Environmental Sustainability
In line with our responsibilities as defined within the Victorian Government’s environmental sustainability policies, the Department has committed to implementing the following principles within our corporate operations and in the delivery of student learning:
- maintaining and restoring our natural assets
- using resources more efficiently, and
- reducing everyday environmental impacts.
Managing environmental sustainability at DEECD
One of the key resources and drivers is Looking Ahead - DEECD’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy (PDF - 1.1Mb) The strategy provides a flexible framework to help the Department reduce its environmental impacts, integrate environmental sustainability into schools and corporate offices, as well as assisting the Victorian community to advance its environmental sustainability knowledge and performance.
The strategy is consistent with whole of government policy and targets as outlined in Our Environment, Our Future -Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework
The Department continues to actively manage environment sustainability within:
Corporate and regional offices
The Department’s corporate and nine regional offices have developed and implemented an office-based Environmental Management System (EMS).
The EMS focuses on reducing employee:
- energy use
- waste production
- paper use
- water consumption
- transportation, and
- purchasing.
Individual employees of the Department contribute to the consumption and performance targets as measured in the EMS.
Schools
A range of environmental sustainability projects have been initiated in schools, with a focus on reducing consumption of energy and water.
Energy upgrade program
The energy upgrade program has been implemented since 2005 and a number of energy reduction projects in schools and DEECD offices have been completed. Energy reductions have been made through energy and technology upgrades, education and behaviour change awareness programs, as well as improvements to school building construction guidelines.
Resources & tools
A focus of the Department’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy is to provide schools with effective tools and resources to show the benefits of incorporating environmental sustainability within student learning as well as the associated financial and environmental benefits.
See: Environmental Sustainability - Tools and Resources
Environment sustainability census
All Victorian Government schools completed a mid-year census in 2006/07 asking questions about the level of implementation of sustainability in their schools. For the detailed results of this census, see: Schools Environment Sustainability Census Results (PDF - 42Kb)
To read a related article, see page 4 of Education Times, Vol.16, Issue 4
Student learning programs
Student Learning Programs support whole-school planning in education for a sustainable environment with The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative, Victoria, the Administrative Guidelines – Education for a Sustainable Environment, and support for Professional Learning.
Building services
The Department’s Infrastructure Division ensures that ecological sustainable principles are incorporated when planning for new schools and retrofitting established schools.