12 Pillars - Caring for our Environment

"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."   Robert Swan

Practising sustainability empowers children to construct their own knowledge, explore values and develop and appreciation of the environment and its relationship to their world and their future world. Learning sustainable practices in the early years lays the foundations for an environmentally responsible adult. 
As each year passes we are making new discoveries about the different effects and impacts we are having on our environment. Teaching children about the impact of global warming and the importance  of real food, water and preservation and the value of utilising what we already have and focusing on recycling is important for their future and all future generations to live a life that is happy and healthy. The earlier we teach sustainable practices the more understanding and value children will place on it as they grow. It's also important that we educate our families and communities about embedding sustainable practices, why we do it and how we can all work together to create positive changes.

As the need for sustainability becomes more obvious on a global level it highlights the need for embedded sustainability in children's early education.
Effective, holistic hands on experiences and relevant educator pedagogies can encourage the children to explore and learn about their local environmental situations and issues and work to develop their creative and critical thinking skills necessary to make informed decisions for change-thus improving the quality of their lives, and those of future generations.

Examples of some of the ways we embed sustainable practices on our everyday routines:

using on using natural lighting in the rooms at all times when possible.
-keeping a recycle centre in each room where families and children can donate their recycled goods to be re used and repurposed.
-Reflective practices on the waste in your room and finding innovative ways to reduce the waste.
-Feeding scrap foods to compost and chickens.
-Planting and caring for all kinds of garden varieties-butterfly and bee gardens, bird feeding gardens, bush tucker gardens, herbs gardens, fruit and veg gardens.
-role modelling water wise practices-turning off taps when washing hands, half flushes on the toilets, giving water waste to plants and gardens.
-host community clean up days and world environment days.
-only use air conditioners when necessary-keep temp around 23 degrees.
-books and group discussions around sustainability practices and the importance of them.
-develop connections with local Aboriginal elders and have them work with you and the children to focus on caring for country
-embedded loose parts play space both indoors and outdoors that utilise recycled materials.
-purchase resources second hand whenever possible-op shops, marketplace etc.
-sort all waste into appropriate garbage bins-waste, green waste recyclables.
-clothing exchange program for parents to donate and receive clothes second hand that would otherwise go to waste