Shearwater’s ‘nude food’ campaign will be extended across the whole School this term, as part of a push to improve our sustainability, beginning with waste management and plastic-free lunches.

From 26 August (Week 6) students will be asked to bring lunches with no plastic wrappings, bags, foil or cling wrap. We are not asking you to discard your plastic lunch containers although there are non-plastic options available. But if your child’s snack or lunch items contain plastic, we ask that they be unwrapped at home and sent to School ‘nude’, inside the lunch container. If you forget, then your child will be asked to take their plastic home at the end of the day. 

We know change is challenging, so read on for inspiring stories of change already underway across the School!

In High School we have been focusing on the small things, starting with a quick classroom clean-up at the end of every lesson, to promote awareness of the waste we generate in our learning environment, as well as daily student clean-up of the School buildings and grounds. We are seeing a marked improvement!

The Student Representative Council (SRC) is working on a new approach to increase awareness of waste, recycling and composting, through education and signage developed by students for students. The improvement is ongoing and Callan, our new Farm Manager, will be overseeing this journey. Callan is working on a closed loop waste system whereby waste products sourced at School are converted into nutrient-rich compost and soil enhancers such as biochar, compost teas and worm castings. 

In the Primary School, students are separating their waste into landfill, recycling and compostables, such as chicken and worm food, and this program is proving successful. We are seeing a reduction in landfill waste and many student lunches are already plastic-free!

During Term 2, the Shearwater High School teachers committed to plastic-free lunches, as a way to model behaviour change to our students and families. Consequently we are baking snack bars, bringing our own cups and plates to the canteen and avoiding bringing anything in plastic bags, foil wrappers or cling wrap. Our bins are close to empty! 

Now we are asking you to do the same.

Our next goal is to focus on the many plastics in our pens, folders and other administrative items and looking into ways of lessening the use of plastics across the whole School.

Our teachers are committed to:

• Implementing waste management systems and modelling positive waste practices 
• Providing education on the principles and practices of environmental sustainability and regeneration including recycling, composting and waste management systems
• Bringing plastic-free lunches
• Improved signage of the bins 
• Exploring as many plastic-free options as possible.

So what can you do? 

• Encourage your young people to recycle, compost and minimise the use of plastic
• Send your students to school with plastic-free lunches

We look forward to joining with our whole community in taking the next step towards responsible stewardship, sustainability and regeneration. 

The Shearwater staff