Weekly Newsletter: 29/05/26

Mr Rob Gratton: HeadStart Eco School Coordinator 

HeadStart Eco School Term 3 Sustainable Communities: SDG11 - Sustainable communities

Upcoming Events

Community Beach Clean: Join us Sunday May the 31st  - Rawai - We Cafe-  9:30 - 10:30am. 

This will be not only the final beach clean of the year but also Mr Grattons, Mr Dempsey and Petr’s last beach clean with HeadStart. We want a huge turnout to get those points and to make this last one a huge effort. We will also be launching a new initiative alongside this month's beach clean. So don't miss out. 

As usual bring - anti bac, water, sunscreen, hat, gloves if required.

HeadStart Eco School Website Launch: As part of our campaign for raising awareness and working alongside the wider community the Eco School team has created a website packed full of information and updates. Check it out HeadStart Eco School Site 

https://sites.google.com/headstartphuket.com/headstart-eco-school/home?authuser=0  

Project Update: Sustainable Fish on the Menu

As part of our Primary Awareness campaign we would like to know your thoughts on the school menu and the choice of foods served. This questionnaire -  Accessed Here - will take no longer than 5 minutes and is available in multiple languages. We look forward to hearing your opinions. 

Weekly Newsletter: 22/05/26

Mr Rob Gratton: HeadStart Eco School Coordinator 

HeadStart Eco School Term 3 Sustainable Communities: SDG11 - Sustainable communities

Upcoming Events

Community Beach Clean: Join us Sunday April the 26th  - Saphan Hin - Temple - 9:30 - 10:30am. As usual bring - anti bac, water, sunscreen, hat, gloves if required.

Monday Eco Club (Secondary) Activities: Our collective activities (Paper Collection & Recycling, Plastic Collection drive, Eco brick construction and Community Mangrove Planting) begins the transition from the current leadership group to a new one driven by our awesome Year 9 students.

Wednesday Eco Club (Primary) Activities): Ongoing activities in the Atrium every Wednesday at 12:00pm 

Project Update: Community Mangrove Planting

Thank you to all members of the community that provided sponsorship for our Mangrove project. We are currently in negotiations with the school leadership team and the social enterprise Mangrove Teens to build and establish a Mangrove nursery on the school grounds. This will increase opportunities to learn about Mangroves and to support their growth and rejuvenation across the island. Funds from the sponsorship are being used to establish this Nursery and the associated Mangrove seedlings. We hope to offer a further update on this within the coming month. Our goal is to have it all in place by June with our first planting in August.

Project Update: Sustainable Fish on the Menu

Primary students are working to develop and resource the Awareness campaign to be launched in the next few weeks drawing the communities attention to the choices we make about food. The main area of their exploration will be our choice of fish on the menu. Currently we use Salmon as a fish on our menu (farmed, frozen and imported from the North Atlantic) and students are interested in attitudes towards replacing this fish with a locally sourced one which has many of the same features; specifically Barramundi. 

Weekly Newsletter: 

Secondary Student Article

Water scarcity is a critical global issue, affecting over 1.1 billion people, with 2.7 billion facing shortages yearly. Climate change, population growth, and overuse of water resources worsen the crisis, leading to droughts, food insecurity, and health risks. Without conservation efforts, future generations may struggle to access clean water, making this a major environmental and humanitarian challenge.

Water scarcity is a serious issue in Phuket, where reliance on rainfall, and increasing tourism are straining local water supplies. With over 10 million tourists visiting annually, The need for water is much higher than the amount that nature can replace. Reservoirs in areas like Patong and Ao Yon are shrinking, and groundwater extraction is often unsustainable.

Wasting water worsens Phuket’s water crisis by depleting already limited resources. Overuse leads to lower reservoir levels, forcing authorities to extract more groundwater, which can cause land subsidence and seawater intrusion, making freshwater sources undrinkable. Additionally, treating and transporting water requires energy, increasing carbon emissions and environmental damage. If current water consumption habits continue unchecked, Phuket could face severe shortages, affecting residents, businesses, and tourism.

