We are thrilled to be putting our passion into action. Here's what others have to say about us .....
Our journey to 5 Star Accreditation would not have been possible without the amazing knowledge, enthusiasm and support from Lona and Clare. From the beginning they worked alongside the staff, parents and students, to motivate and engage the whole school community. They were a fountain of advice and energy, working with our Sustainability Sub-Committee to take every opportunity to meet the requirements of this rigorous process. Their leadership made the complex seem simple, and ensured that everyone did their part to achieve our 5 Star goal.
Julie Wilkinson, Principal Solway Primary School |
When selecting a school in the area for my son, I visited several local schools and was impressed by various aspects of each one. However, Solway Primary School's 5 Star Sustainability program really caught my attention. I felt immediately that Solway's values reflected my own. I was really pleased to see that the school was leading and educating its students and the broader community. One of the most important lessons we can learn - and pass along to our children - is that when it comes to caring for and preserving our natural environment, our individual and community contributions to sustainability can make a difference.
Cynthia Mitchell, parent, 2014 |
Lona and the Sustainability Team’s work to deliver the Solway Sustainability Open Day was a terrific display of positive action for the environment. The passion of the staff and students was palpable. What really stood out was the high level of student leadership skills. I loved that the whole community was involved in the Open Day and that Solway is helping to support and engage other schools in achieving sustainability goals.
Congratulations! Thea Nicholas, Cool Australia |
So Eco were fantastic! With the So-Eco Tackling Waste Program we have achieved a whole school fully operational recycling program at our school for the very first time! Without Clare’s expert advice and positive outlook on all things sustainable, I don’t know if we would have achieved what we have achieved today as efficiently as we’d liked. At Seabrook Primary School the biggest challenge in improving our waste systems was time. Being able to contact Clare at any time during the initial stages was really helpful. She was a wealth of knowledge, extremely patient and understanding of the challenges we face at our school, being such a large school community. Our school’s waste reduction program is on its way to becoming an amazing journey; we have and still continue to reduce our waste costs. This is something that all schools should consider for the betterment of the planet and for the children.
Helen Takano, Teacher, Seabrook PS |
The So-Eco Waste Stream Assessment opened our school community’s eyes to the large amount of recyclable content in any one bin on an average day: 6% was landfill, 94% was recyclable. What a great place to begin our journey in becoming a more sustainable school and reducing waste disposal costs. As part of this process, Lona and Clare engaged our Students and Sustainability Team with a hands-on bin audit, teaching us about our school’s waste and empowering us to make positive change. We would recommend the So-Eco Waste Stream Assessment to any school wanting to save costs, have a positive environmental impact and be a leader in responsible waste management practices. Lona and Clare are passionate, organised and reliable.
Michele Minogue, Sustainability Coordinator Caroline Chisholm Catholic College |
We have loved working with Clare and Lona from So-Eco. Bringing a real passion and enthusiasm to their work, their knowledge of sustainability alternatives and industry contacts has helped us move toward our aim of becoming a Sustainable School. Clare and Lona have worked with all groups within our school community - from facilitating our student ‘Green Team’ meetings to developing action plans with students and teachers. Their advice and assistance on using the ResourceSmart website has been invaluable. We highly recommend them to any school or organisation wishing to reduce their resource use and environmental impact.
Greg Tate, Sustainability Coordinator, Pinewood PS |
It was a great honour to be the Environment Captains for 2013. We were given a team of 11 students to lead. As the Environment Captains we brought in the bins, made announcements at school assembly including the Golden Bin, presented at the Eastern Metro Sustainability Fair and ran events such as Tree Planting Day and the Sustainability Open Day. We have loved being the Environment Captains and know we can make a difference to the world.
Philippa and Bailey, Enviro Captains, 2013 |
We learned a lot on this team about how to take care of our environment and to use our resources smartly. Our team made lots of changes around the school which not only got our school to 5 Stars but also helped the future for everyone. The kids at school really enjoyed learning new things about recycling, gardening, re-using, and being careful with water, paper and other resources.
Andy, Enviro Captain, 2012 |
As a parent representative on the Solway Primary School Sustainability Committee I was most impressed by the leadership provided by Lona Parry and Clare Nolan. Their ability to engage teachers, students and parents and co-ordinate the multilayered process of achieving 5 Star Accreditation was outstanding. The positive changes brought on by the work towards 5 Star Accreditation are now well-established in every aspect of school life.
Karin Hammarberg, Sustainability Committee |