Education and Projects
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Sustainable Homes Program
Would you like to know more about how you can make your home more environmentally sustainable?
Or are you just keen to save money?
In these times of rising bills and food costs, there are simple and affordable things you can do in your own home and backyard to make a difference to the environment and your budget.
The Sustainable Homes Program will help get you started.
- View the Environment Events page for up coming programs
ResourceSmart Aussie Vic Schools
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ResourceSmart is a program developed by Sustainability Victoria to help Victorians find sustainability solutions, ideas and advice to help them learn how to shrink their impact on the environment. It involves a range of programs for households, educators, business and government.
ResourceSmart Schools is the collective name given to a suite of school programs including the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Victoria (AuSSI Vic). The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) is a partnership between the Australian Government, States and Territories that supports schools to work towards a sustainable future.
ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic is a holistic approach to sustainability for primary and secondary schools:
- Involving a whole school approach
- Providing students with real-life learning experiences
- Leading to improved management of the school's facilities and resource use (including energy, waste, water, products and materials, biodiversity, landscape
It involves schools working through five modules - Core, Energy, Waste, Water and Biodiversity, with the aim of eventually becoming a "5 star school". Schools that have achieved this, such as St Jude's School, Carrum Downs Secondary College, Derinya Primary School and Woodleigh Junior School (Minimbah), have made outstanding positive impacts on their local environment as well as providing invaluable learning opportunities for their students.
ResourceSmart Schools in Frankston City
Council's Environment Department has supported and sponsored many local schools over the past decade to take part in the Program. Originally known as the Sustainable Schools Initiative, some people also know it as Planet Savers, which were the Energy/Core modules as delivered for our local schools over the past 5 years. ResourceSmart is still basically the same program.
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Trained CERES facilitators provide professional development and customised consultancy to schools to assist them to become more sustainable by increasing biodiversity in the local area and dramatically reducing water use, greenhouse gas emissions and waste output.
Over recent years Frankston City Council has funded over twenty schools to do the Energy and Core modules of the program (then known as Planet Savers) with Overport Primary School and Monterey Secondary College taking part in 2010 and Seaford Primary School, Karingal Primary School, St John's Primary School and Elisabeth Murdoch Secondary College taking part in 2011.
Council supports schools not only with Resource Smart funding, but also with advice and practical assistance as required and through the provision of compost bins, recycling bins and specialist Environment staff sometimes visiting schools to speak at assemblies, special events and classes.
Schools can apply to undertake any of the ResourceSmart modules, but it is highly recommended to do Core first, as it sets up the structure for future actions and projects and helps get the planning in place.
Sustainability Victoria also co-funds schools to do the Core and Waste modules. If schools want to concentrate on waste reduction and become ResourceSmart, this is the best place to start. The Waste Module will help the school evolve from the Waste Wise program of past years into the broad new landscape of sustainability under the ResourceSmart banner.
To find out more about Council's funding of schools to do the ResourceSmart Program, contact Council's Environmental Education Officer on 9784 1768 or Debbie.coffey@frankston.vic.gov.au.
Schools can also apply to go on the waiting list for the Sustainability Victoria 2012 round of places, by contacting CERES on 9380 1556 or e-mail rssaussi@ceres.org.au.
For more information about the ResourceSmart Program go to Resource Smart programs Web site.
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Teachers Environmental Network
Facilitated by Frankston City Council's Environment Department, the Network is open to teachers from all primary and secondary schools in the municipality. It is an effective communication avenue between Council and schools and a valuable forum for teachers to meet professionally.
Meetings are once a term, with around 30 schools regularly represented. The Environmental Education Officer organises the agenda, visiting speakers, minutes, afternoon tea and all communications relating to the network, including regular updates about environmental resources and events throughout the year.
Key features:
- Information and presentations on environmental resources and programs provided by Council staff and other agencies
- Professional development on environmental topics, (e.g. composting and worm farming in schools, organic veggie gardening, Resource Smart Schools, Dolphin Research Institute school programs, seed propagation, recycling fundraising initiative)
- Topics are determined by the T.E.N. in order to be relevant and useful
- Collegial support, tours of other schools to share achievements, forum for sharing problems and solutions
If you are interested in hearing about upcoming Network meetings and other environmental education initiatives and news, contact the Environmental Education Officer on 9784 1768 or debbie.coffey@frankston.vic.gov.au.
Schools Tree Planting Day
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Every year Frankston City Council supports our local schools and preschools to take part in National Tree Planting Day in July. Partnering with Planet Ark, over recent years Council has donated thousands of trees, shrubs and grasses for planting in schools around the municipality. Schools are eligible for 100 trees; Preschools can receive 30 free trees. Extra plants can be purchased at very good prices through the Council's Indigenous Nursery in McCulloch Ave, Seaford.
In 2011, nearly 4000 trees, shrubs and grasses were planted on Schools Tree Planting Day, helping to beautify our local environment, provide habitat for wildlife and combat climate change.
Schools can contact the Environment Department between March and the end of June each year to register for their 100 free trees or 30 free trees for Pre-schools. Stocks are limited so it is a good idea to get in early.
To register for your free trees, contact the Environmental Education Officer on 9784 1768.
Compost bins and recycling bins for schools
Council can donate 2 free recycling bins and 2 free compost bins or worm farms to schools that are keen to reduce their waste output. Schools just need to commit to bringing in a system to use these bins to actively reduce the waste sent to landfill. Contact Environmental Education and Volunteer Support Officer Debbie Coffey at debbie.coffey@frankston.vic.gov.au for application forms.
Greening Frankston's Children Centres Project
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Visit the following pages for more information:
Site assessments and implementation of the energy and water saving measures were undertaken by EnviroGroup.
Further Environment Pages
Other Projects
Multi-unit illegal dumping
Public Place Recycling
Healthy and Sustainable Gardening
For further information please contact the Environment Department on 9784 1747 or e-mail environment@frankston.vic.gov.au.
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