However, the solution lies in water conservation. At home, residents can turn off taps, fix leaks, take shorter showers, and reuse water. Installing low-flow devices and collecting rainwater also helps. In schools, reporting leaks or minimizing water use in restrooms are key. Rainwater harvesting and awareness campaigns can also further promote sustainability. Small actions from everyone can make a big difference in preserving Phuket’s water resources.

Mehek & Muskaan Narula

Community Beach Clean 

When: Sunday the 27th of April. 

Where: Rawai Beach 9:30 am+  (Meet outside We Cafe)

Why: Help clean and protect a vital yet neglected beach. Earn House Points. Log Hours for Duke of Edinburgh Awards. 

Eco Committee’s

The Eco Committee has been busy enhancing teh projects already in place across campus. We have also been pushing to develop knowledge and awareness of issues more widely. This has included supporting the delivery of the Humanities Curriculum to raise awareness of sustainability issues. Year 8 have explored issues relating to urbanisation and have created Reports suggesting sustainable solutions to some of the problems Bangkok faces as a Mega City. Next term they will explore approaches to Community Action and think about how they can take individual action to bring about change. Year 7 will apply all their knowledge to the creation of a more sustainable civilization (on Mars). This will draw upon their Systems Thinking skills (a skill fundamental to a sustainable future). Year 9 students chose to investigate environmental issues as part of their Independent Enquiry this half term. Next term they too will apply all their conceptual knowledge to write a Manifesto for a More Sustainable Future for All. 

• Across this term we have undertaken over 10 Reception class sessions within the Growing Gardens as part of the extended provision. Students are now confident in the garden, naming plants, watering plants in the most effective way, recognising the relationship between plants, the soil, the air and us and are now fully into our worms. This is leading to students, and teachers, being able to sustain their own engagement with the garden enabling this to become a regular feature of the Early Years provision. 

• Lower and Upper Primary have been pushing forward with their new Campaign, ‘In-School Plastic Reduction’ and have been working together to create assembly slides, posters and following a questionnaire of students recognising the need for greater education around what plastic is and where we use it. Alongside this we have undertaken 3 waste paper-recycling collections and 3 eco brick making sessions. 

• Lower and Upper Secondary have been engaging in paper-recycling collections with a recorded increase in the amount of paper now going to recycling each month. They have also contributed to the eco-brick construction and we are on target to have produced 50 bricks by the end of this term. A specialist Comms Team has been established to create content for campaigns and as we move into exam season a new team of leaders drawn from Lower Secondary are stepping up to drive our activities.  

Did You Know: SDG 6 is focused upon seeking to ‘ENSURE AVAILABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION FOR ALL.’

As a community here on Phuket our main concern is ensuring that water is managed effectively to ensure we can get through the Hot Hot season with minimal impact upon our water supply. Every year the wells run dry and communities go without access to water here in Phuket. Year on year the point at which the Island ‘runs out’ of water and has to pump it in from the mainland gets earlier and earlier and lasts longer and longer. Last year on Koh Samui communities and businesses endured weeks without access to water. Without access to water issues around sanitation and health begin to emerge and the cost of drinking water can go up for the most vulnerable in our communities.

Interesting Links: 

Water Saving Top Tips:

https://www.phuketkids.com/blog/10-water-saving-tips-for-kids-and-parents/ 

SDG6 - Clean Water 

https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/6-clean-water-and-sanitation/ 

Weekly Newsletter 

Eco Committee’s

SDG 6 is focused upon seeking to ‘ENSURE AVAILABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION FOR ALL.’

As a community here on Phuket our main concern is ensuring that water is managed effectively to ensure we can get through the Hot Hot season with minimal impact upon our water supply. Every year the wells run dry and communities go without access to water here in Phuket. Year on year the point at which the Island ‘runs out’ of water and has to pump it in from the mainland gets earlier and earlier and lasts longer and longer. Last year on Koh Samui communities and businesses endured weeks without access to water. Without access to water issues around sanitation and health begin to emerge and the cost of drinking water can go up for the most vulnerable in our communities.

