Mayor celebrates World Environment Day with a Sustainable Nation
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Announcement of Eco-Active Schools Program recipients
Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Leo Kelly, OAM has celebrated World Environment Day by announcing that each secondary school in Blacktown City will receive 'Sustainable Nation' a book that showcases Blacktown City Council's commitment to the environment.
Mayor Kelly made the announcement today whilst visiting Willmot Public School - a former 2007 Eco-Active Schools program grant recipient.
"Sustainable Nation is a great way to showcase Council and the Blacktown City community's involvement in our local environment, it is a great resource of information detailing many environmental projects taking place around Australia", Mayor Kelly said.
"Blacktown City is featured across two pages with programs such as; the Community Pride Movement, Sustainability Street, Eco-Active Schools Program and Blacktown Solar City, showcasing Council as a leader in local government when it comes to the environment".
"As a result of the book's success, Council has decided to give each of the secondary schools in the local government area a copy of 'Sustainable Nation', to use in classes and the library", Mayor Kelly continued.
The World Environment Day celebrations at Willmot Public School also included the announcement of 10 school projects that have been chosen by Council to be funded through the 2008 Eco-Active Schools Program.
The Eco-Active Schools program is an annual grants program providing over $30,000 to schools in the Blacktown City Local Government Area to undertake environmental improvement projects.
The program aims to promote ecological sustainable development local schools and educate students about existing and future environmental effects.
In 2008, applications were received for the program from 16 primary and secondary schools requesting funding totalling $103,877 for projects ranging from an ecological sustainable Aboriginal Garden, installation of rainwater tanks to the rejuvenation of wetland areas.
From these applications, Council selected 10 schools to receive funding to undertake projects to improve their school's environmental conditions. (The successful schools and their projects are listed on the next page).
Successful 2008 Eco-Active Schools Program recipients:
- Rouse Hill Anglican College - $840.80 - Worm Farms
- Riverstone High School. - $5,300 - Boree Ground Native Food Sustainability Project
- Blacktown West Public School - $1,521 - Healthy Choices
- Chiefly College - $1,852 - Community Composting
- Barnier Public School - $7,500 - Seed Raising / Fruit and Vegetable Garden
- St Josephs Primary School - $850 - Vegetable Garden
- Richard Johnson Anglican - $794 - Green Bin & Vegetable Gardens
- Loyola Senior High School - $7,000 - Loyola Wetland Ecosystem
- Halinda School for Specific Purposes - $4,634 - The Wheelchair Composter's Friend Project
- Patrician Brothers College - $2,500 - Waste Reduction Program
"Congratulations to all the schools that have been successful in obtaining a grant under this program for their proposed projects".
"Council is very supportive of our younger generations being educated and aware about today's pressing environmental issues and this program gives students an opportunity to actively take part in working towards a sustainable future", Mayor Kelly said.