APS goes Bottled Water Free for Carols on the Oval!

Inspired by the popular mantra "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", Asquith Enviro Hub are pleased to announce that Asquith Public School's annual Carols on the Oval event this year will be disposable bottled water free for the first time.

We encourage you to bring your own refillable bottles, and fill them up at our water stations. 

Don’t have one? Now’s the perfect time to get one – depending on your preference you can great metal , plastic or glass ones from supermarkets and pharmacies (make sure plastic ones are BPA free, so no nasty chemicals dissolve in your water – something bottled-water plastic bottles often have!).

Why is Asquith Public making a stand against bottled water?

• Plastic bottles take up lots of space in landfills – using up our precious land.
• Plastic bottles contribute to litter on roadside and especially in our water ways – the plastic choking animals and breaking down into micro-particles which never go away and poison our oceans and rivers*  
• Massive amounts of oils are used to produce and transport plastic bottles – emitting over 60,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases in Australia in 2006.
• We are setting a great example for our community and more importantly, our kids. Actions speak louder than words, and we want to show that we mean what we say, when we talk about creating a greener future.
• Tap water is so much cheaper!

 You can also get a drink at one of many school bubblers - and we will have a water station handy for refilling bottles too (with some emergency recyclable paper cups too).

We are so very lucky to have clean, fresh and safe drinking water available straight from our taps in Sydney – let’s take advantage of this privilege.

Let’s get together, and "tap it" for a greener future.

* See http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/11/28/3900026.htm for more information on this.

Rockin' Composting

While we're on the subject of compost, here is a great article from our friend Dirt Girl. Seeing all the steps here, makes it even easier to start your own compost bin. Have you got a rockin' compost bin at your home? Why not send us a photo of it! 

http://www.dirtgirlworldscrapblog.com/3-steps-to-br-rockin-compost-pile/
Send your compost bin pics to asquithenvirohub.au@gmail.com. 

Three cheers for Mrs Meggitt, the "Worm Lady"

Mrs Meggitt’s determination to cut back on waste at school by encouraging composting has worked a treat, with many kids automatically putting their compostable waste in the bins provided at school! They know their banana peels, apple cores, bread, tomatoes, paper bags and other food scraps go to feed the schools’ worms – either in the compost bin or worm farm – and eventually create compost and soil to go back into their veggies gardens - go Mrs Meggitt!!

We’re now hearing stories of kids at home saying Dad? Mum? Where’s our compost bin? Well if you are interested in getting a compost bin or worm farm at home (worm farms are great especially if you don’t have the space for a compost bin), you can buy them from Hornsby Council. What’s more if you (or your kids!!!) successfully do a short online tutorial and quiz, you can get what you need for half price!!!

So check out the following website for the tutorial and quiz:
http://compostrevolution.com.au/

Current full prices (http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/property/waste-and-recycling/composting-and-worm-farming):
220L Compost bin - $40
Worm farm (black) $80

Worms - $40 for approximately 2,000 worms, can be ordered upon request (you can also get worms from someone else’s worm farm – pop a comment on our blog or contact the Enviro Hub and we’re sure we can find someone to share some worms with you)

Did you know?

1. 40-50% of waste in our red bins is food.
2. Throwing food in the rubbish (red) bin means more energy used transporting the waste to the dump.
3. It also means more methane gas produced in the landfill – methane is a greenhouse gas.
4. The food mixes with other waste to create acid leachate which poisons our groundwater.
5. We also lose the nutrients in our food cycle.

Our Turpentine trees are blooming!

Turpentine in the Spring time.

Spring has sprung at Asquith Public, with many of our plants displaying gorgeous flowers. Below is a picture of one of our more mature Turpentine trees. There are many of these on the school grounds, they make wonderful shade for us, and play host to many different animals. Learn more about these trees here.

Hot Diggidy!

Our Digging Patch is now open!

Amongst other things, the Enviro Hub installed the new Digging Patch at the August working bee. It has three sections - The sand pit, the matchbox dirt track, and finally, the stepping stone area. Each section caters to a mode of play that taps into kids innate creativity, giving children a chance to build upon what they have been learning that day. It is also a way for kids to let off creative steam, in a safe and tactile environment. 

It may be installed, but it is in no way finished! Through observing wear-and-tear of the area, we will find out which parts work well, and which parts need improvement. In taking our lead from the students, future working bees will focus on adding to and adjusting elements of this fun little play area. 

Q- Have you seen the digging patch in action? Do you plan to install one in your backyard?
      Let us know what you think! 

Asquith Enviro Hub has joined Pinterest! 

Come over and follow us! 

www.pinterest.com/asquithenviro/

Hello, Twitter!

We are now officially on Twitter. 

Our handle is @asquithenviro, so if you are a twitterer, please stop by and say hello.