GREEN-GOLD AWARDS FOR GLENORCHY SCHOOL

Dec 10, 2015

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Tuesday 8th Dec

Green-Gold for Glenorchy

Glenorchy Primary is the first Enviroschool in the Queenstown Lakes District to become a Green-Gold Enviroschool.

The Green-Gold affirmation day took place yesterday at Glenorchy Primary, and was attended by all the school pupils, Enviroschools Facilitator Simon Williams, regional coordinators from Otago and Hawkes Bay and Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay.

Glenorchy Primary has a long history with Enviroschools, being one of the original pilot schools when the programme was launched nationally in 2001. Becoming a Green-Gold Enviroschool takes a huge level of commitment and work, and Glenorchy Primary is only the third school in Otago to reach that status.

Wanaka Wastebusters facilitator Simon Williams has been working with the school for eight years as part of the Enviroschools programme funded for primary schools in the district by Queenstown Lakes District Council.

He said the sustainable programmes and practices driven by the students have grown in breadth and depth over the years.

“When you’re a Green-Gold Enviroschool sustainability is woven into all aspects of school life and everything you do is connected. ”

“From before you even step foot into the school grounds it is obvious that the school is part of their wider community and a proud Enviroschool. You can see the involvement of the students in creating a place they want to be; from the murals they’ve painted on the fence to their edible gardens.”

Examples of sustainable projects undertaken by students, with support from teachers, family and the community include:

• Murals adorn the fence, painted by the kids.

• A variety of edible gardens and grow houses, which enable students to learn how to grow and cook their own food

• A native seed nursery, supported by Wildlight Safaris.

• A vegetable stall at the school gate to sell excess produce to raise funds for other sustainability related projects happening at school.

• Native trees grown from seeds gathered from the local area are being used to regenerate the area along a popular walkway.

• Chickens deal with organic waste produced (one of the first schools to keep chickens in the country)

• Students have since gone on to rear the chickens themselves in incubators in the junior classroom

• Local cafes and families also bring their organic waste to school to be used to feed the chickens, worm and composts to help create more compost for their ever expanding edible gardens.

• Reuse and recycling is a well-established practice.

• A giant G-Wai giant has been painted on the playground to represent the legend of the lake and also the values that the students hold within themselves.

Contact:    Simon Williams 027 201 4484   simon@wanakawastebusters.co.nz

Simon also has high res photos from the day available on request.