Sustainability at SEE-SAW
To address sustainability in schools is urgent and necessary!
At SEE-SAW, sustainability is applied as a set of values and competencies for the development of individuals concerned with our present society and future generations.
Respecting the professionalism involving this theme, we pursued partnership with Reconectta, a social business specialized in environmental education for sustainability, whose goal is consistently and integrally working this theme in schools, involving students, teachers, employees and the community.
From an early age, our students learn to take care of the environment through gardening, planting, residual and composting activities, aside from discussing a more conscious use of water and energy and caring for our community and school surroundings.
Other than environmental issues, other themes worked on are the balance of relations among the students and the development of human values such as empathy, respect, solidarity and cooperation, all essential for sustained relationships. During this process, sustainability is not seen as the final process, but as a means to an end, a learning instrument that contributes for the development of more responsible individuals, aware of their personal and collective actions, protagonists in creating a more sustainable future.
Reinforcing our commitment in instructing global citizens, our projects are based on ONU´s sustainable development goals, a global agenda involving more than 190 countries, the largest international compromise for a better world. With this, once again, SEE-SAW´s community proves to be engaged as an important role in a positive change for everyone´s future.
Below are some of the projects implemented at SEE-SAW:
· Gardening and healthy eating habits.
· Selective waste program of recyclable and non-recyclable materials.
· Composting of organic matter.
· Cistern to collect rain water.
Gardening and healthy eating habits.
In 2017 our school garden was implemented and since then students, teachers and co-workers interact and cultivate flowers, plants, vegetables, fruits and herbs. With this new scenario, innovative learning possibilities emerged. Students learn how to plant, harvest, observe, prepare recipes and discuss different nature cycles. Not less importantly, essential values such as patience, care, responsibility, cooperation and overall healthy habits are developed.
Selective waste program of recyclable and non-recyclable materials.
At SEE-SAW, our waste program was applied with the intense participation and cooperation of all members of the community. Apart from separating ordinary materials such as paper, plastic and organic waste, coffee pods and batteries were separated and teachers substituted plastic cups with mugs.
Other than the correct destination for these materials, we had to rethink our own consumption and avoid producing unnecessary waste, minimizing our negative impact on the environment.
This is what we have already achieved:
· In 2018 we were able to reduce 1 ton of waste/month, with an estimation of 10 tons/year. Consequently, all this waste was better destined, not being automatically sent to the sanitary landfill.
· In 3 months approximately 700 kilos of recycled material were correctly destined.
Composting of organic matter.
Did you know that around 50 % of our waste is organic and could be transformed into fertilizers?
At SEE-SAW our worm bin is used to compost some of the waste from our daily meals. Students participate in the process, learning to compost and better take care of waste produced.
What was waste becomes fertilizer and is used in our school garden, ending a cycle and once again, minimizing waste.
Cistern to collect rain water.
Water is life!
At SEE-SAW we have cisterns to collect rain water which is used for general cleaning and toilet discharges. These mechanisms were also presented to our 9th graders and their families, bringing more awareness to reduce water consumption.