The Eco Committee begins its new focus on educating the school community on how we can do our bit to reduce water consumption and with that help alleviate some of the risks associated with a lack of water. Last term students of Humanities in Year 8 studied and measured the Risk associated with the Hazard of water shortage. They will build upon that knowledge after the mid term break while exploring how we can make urban living, such as life here in Phuket, more sustainable. 

Join is in being more mindful about your water consumption and check out the Top Tips in the links below. 

• Our Reception sessions within the Growing Gardens, every other Tuesday, are going well with students starting to show a real understanding about and care for how we maintain healthy plants. 

• Lower and Upper Primary have been collaborating on their new Campaign, ‘In-School Plastic Reduction’ and in working together to collect and recycle paper across the Primary classrooms. 

• Lower and Upper Secondary will soon launch their new campaign linked to their successful Community Beach Clean efforts. The plan is to design and launch two ways of raising awareness; an informative T-Shirt and a webpage filled with Top Tips. 

Community Beach Clean 

When: A reminder that our next beach clean will be this Sunday the 2nd of February. 

Where: Saphan Hin Temple (San Chao Kiew Tien Keng)

Meet: 9:30am

Did You Know: We touched on this earlier in the year but it is worth reminding the community of steps we could take with regards to the air we breathe. Climate is not just about longer dry seasons and more intense wet seasons here on Phuket but also about the quality of our air. Last year air quality on Phuket on a number of occasions was measured to be more toxic and potentially harmful than that of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. So far this year Bangkok has already ranked as some of the worst air in the world - lest not have that happen here. Switch off your engines at pick up. Consider car sharing. Reduce your car journeys as much as you can. 

Interesting Links: 

Water Saving Top Tips:

https://www.phuketkids.com/blog/10-water-saving-tips-for-kids-and-parents/ 

SDG6 - Clean Water 

https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/6-clean-water-and-sanitation/ 

Facebook 1:

SDG 6 is focused upon seeking to ‘ENSURE AVAILABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION FOR ALL.’

As a community here on Phuket our main concern is ensuring that water is managed effectively to ensure we can get through the Hot Hot season with minimal impact upon our water supply. Every year the wells run dry and communities go without access to water here in Phuket. Year on year the point at which the Island ‘runs out’ of water and has to pump it in from the mainland gets earlier and earlier and lasts longer and longer. Last year on Koh Samui communities and businesses endured weeks without access to water. Without access to water issues around sanitation and health begin to emerge and the cost of drinking water can go up for the most vulnerable in our communities.

The Eco Committee begins its new focus on educating the school community on how we can do our bit to reduce water consumption and with that help alleviate some of the risks associated with a lack of water. Last term students of Humanities in Year 8 studied and measured the Risk associated with the Hazard of water shortage. They will build upon that knowledge after the mid term break while exploring how we can make urban living, such as life here in Phuket, more sustainable. 

Join is in being more mindful about your water consumption and check out the Top Tips in the links below. 

• Our Reception sessions within the Growing Gardens, every other Tuesday, are going well with students starting to show a real understanding about and care for how we maintain healthy plants. 

• Lower and Upper Primary have been collaborating on their new Campaign, ‘In-School Plastic Reduction’ and in working together to collect and recycle paper across the Primary classrooms. 

• Lower and Upper Secondary will soon launch their new campaign linked to their successful Community Beach Clean efforts. The plan is to design and launch two ways of raising awareness; an informative T-Shirt and a webpage filled with Top Tips. 

Facebook 2:

Interesting Links: 

Water Saving Top Tips:

https://www.phuketkids.com/blog/10-water-saving-tips-for-kids-and-parents/ 

SDG6 - Clean Water 

https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/6-clean-water-and-sanitation/ 

Line: 

HeadStart Community Beach Clean 

When: A reminder that our next beach clean will be this Sunday the 2nd of February. 

