag in each homeroom. Waste Free Day continued.
Friday: Is Warm Mufti Day. We are considering the amount of electricity in use at school. Our heaters and lights will be turned off, for monitoring and to conserve power. Hot soup will be for sale so come dressed warmly along with your gold coin donation.
Be sure to take part in the activities, donate towards the collections, and look forward to enjoying this year’s Enviro Week!
Teresa Crocker
