Promoting ecological conversion and environmental sustainability
At St Michael's, our students and staff take an active role in being stewards of creation and 'caring for our common home’.
Inspired by Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical, Laudato Si’, our school community understands that we have to respond to the environmental challenges of the 21st century with creative and thoughtful planning, education and concrete actions that can make a difference to the health of our planet, all people and all creatures.
Our commitment to being responsible members of Planet Earth is evident in our classroom learning and teaching, the prayer and liturgical life of our school, our resource and grounds management, and whole school planning for community initiatives that contribute to the betterment of our environment and our relationships with one another.
Our St Michael's school community is involved in a range of initiatives that empower our students to support the ongoing care of creation through:
- Student Environmental Team and Garden Committee Team
- Dedicated staff environmental coordinator
- Curriculum integration of environmental awareness and sustainability
- Participation in environmental action and awareness initiatives – including Clean Up Australia Day, World Environment Day, Tree Day, National Recycling Week, Plastic Free July and ‘Lids 4 Kids’ collection
- Outdoor learning spaces
- Vegetable, herb and fruit gardens
- Bush tucker garden
- Chicken coop and worm farming, including composting of organic waste
- Nude-food (waste-free) Wednesdays
- Vegetable and citrus garden produce goes to our canteen, connecting healthy food options
- Eco-friendly infrastructure – including solar panels, water tanks, drinking water dispenser
- School-wide recycling of paper products
- Black cockatoo garden restoration project encouraging small birdlife with native, locally-sourced plants
- Bushfire response measures for our local area – including creating water dispensers for wildlife and funding wildlife food
- Physical ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ on school grounds – including three totem poles hand-painted by local students highlighting our local community symbols; a painting in our school hall by a local Aboriginal artist depicting the Shoalhaven River; pavement bricks around the flagpole painted by students; and two murals painted by Aboriginal artists.
- Active members of the Wollongong Environment Network
- Celebration of the ‘World Day of Prayer of the Care of Creation’ and the ‘Season of Creation’
For more information, visit the CEDoW Wollongong Environment Network