Where: Saphan Hin Temple (San Chao Kiew Tien Keng)

Meet: 9:30am

Weekly Newsletter: 

Eco Committee’s

We wanted to share some further information, and pictures, relating to our work with Reception introducing students to the Growing Gardens. Every other Tuesday students will now attend workshops in the garden as part of the Continuous Provision (2:30-3:00pm). This is an opportunity to learn from and in nature. To learn about the creatures we find and need in the garden, the plants we have and what we can do with them and how we can make soil from waste vegetables - ergh Worm poo. Students have been given a pictorial worksheet, translated into English, Thai, Chinese and Russian, to record their observations, observe change in the garden and collect words and smells to help them describe the garden. The aim of these sessions is to make students aware of nature and through thai care a little more about and for it.  

Community Beach Clean 

A reminder that our next beach clean will be in January. 

Join a global movement to keep beaches, waterways and the ocean trash free. Head out to your favorite beach and use the Clean Swell app to easily record each item of trash you collect. Then share your effort with family and friends and a wider Global community.

Download the app and start logging the trash you collect at the beaches and parks you visit this December. https://oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/clean-swell-app/ 

Climate Action. An Article by Alex (Year 13)

The journey towards sustainability begins with small but meaningful steps. The Eco-Committee recently launched an initiative aimed at engaging our community in climate action: a pledge wall. This thought provoking installation features post-it notes, each representing a different perspective on countering climate challenges. Students, teachers, and staff were invited to share their ideas and commitments to reducing negative environmental impacts. From promises to reduce the use of air-conditioning and to calls for increased greenery within our campus, the wall is a collective designation of our determination to make a difference.

To add depth to this initiative, we conducted interviews with members of our school community. These interviews revealed a range of insights, including working with local businesses to further sustainability goals, fusing sustainability based topics in lessons such as PSHE and encouraging eco-friendly habits. 

Beyond the pledge wall, our commitment to sustainability took center stage at the Phuket Green League gathering, held at UWC Thailand in collaboration with Plastic Free Phuket. This event is a hub for schools and organisations across Phuket to come together and exchange ideas, share progress, and strengthen partnerships for sustainability. Our committee was proud to be represented, joining forces with other institutions to drive change. The gathering highlighted key themes such as aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and forming meaningful collaborations to combat pressing environmental issues.

At the event, we had the opportunity to share our journey, including our efforts with our beach clean and other eco-initiatives. We also learned in discussions on achieving the SDGs with other schools and institutions sharing strategies to reduce plastic waste, and crafting a collective "Beach Oath" to preserve Phuket's coastline. This collaboration emphasised the importance of uniting local actions to create global impact.

Did You Know: Not only is Phuket struggling to find the space to deal with your trash but the authorities are also switching off the incinerator for up to 2 months - where will your trash go? So it is now more important than ever to minimise waste, recycle what you can and be mindful when accepting that which might end up in landfill; and our seas. 

Weekly Newsletter: 

Eco Committee’s

Primary Update: We have been working hard decorating reused boxes and placing them into Primary classrooms to help collect and recycle old paper. We used our Tuesday lunchtime ChangeMaker session to gather together and make art using plastic wrappers, bottle tops and straws and worked together to take non-recyclable packaging to create EcoBricks. Turn out for events has been great with participation from across Primary.

Secondary Update: We have now undertaken two paper collections from our recycling boxes located around the Secondary classrooms. This initiative is fully led by students who self manage the collection for recycling process. We have also got into EcoBricks with a huge turnout of Secondary students eager to stuff those bottles with waste. We have around 30 EcoBricks made but we need more if we are to help Foundation build raised beds.

Early Years: On Tuesday Headstart Eco School Lead Rob Gratton led a session for reception students in the Growing Garden. Activities were designed to introduce them to the Garden, plant identification and how soil is made by worms from vegetable scraps. We will follow this up with a few more sensory workshops learning from and in the garden. 

Friday Market: Check us out at every Friday Market where we will showcase some top tips for being more eco conscious. At the Eco market we had lots of visitors who helped us make and learn about EcoBricks. 

Community Beach Clean 

So far we have held 2 beach cleans with over 90 participants and have collected around 60 Kg of waste. WOW. The support from the community continues to be excellent, as does Green Dragon attendance making them our current Beach Clean House Point Winners. 

