Taking action in your school

We encourage you to use the Sustainability Action Process to explore, identify, plan and carry out a stormwater project in your school.

The Sustainability Action Process provides a scaffold for teachers and students to investigate real issues and needs. It supports authentic problem solving through active student participation. You can find out more about the Sustainability Action Process bellow.

A genuine Sustainability Action Process has five steps:

Step 1: Make the case for change

This step includes exploring the sustainability issue (which you have begun to do and assessing the current situation in the school. The best way to assess the current stormwater situation in your school is by carrying out a stormwater investigation.

Step 2: Explore the issue

This step includes generating ideas and exploring options for making a change, identifying available resources and constraints, and selecting an idea, or ideas, for action. This could include limitations on what you have control over, or ability to change, timing issues, funding restraints, and which project has the greatest chance of success or making a positive impact.

A great way to start is to brainstorm all possible solutions to the problems your investigation identified, and then consider the pros and cons of each to help determine your best course of action.

Step 3: Plan your project

This step includes developing a Stormwater Action Plan to communicate the proposal and gaining agreement on the proposal from stakeholders, including the school Principal.

It’s time to choose the best idea or project from step 2 and develop your proposal for how you’ll put it into action. Ideas of in-school projects you might identify through steps 1 and 2 to help improve or assist with stormwater management at your school may include:

• increasing green space or permeable surfaces across the school

• implementing a litter reduction campaign at the school

• designing and installing water sensitive urban design features like litter traps, gross pollutant traps, swales and wetland gardens

• designing and installing stormwater reuse or harvesting projects like rainwater tanks, raingardens, tanks or irrigation systems

Contact Cooks River Alliance to find out if there are any grants available to assist with your project. In addition, you could explore:

• The NSW Environmental Trust Eco Schools Grants

• The Department of Education grants for school sustainability initiatives

Step 4: Take action

This step is where you put your proposal into action and monitor and record implementation. The NSW Environmental Trust provides these great tips for carrying out a water project in your school:

Seek expert advice to help you design your water project, particularly if you are planning to create an aquatic habitat such as a frog pond. You may have a school parent with this expertise, or you could contact local council, National Parks and Wildlife Service or your local land services organisation.

• Talk to Council about water management in the area, and to find out which local organisations you can partner with in a water conservation project.

• Research your project thoroughly, including the budget, equipment, time and expertise that will be required both short-term and long-term.

• Make sure there is more than one person who can keep technical equipment, such as water-monitoring devices, pumps or hydroponic systems, in working order.

Step 5: Reflect

In this step, you take time to evaluate the sustainability action, reflect on the learning and new ideas based on reflections that can be developed, planned and implemented. One outcome of this step might be that you decide to undertake further research and monitoring, carry out additional projects, conduct communication/education around your current project, or look beyond your school grounds to make a difference.

School Stormwater Action Plan

(Suggested format)

1. Background

Include information such as: name and location of school, date of investigation, size and brief description of the school grounds, number of students and staff at the school, brief description of the schools stormwater catchment, flood patterns, proximity to local the waterway etc.

2. Our School in Action

Some photos and quotes from the day.

3. Results and Observations

Attach your school stormwater investigation map and drain/litter record sheets. Use photos here as well to show evidence and refer to observations.

4. Problem and Solution

Describe the main problem/s found.

Narrow in on a solution / action idea and explain how this action will benefit the health of the Cooks River and local waterways as well as improve your schools environmental / social amenity.

5. Making it Happen

Write about what is needed to make the action happen, including a discussion about any potential logistical problems to deal with etc.