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Sustainability action process – Step 2
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What strategies could we use to help us to make better choices in our use of materials and disposal of waste? Once you have identified a change that needs to be made, there can be a number of different options and actions that might produce change.
Record your ideas, proposals and reflections in your learning journal.
Worms can convert organic waste to nutrient rich fertiliser for plants.
Generate ideas and explore options for actions
Generate ideas and explore options for actions
- What types of waste management actions could we undertake?
- How have other schools made significant improvements in waste management?
- What types of action can we take to bring about the change we want?
- How will we know if the changes we make have been successful?
Terara's war on waste – part IITerara Public School | YouTube (3:26min)
View case studies
- View videos on actions undertaken by schools in managing waste – Terera Public School Part 2 (YouTube 3:26min), Lane Cove Public School (4:53min, also on Vimeo), Waste warriors at Parramatta North Public School (Filmpond 1:32min), Pendle Hill Public School Compost (YouTube 2:31min).
- Read the blog post outlining Gerringong Public School's 'war on waste' actions.
Lane Cove Public School join the war on wasteABC Education | YouTube (4:53min)
Explore options
- Identify the main issues raised in the school waste audit. It is often best to focus on one waste stream at the start, as Terara Public School did. They concentrated on soft plastics.
- Brainstorm actions that could address the issues.
Identify resources and constraints
Identify resources and constraints
- Who might be available to help us?
- What time is available for improvement or action?
- What finances and resources are available for the project?
- What might limit our actions?
Create a project mind map
- Map out different aspects of your project, the information or knowledge you need and the people or locations that can provide support.
- Use Planet Ark's National recycling week resources for some extra ideas.
List people who can assist
- Identify and list people in the school that can help and provide advice. Remember your school's Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association, local businesses and local council.
Identify costs
- Do you have a budget or have you worked out any costs?
- Check to see if there are any grants available you could apply for to help your project.
- Create a spreadsheet listing actions with corresponding costs and resources needed.
Identify issues
- Consider and list issues that may arise that could affect your plan.
Select ideas for action
Select ideas for action
- What type of actions best meet the criteria of reducing the materials we use and improving waste management and recycling in our school?
- Can we come up with a great idea?
- What will we do?
A composting system at school can reduce the volume of organic waste sent to landfill. NeedPix | Public domain
Determine ideas
- In groups, determine ideas that could improve waste management in your school.
- Learn how to make decisions in your project planning. Being able to suggest, argue and agree on an idea or plan is an important part of planning.
Compost bin used in an urban environmental education centre to process organic waste
Select best options
- Select the best option using a decision-making tool such as the decision matrix analysis. How can your team rank a proposal if you don’t all agree?
- Work together to describe your team's proposal. Use systems thinking tools or flow charts to refine your understandings of impacts of the proposal.
Have you now decided your team's proposal?
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