Our next beach clean will be in January. BUT don't take December off. If you are at the beach do look out for trash that you could collect and dispose of considerately. 

COP29 (29th Conference of the Parties) continues with an area of focus being Climate and Air Quality. Air Quality is becoming a real issue here in Phuket but don't fear as YOU can do your part to reduce the levels of hazardous PM2.5 in the air. 

Rather than waiting for the air to get bad (usually between February and April) take action now to adopt “HeadStart Healthy Habits”. Limit your car trips, turn off your engines at pick up and drop off and when possible ‘car pool’ to reduce those emissions. 

Did You Know: That Phuket is struggling to find the space to deal with your trash. See the article linked below. What could you do? Take those non-recyclable plastic wrappers and packaging and make your own EcoBrick at home. Or store these clean plastics and send them into school at our next plastic drive (Friday the 29th of November).

Interesting Links: 

Issue of waste and landfill on Phuket

https://www.thephuketnews.com/officials-race-to-expand-landfills-amid-waste-crisis-94341.php 

Cop29

https://unfccc.int/cop29 

Facebook 1:

Community Beach Clean 

So far we have held 2 beach cleans with over 90 participants and have collected around 60 Kg of waste. WOW. The support from the community continues to be excellent, as does Green Dragon attendance making them our current Beach Clean House Point Winners. 

Our next beach clean will be in January. BUT don't take December off. If you are at the beach do look out for trash that you could collect and dispose of considerately. 

Facebook 2:

Eco Committee’s

Primary Update: We have been working hard decorating reused boxes and placing them into Primary classrooms to help collect and recycle old paper. We used our Tuesday lunchtime ChangeMaker session to gather together and make art using plastic wrappers, bottle tops and straws and worked together to take non-recyclable packaging to create EcoBricks. Turn out for events has been great with participation from across Primary.

Secondary Update: We have now undertaken two paper collections from our recycling boxes located around the Secondary classrooms. This initiative is fully led by students who self manage the collection for recycling process. We have also got into EcoBricks with a huge turnout of Secondary students eager to stuff those bottles with waste. We have around 30 EcoBricks made but we need more if we are to help Foundation build raised beds.

Early Years: On Tuesday Headstart Eco School Lead Rob Gratton led a session for reception students in the Growing Garden. Activities were designed to introduce them to the Garden, plant identification and how soil is made by worms from vegetable scraps. We will follow this up with a few more sensory workshops learning from and in the garden. 

Friday Market: Check us out at every Friday Market where we will showcase some top tips for being more eco conscious. At the Eco market we had lots of visitors who helped us make and learn about EcoBricks.

Facebook 3:

COP29 (29th Conference of the Parties) continues with an area of focus being Climate and Air Quality. Air Quality is becoming a real issue here in Phuket but don't fear as YOU can do your part to reduce the levels of hazardous PM2.5 in the air. 

Rather than waiting for the air to get bad (usually between February and April) take action now to adopt “HeadStart Healthy Habits”. Limit your car trips, turn off your engines at pick up and drop off and when possible ‘car pool’ to reduce those emissions. 

Weekly Newsletter: 

Eco Committee’s

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, impacting nearly every aspect of our lives. Rising temperatures lead to more extreme heatwaves, droughts, and unpredictable weather patterns, which not only threaten ecosystems but also disrupt food production and water supply. Around the world, nations are stepping up efforts to reduce carbon emissions investing in renewable energy like solar and wind power, promoting reforestation projects to absorb atmospheric carbon, and encouraging sustainable practices in industries to limit environmental harm.

In Thailand, the effects of climate change are particularly evident. The agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the country, faces significant disruptions from changing rainfall patterns and increased frequency of floods and droughts. This instability threatens the livelihoods of millions of farmers. Coastal regions, including popular tourist destinations, are vulnerable to rising sea levels and severe storms, which could lead to loss of land, damage to infrastructure, and a decline in tourism revenue. As these threats continue to grow, it is crucial for all citizens to contribute to sustainability efforts whether through reducing plastic consumption, conserving energy, or supporting community led environmental initiatives such as our beach cleaning initiative. By making conscious choices in our daily lives, we can collectively mitigate the impacts of climate change and work towards a more resilient future for Thailand.

