Enviroschools Update

The start of 2021 has been very exciting for Kristin, with a wave of support for the Tread Lightly campaign. The Lightbox multisport centre has generated the perfect opportunity to collect excess rainfall and also tap into the sun’s energy. Students were really excited and inspired by the community support and the panels will ensure we generate our own renewable energy, reducing our carbon footprint.

In March, members of Roots & Shoots and the Waste Team sorted through over 100 kilograms of rubbish as part of our annual waste audit. It was quite an eye-opening experience for many, with over 60% of our waste being compostable! Recently our Food Technology Department funded a “We Compost” bin, to reduce their impact on the environment. It’s a start and we hope to increase the number of compost bins in the school later this year. Our 2021 audit showed, over time, students are getting better at recycling correctly, which is great to see.

Curriculum developments are happening as well, with the Science Department introducing an NCEA Environmental Sustainability course. This inspired a new tool shed, automatic watering system and more regular gardening sessions has meant bumper crops. Year 9 students have been learning about plants and in May they ‘released’ over 1,000 trees in our local Rosedale Reserve with the Trees for Survival programme. Some students had never planted a tree before!

Overall, we are continuing to make Kristin a more sustainable place for our community. We are constantly finding ways to improve our use of resources and promote and celebrate kaitiakitanga (guardianship). New projects help ensure that we are on track for our Green-Gold reflection in early 2022!

COUNCIL OF SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

Sustainability has always been a crucial part of our values and actions here at Kristin. To help inform, share and support sustainability in our community, the Council of Sustainability (CoS) has launched its KristinSustainability website on the Kristin Portal.

This is a place where every student and teacher has easy access to resources and it features a Kristin Sustainability Get Started Guide. If you are new to Kristin, or just want to get involved with sustainable initiatives at school, this ultimate guide provides overviews of many exciting opportunities!

Jump on www.kristinsustainability.school.nz to explore student blog articles, events and yearly sustainability reports. Kristin is on a journey of becoming a Green-Gold Enviroschool, and the CoS is planning for a reflection session early next year.

Captions: Top left, The Council of Sustainability at the Summer Carnival, Bottom left, www.kristinsustainability.school.nz, Right: Waste Audit