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Meet the SMC Junior School waste warriors leading the way in sustainability through peer education and hands-on initiatives.
Emma Palmer, Neve Wright-Smith, Eleanor Broadhead, Gwen Szczerba and Laney Cowie (Year 6) are all members of the Junior School Green Team. These dedicated students have been leading informative sessions at assemblies, teaching younger students how to sort waste correctly into the appropriate bins.
One of their standout projects was a soft plastics collection competition – well done to Year 1 Potoroos for taking out the win.
Every Wednesday at recess, the Green Team takes on the role of ‘Waste Warriors’, patrolling the playground to collect FOGO scraps and soft plastics for recycling.
Soft plastics are now being collected by Clarence City Council (at Glebe Hill Shopping Centre) and Hobart City Council (at McRobie’s Gully Waste Management Centre). Once gathered, these materials are sent to one of Recycle Smart’s vetted interstate recyclers, where they’re transformed into plastic-derived oil for new products or used as an additive in asphalt.
While recycling is a great step forward, it’s important to think critically about what we’re purchasing in the first place. Plastics can take decades to break down, fragmenting into microplastics that harm wildlife and ecosystems. Unfortunately, the amount of soft plastic waste found in the College playground is concerning. Many students bring individually packaged snacks that are quickly discarded.
Let’s make smarter choices: When buying items like crisps or biscuits, consider opting for a larger bag or, even better, a cardboard box to reduce packaging waste. By working together, we can help reduce our waste at SMC!
Here’s an example of a fantastic plastic-free lunchbox.
Pictured below is what was collected during a single recess in just a small area of the Junior School.