At HeadStart International School, we are committed to making meaningful contributions to the fight against climate change, not only through small actions but by implementing impactful sustainability projects. This year, we established a consistent paper recycling schedule, encouraged students to create eco-bricks from plastic waste, and involved them in designing climate-themed activities to foster creativity and inclusivity. Additionally, we have installed solar panels on campus, promoting renewable energy to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and serve as a living example of sustainability. Through these initiatives, coupled with our climate-focused awareness campaign that engages parents and students, we aim to inspire change and create a more sustainable future. 

By Senior prefect for Eco - Alex (Yucheng Qiang)

Community Beach Clean 

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at Kata beach (9:30 am @ Surf House Kata). Bring with you water, suncream, a hat and reusable gloves if you want to wear them. We will provide collection bags and of course House Points for every participant. 

So come join us for a fun and rewarding community event where we give back to our local community. 

Last Beach Clean at Rawai we had over 60 people in attendance. The winning House was Green Dragons who was most represented. We collected roughly 35 kg or beach rubbish. 

Sustainable Halloween  

With Halloween sort of behind us, what will you do with those decorations and costumes? What are the possible environmental impacts of these one off decorations? We can look to reduce waste by storing and reusing the decorations next year (Pumpkins never go out of fashion) and save those costumes. With your costumes either:

1: Keep them for next year

2: Donate them to the school for dress up in Primary (email rgratton@headstartphuket if you want to do this)

3: Take them to the Uniqlo textile recycling box in Central

Fast Fashion such as plastic (polyester) costumes have a huge impact on the environment at every stage of the production process. So when making your Halloween choices consider the hidden Horrors of a plastic heavy Halloween. 

COP29 (29th Conference of the Parties) begins on Nov 11th, 2024 until  Nov 22nd.  This is the annual meeting of world leaders; political, religious and environmental. This year's event aims to look at a broad range of topics and to measure progress towards the goals of previous meetings. A key focus this year will be Climate Action. Communities, including schools, around the world have an opportunity to contribute to the COP29 event or undertake activities inspired by the event. Our Upper Secondary Eco Committee will run several Friday Lunch activities around the themes of COP29 as part of their ChangeMaker Fridays. 

Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution! Please Take Our Quick Anonymous Survey!  

 Hi HeadStart Community!

We need YOUR voice in an exciting international environmental research project that assists scientists in exploring the impacts of combined pollution on the beautiful oceans of Southeast Asia, specifically the Phuket Region.

Why does this matter?

While plastic waste is visible and concerning, hidden dangers from some other chemicals found in sunscreen can exacerbate the damage to marine life.

Your Contribution is Vital!

We invite you to participate in our anonymous online survey. Your input will help us identify trends in the usage habits of both plastics and sunscreens to optimise our future experimental design, and raise awareness about marine conservation where needed. Plus, you can skip any questions that make you uncomfortable—no pressure!

Participate Now and Make a Difference!

Scan the QR code or click the link below to access the survey and help us protect our oceans!

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/stirling/sunscreen-protection-and-single-use-plastic-consumption-in-th-1

Thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment to help scientists help our oceans!

Did You Know: Climate is not just about longer dry seasons and more intense wet seasons here on Phuket but also about the quality of our air. Last year air quality on Phuket on a number of occasions was measured to be more toxic and potentially harmful than that of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Early interventions by car drivers here on Phuket and especially those driving to drop off and pick up at HeadStart campuses and help reduce the frequency of harmful days. 

Interesting Links: 

A more sustainable Halloween

https://www.fashionrevolution.org/haulternatives-for-a-waste-free-halloween/ 

Cop29

https://unfccc.int/cop29 

Request: Don't forget to keep collecting those thin plastic bags, wrappers, crisp bags or plastic food wrappers please collect these at home, perhaps in a plastic bag. In the coming weeks we will be asking for donations of such material to help with our monthly Eco Brick Challenge. Better still make your own Eco Brick at home. 

