Conscious kids … Year 8 students Michaela, left, Carla and Matthew will be making a difference on Clean Up Australia Day. 60698 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By Natalie Gallenti
The group of Year 8 students will start their work this week as part of Clean Up Australia Day.
Humanities convenor Belinda Corbo Dalli said the unit provided youngsters with knowledge on the environment in which they live.
“We’ve tried to teach them that we live in this world but it’s not just for us and they need to look after it for the future,” Ms Corbo Dalli said.
“Initially the students see it as just cleaning up rubbish, but once they get a better understanding they really get into it.
“It’s good to have it embedded from a young age and it does make them think twice.”
Year 8 student and sustainability leader Michaela said she hoped to lead by example and said she was almost certain her peers would continue to be environmentally friendly long after this week.
The 13-year-old said the subject had made the group so much more aware of the importance of doing small things like bringing food in containers to school rather than plastic packaging.
The group even hoped to use food from their vegetable patch to provide to disadvantaged members of the community via a soup kitchen.
Brimbank City Council will be providing a barbecue at no charge for all Clean Up Australia Day volunteers at 12pm at Buckingham Reserve, Sunshine West and Bonfield Reseve, Keilor.
To find a Clean Up site in Brimbank, go to www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au or call Brimbank City Council Environment Department on 9249 4717.
