National Tree Day (Part 1)

Mark from maintenance teaching us how to plant trees.

Jason Quek hard at work.

Danny, Julia and Erica are planting a tree together.

President Vincent planting a tree

On the 18th of September, Hurlstone environmentalists gathered for part 1 of National Tree Day. Gum trees were planted along the railway line and it was a great, fun experience for all involved. Big shout out to the Agriculture teachers who lent us their equipment, maintenance who taught us how to plant trees and was there with us for the majority of the day, and our photographers, Kesson from Year 10 and Elizabeth from Year 11. Overall the day was a success and this wouldn't have been possible if members didn't volunteer. So a huge thank to you if you helped out! Please keep an eye out for National Tree Day part 2, which will be bigger, better and just as enjoyable!

Country Fair 2013

Finger-print tree

Panda Made Me Do It with Ex-Hurlstonians

The panda made me hug a tree

Daniel Zhao playing the Ping Pong game

Plant A Wish

Vincent and Julia with Kate Ritchie

Hurlstone held its annual Country Fair on the 31st of August. This was a great opportunity for us to have our own stand with many fun awareness games and booths. Our aim this year was to promote sustainable practices and raise awareness in our school and community.

Games included the Ping Pong and Slime game. Many people who tried our games out, found it extremely difficult to win. We also had many booths along with our fun games. A finger-print tree banner was hung at the back wall for people to come by, contribute and decorate our tree with their own finger prints. We had a Plant a Wish Scheme towards the right side, where those who approached us with a plastic bottle which was to be recycled and used as a tree pot, were given a free plant. There was also a Panda Made Me Do It booth where those who came by, could write a message on the whiteboard and take photos with our lovely panda, Jason and Andy. Accompanying the booth was Pin the Nose on the Panda game. The Environment Committee also handed out pamphlets to raise awareness for different campaigns.

We were lucky to have a special guest visit our stand, ex-Hurlstonian actress Kate Ritchie!

Thank you to everyone who dropped by our stand and we hope we've enlightened you to become more environmentally friendly!

Garden Party

We can only achieve great things if we work together as a team!

Best Year 12 Members of 2013

Food!

On the 30th of August, the executives of the Environment Committee surprised members by throwing them a Garden Party as part of member appreciation. Members were reminded that it was all about them and each and every one of them were thanked for their large contributions to the environment and making the committee what it is today. Membership cards were given out and members enjoyed some bonding time with each other whilst feasting on a whole heap of lollies, chips, fairy bread, biscuits and more! Members were also encouraged to bring their own reusable cups for drinks as a small gesture to help save the environment.

Yen Eco Leadership Camp

Working together to create change

Youth Environment Network 2013

Getting ready for high-ropes

Brainstorming 'change' ideas

Teaching Year 3 students about the environment 

This month, five Hurlstone students: Vincent Anthony, Julia Pham, Tanya Huang, Cindy Nguyen, and Melissa Tran, were selected to attend the Youth Environmental Network Eco-Leadership camp at Wooglemai Environmental Education Centre. The 4 day camp was hosted by OzGreen and about 30 students from 11 schools around the South West Sydney Region attended. The camp aimed to bring together a network of like-minded students who were passionate about working towards a sustainable planet and to help them develop quality leadership skills that would help them gain the ability to teach their peers.


The camp was an amazing experience for young people to make new connections, and meet people with the same passion to not only save the environment, but to share their knowledge to others. Workshops were run throughout the camp. These workshops helped the students gain more and better knowledge and understanding of environmental and social issues, including climate change and the inequality of resources around the world. Not only did they learn about environmental and social issues, but the workshops (facilitated by teachers and OzGreen-Sue Lennox) also taught them valuable leadership skills that would allow them to return to their schools and teach their own peers.
The camp provided them with many fun and memorable experiences. Getting to hear stories and ideas from other young people like them was truly inspiring and the workshops gave them the motivation to work hard as a team to make a change for the better.

UWS Excursion

The Hawkesbury Forest Experiment

On the 9th of August, eight members of the Environment Committee were given the opportunity to go on an excursion to the University of Western Sydney. It was a fun experience for all as they learnt about new and interesting things including solar energy, animals, and scientific experiments such as the Hawkesbury Forest Experiment which was conducted at the university itself. The aim of the Hawkesbury Forest Experiment is to investigate and test many different variables including how Australian forests adapt to rising CO2 levels, rising temperature, and drought and how these factors and soil feritility impact the productivity and water yields of Australian forests. It is a significant experiment because it enables planning for the sustainable management of Australia's native planted forests in the future.

