In a story on environmentally sustainable schools, ABC reports that Amaroo has solar power, grey water recycling, sub-soil irrigation, and passive solar design. The Green Building Council has praised DET’s efforts.
Benefits of this kind of sustainable school include a healthy environment for students, and better teacher retention. More fresh air, more daylight, fewer bad emissions.
Never mind that one of the schools closed in 2006 was part of the sustainable schools pilot program – with an environment centre, recycling programs, chooks and vegie gardens, and a much higher than average rate of students who walked to school.
While we’re on my favourite topic, ABC reports that the Liberals and Greens are both calling for a delay in selling off closed schools until after the next elections (due in 2009). They say that this will give Canberrans a chance to have their say on the school closures issue before it’s too late to re-open schools that have already closed. As Deb Foskey points out, demographic changes over the next few years may mean that schools closed in 2006 & 2007 need to be re-opened in a few years. Sounds very fair and democratic to me – even if they sell off the land now, we’re unlikely to have anyone living on it (aged, low income, or yuppie apartment dwellers) by 2009 anyway.
[ED – Can anyone explain how it’s healthier, at the school site, to use energy produced on site rather than the stuff that comes down the powerline?]
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