The Ashdale Primary School community is committed to the development of a sustainable school that endeavours to use best sustainability practices to develop each student’s personal understanding, knowledge and empathy for environmental issues. Through ongoing programs that develop environmental consciousness and more sustainable ways of doing everyday activities, we strive to make our school environment a more pleasant place to work, play and live.

Waste Wise Wednesdays

Ashdale is continuing its implementation of sustainable practices by adopting the Waste Wise Wednesday lunch.  The healthy zero waste lunch day encourages our students and school community to reduce the amount of waste we produce.

A zero-waste lunch contains no throwaway packaging and produces no food waste. It also reduces the amount of litter, as there is less waste to become litter. The typical homemade zero waste lunch is packed in a lunch box or bag. The food is put in re-useable containers rather than wrapped in disposable packaging. A drink is in a re-fillable bottle. All containers are resealable, so that leftover food and drink can be saved for later.

By bringing less waste into schools we can minimise litter, reduce waste, save money, and develop healthy eating habits. The intention is to reduce the amount of waste we would normally throw away, and to look for alternative packaging for our food.  Although the main goal is to educate the students about the need to reduce waste, parents are the ones who often buy the food and pack the lunches. Please consider using reusable containers and avoiding disposable packaging on Wednesdays (however we would all benefit from applying this alternative as often as possible).

A student or adult monitor will quickly scan student lunchboxes each Wednesday and record the number of students who have a waste wise lunchbox.  The number of students who have participated within the class will be converted into a percentage and recorded on a whole school chart.  The class with the highest percentage of participation will earn a certificate for the week.  It is hoped that a small prize from a Waste Wise grant will be given to the class who achieves the highest percentage over the year.

The Sustainability Committee thank you for your support.