Welcome back to Term 2! 

A look inside the WasteSorted Schools workshops 

Every year, WasteSorted Schools host a variety of workshops in metro and regional areas. These workshops cover a range of topics and provide attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to introduce waste avoidance and resource recovery projects in their schools. Some of our recent workshops included a curriculum workshop, an organics workshop and a regional workshop in Kalgoorlie.  

The curriculum workshop provided teachers time to engage with a range of resources available through WasteSorted Schools. These resources cover topics related to waste reduction and recycling and can be integrated into classrooms to cover a wide range of learning areas. Bethany Moore from Containers for Change also came in to discuss the new Containers for Change Education Guide, which provides examples of how schools can get involved in the Container Deposit Scheme. 

The curriculum workshop provided teachers time to engage with a range of resources available through WasteSorted Schools. These resources cover topics related to waste reduction and recycling and can be integrated into classrooms to cover a wide range of learning areas. Bethany Moore from Containers for Change also came in to discuss the new Containers for Change Education Guide, which provides examples of how schools can get involved in the Container Deposit Scheme. 

The regional workshop in Kalgoorlie introduced attendees to the program and outlined the steps involved in becoming a WasteSorted School. It provided information on the resources we have available and hands-on demonstrations of how the activities outlined in these resources can be incorporated into classrooms. The team were joined by representatives from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Urban Landcare Group (KBULG) who provided information on the services that are available locally for teachers to access.

Information about our upcoming Term 2 workshops is detailed below, plus an overview of all 2024 metro workshops available on the WasteSorted Schools website. Dates and venues are subject to minor changes, however, the topics covered will remain the same. Information on regional workshops will be posted as they become available.  

Workshops and Events | WasteSorted Schools | Waste Authority WA 

WasteSorted Schools and Clean Schools workshop 

Date: 9 May 2024 

Time:  9am– 3pm 

Venue: City of Rockingham, Civic Blvd, Rockingham  

Join the team from WasteSorted Schools and Keep Australia Beautiful Council to learn how to avoid and recover waste, and protect our environment, through litter prevention and waste reduction. This workshop also includes a tour of the Millar Road Landfill and Recycling Centre.  

Register: WasteSorted Schools & Clean Schools workshop - Rockingham | Humanitix 

WasteSorted Schools plastics workshop  

Date: 28 May 2024 

Time: 9.30–3pm 

Venue: Herdsman Lake Discovery Centre, Wembley  

Join us for a full day of talk about plastics and prepare your school for Plastic Free Term 3. Explore activities aimed at avoiding single-use plastic including hands-on and classroom style activities. 

Register: WasteSorted Schools plastics workshop | Humanitix 

WasteSorted Schools Teach Meet 

Date: 11 June 2024 

Time: 4–7pm 

Venue: Bendat Parent and Community Centre, Wembley 

Hear from primary and secondary accredited WasteSorted Schools about successful waste avoidance and resource recovery initiatives they have implemented at their school. They will share ideas and experiences about how they have created a successful program including setting up, maintenance, engaging students and the wider school community. 

Presentations will be in 2 separate rooms – one for primary and one for secondary schools. 

Register: Teach Meet: waste and sustainability in primary and secondary schools | Humanitix 

Term 3 Student Meet 

Date: 6 August 2024 

Time: TBC (During school hours) 

Venue: Emmanuel Catholic College  

This event is for secondary school students who want to drive change in waste and sustainability at their school. Hear from other secondary students about successful waste management and sustainability practices they have implemented. They will share ideas and experiences about what they have set up, how they run it, and how they engage the rest of the school. 

For more information contact hannah.lalor@dwer.wa.gov.au  

Register: Opening soon   

WasteSorted Schools and Clean Schools after school workshop – South Hedland 

Date: 15 May 2024 

Time: 3pm–5pm 

Venue: Hedland Senior High School, Hamilton Rd  

Join the team from WasteSorted Schools and Keep Australia Beautiful Council's Clean Schools to learn how our programs support schools to protect the environment through litter and waste prevention strategies. 

The workshop is FREE and a light afternoon tea will be provided. 