Facebook 1:

Community Beach Clean 

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at Kata beach (9:30 am @ Surf House Kata). Bring with you water, suncream, a hat and reusable gloves if you want to wear them. We will provide collection bags and of course House Points for every participant. 

So come join us for a fun and rewarding community event where we give back to our local community. 

Last Beach Clean at Rawai we had over 60 people in attendance. The winning House was Green Dragons who was most represented. We collected roughly 35 kg or beach rubbish. 

Facebook 2:

Eco Committee’s

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, impacting nearly every aspect of our lives. Rising temperatures lead to more extreme heatwaves, droughts, and unpredictable weather patterns, which not only threaten ecosystems but also disrupt food production and water supply. Around the world, nations are stepping up efforts to reduce carbon emissions investing in renewable energy like solar and wind power, promoting reforestation projects to absorb atmospheric carbon, and encouraging sustainable practices in industries to limit environmental harm.

In Thailand, the effects of climate change are particularly evident. The agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the country, faces significant disruptions from changing rainfall patterns and increased frequency of floods and droughts. This instability threatens the livelihoods of millions of farmers. Coastal regions, including popular tourist destinations, are vulnerable to rising sea levels and severe storms, which could lead to loss of land, damage to infrastructure, and a decline in tourism revenue. As these threats continue to grow, it is crucial for all citizens to contribute to sustainability efforts whether through reducing plastic consumption, conserving energy, or supporting community led environmental initiatives such as our beach cleaning initiative. By making conscious choices in our daily lives, we can collectively mitigate the impacts of climate change and work towards a more resilient future for Thailand.

At HeadStart International School, we are committed to making meaningful contributions to the fight against climate change, not only through small actions but by implementing impactful sustainability projects. This year, we established a consistent paper recycling schedule, encouraged students to create eco-bricks from plastic waste, and involved them in designing climate-themed activities to foster creativity and inclusivity. Additionally, we have installed solar panels on campus, promoting renewable energy to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and serve as a living example of sustainability. Through these initiatives, coupled with our climate-focused awareness campaign that engages parents and students, we aim to inspire change and create a more sustainable future. 

By Senior prefect for Eco - Alex (Yucheng Qiang)

Facebook 3: 

Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution! Please Take Our Quick Anonymous Survey!  

 Hi HeadStart Community!

We need YOUR voice in an exciting international environmental research project that assists scientists in exploring the impacts of combined pollution on the beautiful oceans of Southeast Asia, specifically the Phuket Region.

Why does this matter?

While plastic waste is visible and concerning, hidden dangers from some other chemicals found in sunscreen can exacerbate the damage to marine life.

Your Contribution is Vital!

We invite you to participate in our anonymous online survey. Your input will help us identify trends in the usage habits of both plastics and sunscreens to optimise our future experimental design, and raise awareness about marine conservation where needed. Plus, you can skip any questions that make you uncomfortable—no pressure!

Participate Now and Make a Difference!

Scan the QR code or click the link below to access the survey and help us protect our oceans!

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/stirling/sunscreen-protection-and-single-use-plastic-consumption-in-th-1

Thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment to help scientists help our oceans!

Weekly Newsletter: 

Eco Committee’s

The Secondary Eco Committee, led by Alex (Y13), Peter (Y12) and Mr Dempsey, meets Fridays to undertake campaign planning and host activities in the Atrium. Activities will begin in term 1.5 following the new theme of Climate. 

The Upper Primary Eco Committee, led by Mr Stanbra will have its first meeting week beginning October the 6th. Activities will begin in term 1.5 following the new theme of Climate.

The Lower Primary Eco Committee, led by Mr Gratton will have its first meeting on Tuesday the 8th of October. In this meeting we will seek to map out our year and choose our main campaign. 

October is the Vegetarian Festival 

This Phuket based and original festival promotes healthy and balanced living through a reduction of meat and other stimulates within one's diet. The festival offers opportunities all over Phuket to engage in a meat free lifestyle. Not only is such an approach cleansing for the body but also beneficial to our local and wider community. Reducing our meat intake, especially beef and pork, reduces the negative carbon footprint we have as individuals. So engage with the principles of the festival and do your bit to reduce the carbon associated with meat consumption. 

