Living Green school funding announced

More than 20 local schools have received a share of funding from the City of Stirling’s Living Green Program, which supports schools to help reduce waste, energy and water use, and create biodiversity and habitat.

In August, applications opened for a suite of initiatives, from grassroots action to investments to improve and sustain our natural environment and deliver energy and cost savings to the operations of the City.

Recent successful Living Green applicants include:

• Balcatta Primary School
• Balcatta Senior High School
• Carine Senior High School
• Carmel Primary School Dianella
• Churchlands Primary School
• Churchlands Senior High School
• Chrysalis Montessori School
• Dianella Heights Primary School
• Doubleview Primary School
• Inglewood Primary School
• Lake Gwelup Primary School
• Nollamara Primary and Intensive English School
• North Balga Primary School
• Servite College
• St Denis School
• St Gerard’s Primary School
• Sutherland Dianella Primary School
• Wembley Downs Primary School
• West Coast Steiner School
• West Balcatta Primary School
• Westminster Primary School
• Yokine Primary School.

Mayor Mark Irwin said the City recognised that small changes could make a big difference to our environment over time.

“The Living Green Program benefits our local community whilst teaching the next generation valuable lessons about sustainability,” he said.

“As a City, we have committed to net zero emissions by 2050, an ambitious but achievable target backed up by our Sustainable Energy Action Plan (Corporate) 2020-2030 to achieve 100 per cent of our energy from renewables and a 70 per cent reduction in our emissions by 2030.

“It can be difficult sometimes to see how we can contribute in a tangible way. At the individual and community level there is so much that can be accomplished, and I congratulate the students and teachers who have been successful in putting forward cases for funding for projects that will help realise those goals at the grassroots level.”

Funding available for schools in the Living Green Program includes:

• $500 vouchers for supply and delivery of Western Australian waterwise plants to increase biodiversity and habitat on school grounds
• $500 vouchers for supply and delivery of garden soil, mulch and consumables. These include water saving native and vegetable garden soil, mulch, soil amendments, seedlings, seeds, fertilizers, worms for existing worm farms and kelp solutions
• $730 vouchers for supply, delivery and installation of a recycled fridge worm farm with worms and accessories to assist schools with diverting organic waste away from landfill
• $500 vouchers for gardening tools and equipment, consumables, energy saving devices or waste and recycling.

Previously funded projects have included the development of bushland trails and outdoor classrooms, community recycling hubs, revegetation projects and energy and water reduction initiatives.

Available across the City of Stirling, the innovative Living Green Schools Fund will enter its sixth year in July 2023.

Schools can email sustainability@stirling.wa.gov.au or visit www.stirling.wa.gov.au/livinggreen for more information about the program.