Over the past two weeks, sustainability has taken centre stage at IGS, as we commemorated World Water Day, responded to calls for help from the South Pacific, marched for change, and penned letters urging the Prime Minister for greater action. Our school community stands united in the understanding that meaningful change comes from decisive action.
World Water Day
For World Water Day we introduced our Sustainability Leader, Madeleine, who spoke to the significance of this day for our environment. Watch below!
March for our Forests
We’re excited to share a recap of the recent “March for our Forests” event held last Sunday, organised by the Bob Brown Foundation. The event, held outside Tall Hall, featured a series of talks, one came from our Sustainability Leader who spoke about her personal fears for the future, aiming to raise awareness about the critical importance of preserving our native forests. Watch below.
Matilda’s Letter to the PM
Matilda, a Year 6 student wrote a letter to the Prime Minister demanding climate action and received a letter in return. Below is a copy of the handwritten letter.
Dear Prime Minister Albanese,
Did you know that a single container takes 50,000 years to decompose? How much rubbish do you throw out a week? That’s a lot of rubbish to leave out 50,000 years after you die. Climate change is one of the biggest consequences of pollution. Climate change has been a topic of discussion for years now and we need to do something about it.
Lately, we’ve been having heat waves and floods that are intensifying. Carbon diocese levels are reading the highest in 3 million years. This is all the cause of climate change which is caused by us humans. We need to do something about it and fast so future generations like me can live in a beautiful world.
All across Europe the governments are putting in electric buses and are replacing fossil fuels with solar or wind energy which is much, much better for the environment. It also helps diminish climate. The Australian government could do some of these things. PM Albanese, climate change isn’t just about icebergs melting, it’s also about human health, for example, bacteria thrive in warm weather. A good place to start would be banning single use plastics.
Matilda
A Message to Kiribati
Our sustainability club promptly responded to a message from our neighbours in the South Pacific, the Islands of Kiribati. Following a recent conference held by the Council of Pacific Education in Nadi, Fiji, Lee Cunningham, a member of the Independent Education Union, highlighted that while the conference was intended to focus on education and union matters, discussions frequently shifted to the urgent issue of climate change.
“Climate change transcends mere environmental concerns; it is a critical issue affecting education systems and communities at large,” Wrote Cunningham. “This emphasis underscores the necessity of integrating climate resilience into educational frameworks and advocating for sustainability-focused policies within our own communities.”
Our Head of Sustainability, Mr Carmelo Fedele explains the situation these schools and students are facing, stating, “Our Pacific neighbours are already experiencing unprecedented flooding events. With schools facing the risk of inundation and destruction due to rising sea levels, students’ access to education is severely compromised, jeopardising their educational opportunities, well-being, and future prospects. We are in a privileged position to demonstrate solidarity with our Pacific neighbours and recognise that they are facing the consequences of a crisis not of their making.”
In solidarity, our students produced a video in response to a video made by the Kiribati Union of Teachers, click here to watch. We urge you to view the video to gain insight into the challenges faced by these communities.