A number of Victorian schools have been recognised for their efforts in boosting sustainability and adopting greener practices at the 2019 ResourceSmart Schools Awards.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced the winners during a ceremony at the MCG on Thursday 13 June and congratulated all of the schools involved for ‘contributing to a better place’ – the theme for this year’s awards.
Carrum Primary School was named the 2019 ResourceSmart School of the Year for inspiring other schools to act on climate change with a curriculum that makes sustainability fun for not only the school but also the local community.
The school was applauded for its biodiversity promotion, recycling programs and solar energy initiatives.
Other schools across Victoria were also recognised for their efforts to inspire sustainability action in their communities, reduce the environmental impact of their campuses and protect the environment. They include Beaconhills College, Truganina South Primary School, Mount Lilydale Mercy College, Nossal High School, Warrnambool East Primary School, Footscray City College, St Aloysius Primary School Queenscliff and Kyneton Secondary College.
“The winners and finalists in this year’s ResourceSmart School Awards are a great mix of schools that are doing their bit to create a better place for future generations,” said Minister D’Ambrosio.
The ResourceSmart Schools Awards is Victoria’s largest sustainability awards program, recognising schools leading the way in minimising waste, saving energy and water, increasing biodiversity and tackling climate change.
The ResourceSmart Schools Program teaches students about the importance of sustainability and has engaged more than 1400 schools across the state to collectively save over $25 million through energy, water and waste efficiencies and reduce more than 60,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
The Victorian Government will invest $2.8 million in the program in the Victorian Budget 2019/20 to help schools incorporate sustainability into the curriculum and provide practical learnings for students.
