Sustainability Council leaders, Corin Simcock and Toby Harvie (both Year 13).

The Sustainability Council marked Earth Week in April, and World Environment Day in June, with a range of sustainable initiatives which were embraced by hundreds of students.

The celebration of Earth Day 2022 involved a week of activities organised by Sustainability Council leaders, Toby Harvie and Corin Simcock (both Year 13).To kick off the week, students were encouraged to use sustainable transport. Toby Harvie, Hugh Nixon and Charli Watts (all Year 13) walked to school from Sumner, sending a valuable message to other students and staff. During the week, a large number of Secondary School students participated in the repotting of seedlings in support of St Andrew’s commitment to their Eco-Action Project. The Eco-Action Trust involves multiple schools raising seedlings at school nurseries, growing them on, and planting them in the Red Zone.  St Andrew’s has been an Eco-Action Trust partner since late 2019, raising 2000 seedlings onsite annually.

Corin and Toby also spoke at an assembly about the importance of investing in a sustainable future. On 5 June, another large group of students, led by the Sustainability Council, marked World Environment Day by going to the College nursery to do some practical work on their Eco-Action Project.

Students re-potting seedlings to mark Earth Week.

Teacher in Charge of the Sustainability Council, Ellen Hampson, says marking these international days is important for St Andrew’s students.

“We live in a very safe, secure environment in a country that is largely untouched by some of the larger scale effects of climate change. These global days have amazing key messages, which remind our students of the importance of investing in our planet to guarantee a viable and sustainable future.”

The Sustainability Council has been hard at work in other areas including contributing to plans to improve bike stands at the College, overseeing the use of compostable plastic wrap in the Cafeteria, collaborating with property management staff to devise a plan to reduce plastic bag use, and working on a Sustainable Development Policy document to present to the Senior Leadership Team. They would also like to see the introduction of compost bins at the College.