Sustainability

Climate change is a global issue that has been a ‘red flag’ for many years. Glaciers are rapidly shrinking (31% more than they did 15 years ago), seas are rising 3.6mm a year, trees are flowering sooner, and more detrimental heat waves are causing bushfires and droughts. According to NASA’s Global Climate Change website (2021), a change to the average global mean temperature of 1 to 3 degrees Celsius will cause harmful effects in many regions of the Earth and these will only get worse as temperatures continue to rise. Not only does climate affect the environment but it also affects human life. This makes the issue a major priority in order for the survival of humanity. Now people are realising this, different countries around the world are banding together to fight against this change in the climate, and everyone needs to join in.

In the past couple of decades, more awareness has been brought to the issue of climate change. Global petitions and worldwide protests have been held, and citizens are attempting to get those in power to focus on energy sustainably and becoming environmentally friendly.

The recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has sparked a lot of global interest, as it states that we have less than 11 years until climate change is completely irreversible.

In Australia, many sustainability groups, students and environmental professionals are encouraging the Australian parliament to put into practice things such as changing to renewable energy and leaving fossil fuels and gases in the past, which is part of what Friends’ Climate Action Group does.

Climate Action Group is a High School service club that meets every Friday lunchtime in E301, the top classroom in the High School’s Maths block. This group is run by Kate Sinclair, teacher and dedicated climate change activist within the school community.

Friends’ Climate Action Group writes letters to politicians about effects that their decisions have on the environment and climate change. Members of the group see their role as bringing politicians’ attention to the environment, as it is such an important issue for many people.

Recently, the group had Peter Jones, a well-respected member of the Friends’ School community, come and talk to them about his experiences in Parliament and what happens when they receive letters calling for action. Other students take on their own projects, whether that is for sustainability within the school or in their home community.

With the School Strike for Climate organisation growing every day, many schools are addressing the issue of sustainability within their school environment, homes and communities.

Some members of the group were asked to give advice to people about what they can do to help make their lives more sustainable. Penny Slamen, Year 8, suggested that ‘nude food’ is a simple and yet effective tactic for keeping litter out of the community. Tarçin Marriott and Grace Winspear, Year 9s, pointed out that turning off lights or heating in a room when not in it is not only good for the environment, but a good way to keep your power bill low.

Despite many improvements in the canteen, such as changing to recyclable and compostable packaging, students still think that the School can improve their composting system and energy efficiency.

The Climate Action Group members encourage all students to get involved. More people means more change!Climate action. From L-R: Year 9 students, Tarçin Marriott, Grace Winspear, Charlotte Cox, Anna Mulcahy and Anika Jolley. Photo: Ellora Chamberlen.

Wilbur Wilkinson is a gardener/groundsman at The Friends’ School and I interviewed him about how he is sustainable in his work at the School.

Wilbur tries to be as sustainable as possible when working on the School grounds. He uses an approach known as ecological horticulture which applies systems and practices that aim to maintain or enhance the health of the natural resource base and the wider environment.

An example of this would be by using ‘sheet composting’ which returns all organic matter to the soil. Sheet composting is like a big horizontal compost heap over the whole garden bed. This enables the sustainability of the fertility of the School grounds.

Wilbur also aims to use all available resources on School grounds: re-using and re-purposing. For example, Wilbur has moved heavy rocks from old garden beds where the new Sports Centre is being built. Instead of sending them off on a truck to the tip, Wilbur has found a new home for them where they will enhance another garden.

Another example is when a tree has been blown over. It can be chipped to make mulch or the wood can be milled for use in the Design and Technology Department. In the School, there is the Tasmanian Native Garden that has about 50 native species of plants. This is to increase biodiversity. All these plants are from southeast Tasmania. Half of all these plants naturally occurred within 5km from the School campus.

Wilbur lives his sustainability ethos through his practices as a groundsman at Friends’ and I left this interview wondering how I could do the same.