Image by Craig Moodie Photography
<h5>Entries are now open for the 2024 ResourceSmart Schools Awards, Victoria’s largest sustainability celebration for primary and secondary school students, teachers and school volunteers taking remarkable sustainability action.</h5>
<p>This year, Sustainability Victoria is marking 15 years of the <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/energy-efficiency-and-reducing-emissions/resourcesmart-schools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ResourceSmart Schools Awards</a> with the theme, ‘Legendary Legacies – what will you leave behind?’.</p>
<p>Katie Pahlow, Director Regions &; Community Action, Sustainability Victoria, says the theme is a celebration of the outstanding work achieved by the hundreds of Victorian schools that have been part of the ResourceSmart Schools program.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.school-news.com.au/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a></p>
<p>“These schools are not only making a difference now but they’re leaving a legacy for the next generation through their sustainability endeavours.</p>
<p>“The ResourceSmart Schools Awards is an opportunity to recognise the tremendous achievements of the teachers, students, school staff and the wider community who are creating a sustainable future. I encourage all schools to showcase the environmental work they’re doing, no matter how small. Together, we can make a positive impact and inspire others to take action.”</p>
<p><span data-ogsc="black"><a href="https://www.newhamps.vic.edu.au/resourcesmart" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" data-ogsc="">Newham Primary School</a> near Woodend has been an active ResourceSmart school since 2013 and has become a 5-star school. The school has focussed strongly on biodiversity, obtaining funding for a biodiversity project, increasing habitat for fauna, revegetating with more than 200 indigenous plants. The school has also held events based on biodiversity such as a community tree planting day, presentations from ecologists, teaching biodiversity in the curriculum, and being actively involved with state-wide and local organisations such as Kids Teaching Kids and Landcare</span><span data-ogsc="rgb(36, 36, 36)" data-ogsb="white">. </span><span data-ogsc="black">The school operates solely on tank water, has solar panels and has an evolving vegetable garden including composting being used in garden beds.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_26673" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26673" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-large wp-image-26673" src="https://www.school-news.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SV_SmartSchools_CraigMoodiePhoto_449-1024x683.jpg" alt="sustainability" width="1024" height="683" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-26673" class="wp-caption-text">Image by Craig Moodie Photography</figcaption></figure>
<p>Since 2008, more than 1600 schools have participated in the ResourceSmart Schools program. Together, they have saved more than $45 million on bills, planted 5.3 million trees, diverted 155,000 cubic metres of waste from landfill and saved 1.6 million kilolitres of water.</p>
<p>Every primary and secondary school registered in the ResourceSmart Schools program is eligible to enter the awards and go in the running for a range of prizes presented at a prestigious awards ceremony held at the MCG on June 4.</p>
<p>Sustainability Victoria can support schools entering the awards by providing written feedback and consultation meetings. <a href="mailto:resourcesmartawards@sustainability.vic.gov.au.">Schools can reach out by email here</a>.</p>
<p>Read about some outstanding ResourceSmart Schools <a href="https://www.school-news.com.au/news/schools-sustainability-efforts-rewarded/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from 2023 here</a>.</p>

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