Community Beach Clean 

We look forward to seeing you at our next beach clean held at Rawai beach, THIS Sunday the 6th of October (9:30 am @ We Cafe). Bring with you water, suncream, a hat and reusable gloves if you want to wear them. We will provide collection bags and of course House Points for every participant. 

So come join us for a fun and rewarding community event where we give back to our local community. 

Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution! Please Take Our Quick Anonymous Survey!  

 Hi HeadStart Community!

We need YOUR voice in an exciting international environmental research project that assists scientists in exploring the impacts of combined pollution on the beautiful oceans of Southeast Asia, specifically the Phuket Region.

Why does this matter?

While plastic waste is visible and concerning, hidden dangers from some other chemicals found in sunscreen can exacerbate the damage to marine life.

Your Contribution is Vital!

We invite you to participate in our anonymous online survey. Your input will help us identify trends in the usage habits of both plastics and sunscreens to optimise our future experimental design, and raise awareness about marine conservation where needed. Plus, you can skip any questions that make you uncomfortable—no pressure!

Participate Now and Make a Difference!

Scan the QR code or click the link below to access the survey and help us protect our oceans!

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/stirling/sunscreen-protection-and-single-use-plastic-consumption-in-th-1

Thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment to help scientists help our oceans!

Did You Know: A final summary for our 5xR focus. AIS stores across Phuket will collect and dispose of your electrical items. Uniglo in Central will collect and recycle your fabrics. Hold onto reusable clothes ready for our Sunshine Village collection. Finally reduce your usage of plastic - say no to straws here in school at the cafe and within your wider community. 

Something To Think About: As we move towards the end of the rainy season we move towards our new focus on Climate. What actions are you already taking to reduce your impact upon the climate of Phuket? Do you leave the engine running while waiting at pick up? Do you drive when you could walk or car share? Do you consume more water than you really need? 

Interesting Links: 

A list of all upcoming beach cleans: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11de7WbKqnAfBrnqCvo2i73K-Hdc59iwC/view?usp=sharing 

Request: Keep collecting those thin plastic bags, wrappers, crisp bags or plastic food wrappers please collect these at home, perhaps in a plastic bag. In the coming weeks we will be asking for donations of such material to help with our monthly Eco Brick Challenge. Better still make your own Eco Brick at home. 

Weekly Newsletter: 

HeadStart is well known for the work it does to minimise its impact on the environment and foster more sustainable practices. As a school community we are committed to ensuring we can work towards even greater sustainable practices, within the school and within the community. Working with the school leadership team we have created the HeadStart Eco School as a way of organising and enhancing our practices. Over the coming years we will work to raise Awareness, identify Actions we can take, Assimilate sustainable practices into the classroom and curriculum and Advocate for change throughout the community. 

Welcome to the first of our regular updates and if you want to find out more about Eco schools check out this short video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYnTmgnUmmo&t=78s 

Eco Committee Campaigns

Over the next few weeks we will recruit a new cohort of Eco Ambassadors from Reception through to Year 13. Once in place we will begin designing our initiatives and campaigns around the following ½ termly themes: 

5XR = Replace, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle. 

Climate

Water 

Sustainable Communities

We plan to reactivate our Eco Brick Challenge campaign, our Clean Air Campaign, our system of paper collection and recycling and our Friday ChangeMaker Program. We are keen to build lasting relations with organisations, schools and business here on Phuket who share our desire to enculture Sustainable Learning for a Sustainable World. We want to enhance our practices and do more to help the wider community. To achieve this, we need you, our island community, to help build the wider capacity of our learners, our parents and all those that call Phuket home. Together we can be ChangeMakers and help bring about the change we want to see in the world. If you are interested in working with us in some capacity, be it as a partner, provider or educator, please contact the HeadStart Eco School Coordinator, Mr. Rob Gratton rgratton@headstartphuket.com.