Reducing Waste at QBS
Earlier this year the Year 4 students inquired into how:
'Personal Choices Affect the Environment'
The culmination of their unit involved creating and presenting an action plan for reducing waste at QBS. Student representatives from all 4 classes presented the key ideas at an SLT meeting and during a whole school assembly. The key points for action suggested by the students were:
· Reducing our packaging waste through having green lunches and snacks.
· Reducing our waste paper by having school rules and systems for paper use.
· Introducing a composting programme.
· Reusing waste materials for art.
· Recycling our waste paper, plastic and metal by setting up a recycling scheme in school through the HK Government.
· Getting people to rethink what they do with waste by having an environmental day, school wide competitions, environmental awards and class monitors.
During the last few weeks, under the guidance of Mrs Willox our environmental coordinator, the process for putting many of these suggestions into action has begun. This has included starting our Golden Boot Awards for environmental classroom action. Next term we will continue putting many of the suggestions into place, beginning in the Autumn Term with the introduction of a Green snacks and lunches initiative.
Keep a look-out on Qoodle and school newsletters next term for further information.
The QBS Micro Garden
Learning about organic food and living things in the Micro Garden.
Over the year the Year 5 students have been planting seeds, observing the growth of plants and taking responsibility to look after our school’s micro garden. By growing organic fruit and vegetables in the mirco garden the students have had the opportunity to observe how living things depend on each other and investigate the difference between organic and non-organic produce and local versus imported food.
Our EA, Mr Glencross has helped the students grow plants in non-organic and organic soil and has helped them to grow food such as wheat as part of finding out where our food comes from. The students have been able to see how wheat can be harvested and crushed as part of a food production chain, how to use natural pesticides and organic fertilizers. They have harvested tomatoes, spinach, carrots, chives and lettuce and have been able to taste the difference between organic and non-organic food. They have used the food to cook lovely tomato pasta for teachers and have made a zesty salsa to share. It has been a great opportunity for students to take responsibility and action within the school environment. Here are some of the student’s comments:
“It’s been fun and interesting,” Ellen- Rose.
“It’s been a great experience taking care of the garden,” Safia Bartley.
“It’s been fun eating the food we have grown,” Yu Jin Kim.
“The food the we grew was very tasty,” Macy Grimshaw.
“It helped us understand the difference between organic and non-organic,” Crystal Roberts.
“I have loved it. It has been really good fun,” Karishma Patade.
