Guardian Artarmon, embedding sustainable thinking with excursion

To extend on work done within their service to encourage children to “think globally, act locally”, educators at Artarmon Guardian Childcare and Education Centre recently arranged an excursion to a local hardware and plant store. 

Centre Manager Michelle Tan,said awareness of the importance of sustainable thinking had only been heightened by the catastrophic Australian bushfire season, explaining that the children are particularly sad for the animals impacted by the fires.

“We try to stay positive and talk about what they can do to support the environment such as reducing, reusing and recycling,” she added. 

The centre has a number of daily sustainable initiatives in place, such as hanging up the washing and turning off the lights with the children, alongside annual events such as Plastic Free July and Earth Hour, but something more was needed to help the children feel more empowered to make a difference for the planet. 

The service has a Sustainability Champion who drives practice within the centre, working with children and educators, networking with other sustainably focused champions across the Guardian group three times a year. 

“Working with Better Business Partnerships our centre proudly has ‘Sustainable badges’ recognising our practices in Waste, Water, Staff, Business Health and one for our pledge with Bye Bye Plastic,” Michelle said. 

During their excursion, the children and educators collected a variety of “hints and tips”, sampled some produce, and explored the range of plants on sale. 

Since coming back to the service, educators have worked with the children to create recycled milk bottle plant holders using bottles from the recycling stations in every room. 

“Cutting the bottles in half and then adding the top half inside (with a hole in the lid), we added another hole into the outside bottle which allows the water to trickle through. This is an excess draining hole so when we water the plants, or when it rains the water filters to the bottom layer,” Michelle explained.  

To learn more about the excursion undertaken by Artarmon Guardian Childcare and Education Centre please see here.