Dalwallinu District High School students have taken their sustainability efforts to new heights in 2025, building on impressive foundations laid last year.
The Year 6 student leaders began the ‘WasteSorted Schools’ program last year. The leaders conducted a thorough waste audit, identifying key areas for improvement before launching several practical waste reduction projects. “It starts with the little things, like knowing what can be recycled and what can’t,” explained Ms Ford.
Their solutions were both simple and effective. Classroom general waste bins were replaced with dedicated paper bins and organic waste tubs. Student teams took responsibility for collecting and sorting waste throughout the school. These straightforward changes cut the school’s general waste collection nearly in half, from nine bins weekly to just five.
Additionally, food scraps, once wasted in landfill, now enrich the school’s composting system, providing nutrients for their produce garden. This garden has become both an educational resource and a source of income, with produce sold to the school canteen. Profits from this initiative were around $100, which funded an excursion to buy new seeds for the garden.
“I like that we reduce food waste by using scraps from lunch boxes and crunch and sip in our compost which feeds our garden,” one student shared.
Callum, a Year 6 leader, reflected on the program’s impact: “I think that having a waste sorted school is a good idea. I like learning about the environment and helping the school be sustainable and reduce landfill.”
Moving forward, the students have ambitious plans to build shade structures for the garden, install orchard netting, and – perhaps expand the program to the high school, leading sustainability throughout the entire school.
To learn more about implementing similar programs at your school visit the WasteSorted Schools program website here.
