Patumahoe Primary School
| Recycling Actions and Thinking: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will create a plan to dispose of our old computers in an eco-friendly way. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will create a recycling scheme at our school and put recycling bins around the cafeteria and playground. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will have a ‘no plastics’ day at our school (no plastic wrap), and use reusable bags/lunchboxes and recyclable bottles for our lunches. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will trial hand towels and toilet paper made from recycled materials. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will go to the beach or local stream on a field trip and pick up any plastic litter. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Thinking: | ||||||
| 1. | We will research product packaging and create a display that shows which ones use biodegradable packaging. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will research recycling and find out what sort of products can be made from recycled plastic and glass. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will find out which magazines and newspapers use eco-friendly ink, and the advantages of using unbleached photocopying paper and stationery. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will visit a landfill and discuss which things are biodegradable and which things are not. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will investigate how plastic litter can damage animal life in the sea. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Water Actions and Thinking: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will check taps are turned off properly after using them and find out which taps could be replaced with low-flow fittings. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will create a poster display or write a song about all the ways we can save water at home. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will plant hardy native plants and add mulch or other types of ground cover to our school gardens to save water. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will create a display about the detergents we use at home and what they are made of, and use this information to decide which are the most eco-friendly when they go down the drain. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will have a poster competition in our school about how climate change and changes in the weather can affect our fresh water supply. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Thinking: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will research what is meant by ‘grey water’ and how it can be used. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will find out how we can make our gardens more water-efficient by using hardy native plants, ground cover plants, and applying mulch such as bark chips. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will do a survey on which things in our homes use water and record how often these things are used each day. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will research how streams and life in the ocean can be affected when chemicals and paints are poured into drains. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will find out about how the reduced extent of the polar ice and the size of some glaciers in the world are linked to the causes of climate change. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Energy Actions and Thinking: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will audit our school’s energy use, using the Energy-efficient Schools guide from www.neri.org.nz/education/projects. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will replace the light bulbs in our school with eco-friendly, long-lasting, low energy ones. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will not use the heaters, but wear warmer clothes if it is cold on World Environment Day. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will switch off lights when they are not needed and find out what we could do to help reduce the amount of power we use. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will graph our energy use each day and record this in a public place for all classes/our school to share. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Thinking: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will use the Energy-efficient Schools guide from www.neri.org.nz/education/projects to create an energy-efficiency action plan. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will investigate how climate change could influence energy or fuel choices in different countries in the future. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will record the number of appliances in our homes that are on standby and identify which ones could be turned off if no-one is using them. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will research how appliances can get the Energy Star label. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will ensure that the data available on the school’s energy, power and water usage is used and discussed in our teaching programmes. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Building/Grounds Actions and Thinking: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will do an audit of the classrooms and other rooms where the inside temperature could be improved by using draught stoppers and automatic door-closers. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will plant trees in our school grounds. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will develop a plan to grow vegetables in our school’s garden, but not use any pesticides. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will repair leaking taps, pipes and drains in the school during this week. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will put in a worm farm in our school grounds. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Thinking: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will design a school audit to review our waste and recycling systems. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will research what products could be used to draught-proof and insulate our school. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will research sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel heating systems. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will research the principles of sustainable design for modernising old buildings or building new ones. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will identify the requirements of a school biodiversity plan. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Transport Actions and Thinking: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will take public transport, or bike or walk to school rather than travel in a car. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will organise a meeting with parents to establish a walking school bus. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will do a survey of the numbers of cars and numbers of people in them as they go past our school gates. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will do a survey of all the deliveries made by trucks and vans to our school during the week of World Environment Day. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will create a song about why we choose to walk to school or ride on public transport. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| Thinking: | Day | Week | Term | Year | N/A | |
| 1. | We will research how cars could be made to run more efficiently and how this can help to save fuel. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 2. | We will research energy-efficient and sustainable alternatives to using petrol to run cars and buses. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 3. | We will identify how we can make a difference to our environment by using public transport over one week. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 4. | We will find out about petroleum-based fuels and where they come from and investigate which things could use a biofuel instead. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| 5. | We will investigate the concept of carbon (food) miles and what it means for New Zealand. | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |




