St. Marys Conservation Club

Tuesday the 13th at the community garden we say farewell to year 12. Food and nibblies provided.

Mr Hopkins

Hello all!

As you may or may not be aware, a lot of exciting Conservation Club initiatives are going to put into practice during March.

Mr Grant has ordered the bins and the bin lifting system. These should arrive by March 15th. We need to do a bit of work to promote this cause and have discussed working with Art For Action to create signs and posters to decorate the bins.

The 16th of March is National Ride to School Day. So we thought that we could encourage people to ride their bikes from home to school. This would be an option that we encourage people to do safely. We will have to look into permission slips and hiring bike racks. To celebrate the day and thank people for getting out of bed extra early, the club will also be hosting a breakfast. This could maybe be supplied by the canteen and funded by the club. Mr Grant and Mr Pitt have expressed their willingness to help us put this into action.

If you have any ideas, please dont hesitate to tell the Exec!

Welcome back!
Today was our first meeting for 2011

- Mr Grant and Mr Pitt have approved our proposal for the new bins, compost and worm farm. The new bins and bin lifters are being ordered and should arrive around March 15th.
- Suggestion by Mr. Everatt to support National Ride to School Day. Discussion about bike safety, routes, bike racks and a possible thank you breakfast. Kayla to discuss with Mr Grant and Mr Pitt.
- Congratulations to Kayla for her presentation last Friday. Kayla to promote Conservation Club initiatives at either next school assembly or the following in 2 weeks.
- Caitlain organised the role
- The maintenance of the blog should continue throughout the year
- Kayla introduces Coralie from the Wollongong branch of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (invited by Tenayah), who plays a video to that explains climate change and discusses the work of the AYCC. She is very impressed by the work of the college and the Conservation Club.
- Kayla thanks Coralie
- Meeting closes

Discussion of ideas for 2010/2011

- Fun Days
- Integrating environmental awareness into curriculums
- Mufti Days with themes – causes? eg: endangered animals
- Continuation of sponsorship at Taronga? Sponsoring animals at Mogo/Symbio instead?
- Collaboration with Art for Action to paint recycling bins
- Cutting down individual packaging within the canteen
- Collecting bottles, cans, lids, corks etc
- During the summer holidays the school is looking to install/maintain enviro globes, solar panels, water tanks, recycling bins
- Olivia Todhunter speaks about creating a plastic free school
- New bottles with St Marys logo, choice between Australian manufactured ($6) or Chinese manufactured (80c) – Australian manufactured chosen, filling stations, eliminating vending machines
- Focus on World Environment Week next year
- Fundraisers, Mufti, Great Debate, Movies, Fruit, Cakes, Toffees etc
- Waiting to hear from Mr. Pitt re: worm farm and compost proposal

As minutes have not been taken since/uploaded on the blog since 2009 it would be great to see this being done at each meeting from now on. As Taylor did not attend todays meeting, Olivia Todhunter took the club’s minutes.

1. Petition for government to install legislation so that logging can only be undertaken in plantations

- a link to the petition will be sent through school emails

- the link will be posted on the blog

- https://secure.wilderness.org.au/cyberactivist/cyberactions/10_09_victoria_forests-cyberaction.php

2. Waste levels at the college need to be cut down. Ideas on how to do this include:

- implementing compost bins and worm farm

- more bins being made available in the play ground

- Kayla to meet with Ms. Barila to discuss a collaboration with Art For Action, to paint recycling bins

- making the bins more visually appealing to promote use

- posters/pictures of areas in the school with a high rubbish build up – naming and shaming?

3. Botanic Gardens Discovery Centre Excursion

- proposal for 3 bin compost and small worm farm (initially)

- money to come from Conservation Club funds

- newsletter report to be written by Kalina

- proposal to be made by Kayla to Mr. Pitt and the Exec.

4. Farewell to previous Conservation Club Exec

- 5 environmentally friendly cards to be purchased by Tenaya

- 5 presents from the Body Shop to be sourced by Caitlain and Kayla

Hello fellow planeteers and welcome to the blog… Yes the Conservation Club still has a blog!

This year by uniting the club we will attempt to unite the community, by making people aware that green issues aren’t just the new black! Although we have already put a step in the right direction with the success of the great debate, as both a club and school community we really need to focus on banding together. Hopefully this blog can be revamped and sooner or later will become a social hub for planeteers to discuss and inspire other people to make a difference.

Again congratulations go to the Exec of 2011, but the input of the rest of the club is essentially what will determine its success, so if you have anything that you would like to discuss at meetings or have posted on the blog then please do not hesitate to be in contact! Although we are losing Year 11 due to the dreaded prelims for our next meeting, the Exec will return in full form on Tuesday 21st of September.

We look forward to seeing you then and discussing exciting new projects for the future!

Kayla

Monday 2nd of August marked the beginning of the whirlwind World Environment Week!

On Monday and Tuesday many girls retreated from the cold to watch Over the Hedge.

Wednesday brought the event that was the ultimate showcase of intelligence, sophistication and wit, also known as The Great Debate: Year 11 students Latu Faaumu, Maddie Diggins, Kalina Krsoska and Olivia Todhunter battled Mr Elliot, Ms Thrift and Mr Selby over whether or not green was the new black. We had guest appearances from Julia Gillard and Eminem, who the students were surprised to discover was actually Mr. Elliot. The man had more booty than Beyonce, yet the debate was determined as being a draw and both teams were slimed in Jelly Baff.

To wrap up the week’s events a bake sale was held on Thursday, with the money raised being donated to the It’s Time foundation.

Congratulations girls on hosting such a successful week!

2011 Executive.

President: Kayla Steele

Vice President: Kalina Krsoska

Publicity Officers:  Mary Badi & Caitlain Regena

Junior Publicity Officer:  Tenayah Hamilton

Secretary: Taylor Dean

Congratulations to these students. I am sure all members will be supporting them in the weeks and months to come.

Reminder of the WALK AGAINST WARMING this Saturday the 14th from 12 pm in the amphitheatre to Lang Park. Try to get along with parents and friends.

Keep plastics in mind. We need to focus in on this a lot more. Check out this talk!!!!

http://www.ted.com/talks/capt_charles_moore_on_the_seas_of_plastic.html

I will play this next meeting.

Mr Hopkins

Conoclub members,

this Saturday is Earth Hour Day. I hope you have your candlelit dinners all planned and you really should visit the website. Here http://www.earthhour.org/Homepage.aspx

Now on this site there are games and quizzes, short videos and lots of ways to take action. It has crept up on us a little because it has been a busy term but that does not mean we do not care!!!!!

Spread the word, promote it in your TG and take part this weekend.

Parrys and Bethany

PS Thanks for your efforts this term and bookmark June the 5th. Ideas for World Environment Day are still needed.

Frances wants us to open this link and to take part. Good chance to meet up with members of the Club.

http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/index.php?p=nsw.php