Register: WasteSorted Schools & Clean Schools - After school workshop- Hedland | Humanitix 

WasteSorted Schools and Clean Schools workshop – Karratha 

Date: 17 May 2024 

Time: 9am–2.30pm 

Venue: West Baynton Primary School, 2 Marniyarra Loop 

Join the team from WasteSorted Schools and Keep Australia Beautiful Council to learn how to avoid and recover waste, and protect our environment, through litter prevention and waste reduction. Explore practical 'earth-cycling' strategies to process organic waste through composting and worm farming and close the loop on organic recycling by feeding this to your edible food gardens. 

This workshop is FREE and teacher relief payments are available for two staff from each school. 

Register: WasteSorted Schools & Clean Schools plus Organics workshop - Karratha | Humanitix 

WasteSorted Schools workshop - Broome  

Date: 21 June 2024 

Time: 9am–3pm 

Venue: TBC 

Join WasteSorted Schools to learn how our program can support your school's journey to reducing waste. You will have opportunities to explore activities aimed at embedding organics learning into the curriculum, using strategies that work in your region. We will be joined by guest presenters and representatives from the City of Broome who will have local knowledge to share.  

This workshop is FREE and teacher relief payments are available for two staff from each school. 

For more information or to enquire about a school visit from the WasteSorted Schools team contact megan.mentz@dwer.wa.gov.au 

Register: Opening soon  

2024 Grant round two 

Round 2: opens Monday 3 June, and closes 4pm Tuesday 6 August, 2024. 

WasteSorted Schools grants provide funding for schools to set up infrastructure and initiatives that avoid and recover school waste. Grants of up to $5,500 are available and all currently accredited WasteSorted Schools are eligible to apply.  

Please see the website for more information on how to apply.  

WasteSorted Schools grants | Waste Authority WA 

Food waste curriculum  

Check out our new WasteSorted Schools Food Waste curriculum guide. This Year 5 cross-curricula unit is aligned to the WA curriculum and contains lessons for HASS, Maths, English and Science. These lessons can be taught independently or together as a complete unit of work. Using an inquiry-based and integrated approach to learning, students explore the issues of food waste at home and at school. As an assessment option in English, students will create a food waste cookbook to educate their school community about what they have learned. 

Download it now for FREE from our website 

WSS Food Waste Curriculum Guide

Nominations are now open for the WasteSorted Awards and will close at 5pm on Monday 27 May 2024. 

The WasteSorted Awards – Schools Award recognises school communities that go that extra mile to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill in WA.  

If your school is leading the way in championing waste reduction, you can nominate for the award here WasteSorted Awards 2024 

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) 5–11 May 2024 

COMPOST... Nature’s Climate Champion! 

The goal of ICAW is to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil. Why not use this internationally celebrated event as a stimulus to kick start your own earth-cycling initiative at school, using the WasteSorted Schools Compost Curriculum Guide to help you incorporate compost into your classroom learning.  

WSS Compost Curriculum Guide 

Start planning for Plastic Free Term 3  

From its beginnings right here in WA, Plastic Free July has grown to become a global sustainability movement. With their Plastic Free Schools Challenge, you can now inspire your school to make a difference with solutions to single-use plastic all year round. 

Sign up for the challenge and access their resources here: Plastic Free Schools challenge | Plastic Free July 

Waste Audit 

Conducting a waste audit is a necessary step to becoming an accredited WasteSorted School. This fun and informative incursion helps you find out the types and amount of waste your school produces. The data collected can be used to prioritise and improve existing waste projects. 

WasteSorted Race  

Are your students struggling with the correct waste sorting behaviours? Or have you introduced a new bin system at your school, like paper recycling or FOGO? Book our WasteSorted Race incursion to help students learn the importance of source separation.  

Paper Making Kit  

If you are looking for a hands-on way to educate your student about the recycling process, why not borrow our paper making kit? This kit contains all the equipment needed for you and your students to participate in the process of turning old, scrap paper into new, usable paper. 

To organise a booking in the metro area, please contact us at wastesortedschool@dwer.wa.gov.au  

Just for fun

Why is rubbish sad?- Because it’s down in the dumps.