ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Marlborough District Council runs a waste minimisation and environmental education programme.
Click here to see what programmes we run or scroll down for further information.
EnviroEducation - Community
EnviroEducation - Schools
EnviroEducation Business Industry
Individual/Community Information Packages
We have produced a number of pamphlets to help you help the environment, from composting to natural alternatives for your home and garden, ways you can help the environment and household hazardous waste.
Pick up the following copies of our pamphlets from our Customer Service Centre or download from pictures or .pdfs below:
We can also come and talk to local Marlborough community groups on any of our topics.
Worm Seminars
These are run every few months on practical ways to set up a worm farm. The two hour long presentation looks at the Tiger worm, worm composting and how to operate a small back garden worm farm. The Marlborough District Council offers a $15.00 discount voucher on worm farms and worms. Contact our Customer Service Officers for more details on 03 520 7400. Information on these seminars is advertised in our GreenTalk page in the free Saturday Express weekly newspaper.
EM Bokashi Seminars
These are run every few months on practical ways to set up a bokashi system. The two hour long presentation looks at the EM bokashi system which uses a fermentation process to 'pickle' your organic kitchen waste. This system has proved really popular overseas. The Marlborough District Council offers a $15.00 discount voucher on the bokashi system. Contact our Customer Service Officers for more details on 03 520 7400. Information on these seminars is advertised in our Green Talk page in the free Saturday Express weekly newspaper. You can also check our more information on bokashi by going to http://www.bokashi.co.nz/.
Check out the latest newsletter from Bokashi NZ. Compost-Zing Newsletter - March 2008 (198 kb)
Home Composting
Home composting seminars are run twice a year in spring and autumn to help you become a more successful home composter and help us reduce our waste volume to landfill and reuse a valuable resource around our gardens. Information on these seminars is advertised in our Green Talk page in the free Saturday Express weekly newspaper.
Sustainable Living
The Sustainable Living programme encourages us to become more sustainable around our homes and gardens. Night classes are run once or twice a year on a sustainable living series of topics. The first session this year will be run in term 2 as a night school class. These two hour sessions are informative, interesting and have practical suggestions to take home and adopt on topics like waste, shopping, gardening, energy, water, building and renovating. Information on these classes for sustainable lving are advertised in our Green Talk page in the free Saturday Express weekly newspaper.
For more information on the Sustainable Living programme nationally go to http://www.sustainableliving.org.nz/
Cick HERE for the Sustainable Living Newsletter.
Green Talk
Around the third Saturday each month we produce a GreenTalk page for the Saturday Express. This is our community newsletter and it encourages residents to become a little more sustainable for the benefit of our environment. It has ideas, suggestions and also information and dates for our upcoming seminars.
See previous Green Talk Pages
Education Programmes for Schools and School Age Children
We value the opportunity to work with schools on environmental programmes. We have developed a number of programmes which are curriculum linked where possible. We are available to come and work with schools on planning and implementing programmes in the Marlborough region. We have good resources available and experience working with both primary and secondary schools.
Green Talk Schools Newsletter
Each term we send out a Greentalk Schools Newsletter (1.6 mb) to schools in our region. This newsletter has information, ideas and resources plus updates on our programmes for teachers in our region.
See previous Green Talk Schools Newsletters
Current programmes available include:
Yo kids! Waste Reduction Kit (1.1 mb) -a comprehensive kit looking at waste with activities and questions.
Wise up on Worms Recycling Kit (456 kb) - a kit developed to deal with organic wastes and the lifecycle of the super compost worm, the tiger worm. Supported with a free worm kit and worms for classes.
School Worm Farm or Bokashi Bucket -
we will give you a school worm farm and the worms to help you reduce and reuse your organic waste or a school bokashi system. (Conditions apply - you have to weigh your organic waste for a week first and let us teach a team of students, plus a teacher or caretaker how to look after a worm farm or bokashi system, so they can pass the information on each year). For more information on worms download Wonderful World of Worms (or A Guide to EM Bokashi (681 kb).
The State of our Planet - a factual information package on what the real statistics are on water, earth, air, energy and what we can do locally to make a difference.
Wai Korero (Water Awareness and Information kit). This waterways awareness programme is available free of charge to all primary schools throughout Marlborough. The kit integrates the water cycle, water conservation and ecology into the school's core curriculum areas including: Science, Maths, English, Te Reo Technology and the Arts. The programme is divided into three main components, pre-field trip activities, field trip activities and follow-up activities. The field trip activities are run by our programme co-ordinator who also supplies all of the resources required for a great day out in the field learning about one of our most precious resources.
If you would like more information about this programme please contact Peter Hamill at the Marlborough District Council on 03 520 7400 or by emailing peter.hamill@marlborough.govt.nz.
Kids Edible Gardens (580 kb) - a programme run in partnership with the Public Health Unit aimed at kids learning about growing edible gardens and healthy eating. This programme has an extensive kit and a garden facilitator to support the programme.
EnviroSchools Awards - each year the Marlborough District Council runs the EnviroSchools Awards to celebrate and congratulate schools who have integrated environmental education programmes into their curriculum. The Marlborough Regional EnviroSchools awards close on 30 October each year and need to be addressed to The Education Officer, Marlborough District Council, PO Box 443, Blenheim 7240 by this date. If you think you might be interested in entering the Marlborough EnviroSchools Awards check out the information booklet for more information. Download booklet Enviroschools Awards booklet (1.9 mb).
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Welcome to the
Enviroschools Awards
You are part of a growing community of schools in New Zealand and internationally who want to make a difference to our environment.
Enviroschools Awards booklet (1.9 mb)
Enviroschools Update (526 kb)
What's the Enviroschools Awards about?
The Enviroschools Awards are available to all schools. It is designed as an incentive scheme for schools to become actively involved in environmental education and to undertake environmental initiatives that will make a real difference in their communities.
The awards scheme works by involving the whole school - students, teachers, non-teaching staff, board of trustees and members of the local community - parents, local councils and businesses.
Participation in the Enviroschools Awards scheme will be an important step in guiding the community to adopt a sustainable lifestyle, one that will improve and enhance the environment for present and future generations.
What's the purpose?
To encourage schools towards becoming a sustainable community incorporating best environmental practices that will carry over into home/everyday life such as; reducing waste, conserving energy, improving air and water quality, protecting and enhancing our biodiversity (plants, animals, ecosystems) or reducing our car trips.
What the scheme offers your school
- An opportunity to make Environmental Education a central part of school life.
- Enriched and integrated educational experiences
- An opportunity to develop young people's decision making skills
- Potential for financial savings
- A chance to share ideas with other schools
- Access to a network of support agencies
- A national award
- An opportunity to become part of a global movement
The Awards
There are three awards:
Bronze
Silver
Green-Gold
The Green-Gold award is a prestigious award requiring a commitment to continuous improvement towards sustainability.
A framed certificate and flag/banner is awarded to each school.
Creating a sustainable school environment
Environmental Education is much more than the core curriculum. It is about how we facilitate learning. It is about what we do to look after our physical environment, how we try to reduce our impact on the environment and how we interact with each other education for the environment.
Awards structure - the elements
The Enviroschools Awards scheme is made up of seven elements grouped around four key areas of school life. In some regions there may be a reqirement to participate in a local government or community project (Regional Link).
You must complete the elements two key areas at bronze, three key areas for silver and all key areas for green-gold.
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