The excursion was an amazing experience because it allowed everyone to open their minds to new ideas and let them realise the importance of sustaining the environment. Those who attended the excursion realised that many people were taking actions to save the environment and became motivated to do the same. A big thank you to Mr Morrison for being kind enough the drive the students!

Wise Words to Fuel Your Passion for the Environment

“We have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of our planet whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behaviour of our own human species. . . . Environmental responsibility, it is up to us to put things right.” 
― Jane Goodall, Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey

Protect the Reef Campaigns

I know this isn't school related, but here are some campaigns you might be interested in taking part in. We can be environmentally active both in and out of school :)

 

Join the global TWITTERSTORM to #FIGHTFORTHEREEF – June 17

The World Heritage Committee is meeting in Cambodia from 16-25 June and will make some big decisions about the future of the Great Barrier Reef.

Join our 24-hour Global Twitter Storm on 17 June and show Australia’s political leaders and the World Heritage Committee that you want the Great Barrier Reef protected!
The Reef belongs to all of us. We need you to tweet your concern about the impact mega ports and shipping superhighways will have on the Great Barrier Reef. This is the perfect opportunity to get the attention of decision-makers at the highest level – let’s make it count.

How to participate:
Tweet #FightfortheReef on 17 June – use one of the below or come up with your own Share the images below on Twitter or Facebook Spread the word – tell your friends, family and networks to tweet for the Reef

Tell Tony Burke to reject dredging at Abbot Point

Within weeks, our government could allow shipping port developers to start tearing enormous holes in the seabed inside the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area - a practice known as dredging. Some 3 million cubic metres of sediment (enough to fill 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools!) would be ripped from the ocean bed, destroying the homes and food sources of turtles, dugongs and rare snubfin dolphins. Environment Minister Tony Burke has the power to stop this. So we’ve launched an emergency petition to demonstrate massive community opposition to this dreadful plan. Sign on today and we’ll hand deliver the petition to Burke in front of journalists during the UN World Heritage Committee meeting in June.If we act now we can make sure mining companies don’t get away with it.
Take action and sign: https://www.greenpeace.org.au/action/?cid=40&src=EM1

Recycle Your Old Ink Cartridges!

Hi! Just a friendly reminder that you can now recycle your used ink cartridges at school with our new initiative.

I know you all have thrown out your old ink cartridges or don’t want to throw them away but don’t really know what to do with them. Well, there’s a quick and simple solution, just recycle them at school. Remember, the next time you open a new cartridge, please keep the original packaging, and when it’s used up, place it back into the packaging and bring it to school. The packaging is just for identification of the ink  so just keep that in mind. There’s a large grey box located in the print room, so just drop it off there. Thanks!

Know that you’re doing your bit to help the environment. Benefits of recycling your cartridges: 
Diverts waste from landfill, electronic waste is one of the fastest growing forms of waste. 
Recovering resources, material is collected and reprocessed, the plastics and metals can be used to make new products. 
Saving energy used to make them from raw materials. 
Reducing greenhouse gases, we can save 16 000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from being released by recycling instead of producing from new materials.

From this:

Ink Cartridges

To this:

Metal Benches

International Compost Awareness Week

Since it is International Compost Awareness Week, here are a few steps to start composting at home:

Remember: We have a worm farm at school. Shortly there will be a poster at school advising you all what you can and can't place in the worm farm. So drop by the sustainable garden and hold onto food scraps, have a look to see if you can compost it, before thinking about throwing your rubbish away! 

Watering

Thank you to everyone who has put in their time and effort to water the plants at lunch. Let's keep up this effort throughout the year!

12 Do's

As a part of the 9th Do, the Hurlstone Environment Committee celebrated the countless recycling of mobile phones, old and new, throughout the year with the You Can Campaign. We are enthusiastic about the challenge and plan to recycle up to Christmas and next year.

Meticulously made through manual sandpapering and sawing of scrap wood to be thrown out, are these dominoes, dipped in red and green ink to celebrate Christmas, acting to create lasting experiences and joy. They act well as a decoration (if they stand!) the night before Christmas and as a tool to bring people together. We tried our best to make a standing domino track, but fun is always the most important element! The jar of sawdust, not even half full, shows the little work that was done to produce these items. It conveys our message that only a pinch of hard work is required to create a greener Christmas for everyone.

Happy Tails Day

Merchandise

Friday 5 October is the pawfect time to show your love for all creatures great and small.
The Environment Committee fundraised by selling this year's Happy Tails Day range in our school and community. All the money that was raised from Happy Tails Day will help the RSPCA care for animal.

Hurlstone Environment Committee's Logo

Logo

The Environment Committee logo, designed by David Tu.