What was your inspiration for starting the Environmental Council at VSA?
Environmental issues have always seemed to be a “bigger than us” problem – something that was out of our reach. When we started the Environmental Council at VSA, we hoped to start small with the students. These little actions would hopefully culminate into larger changes for not only our school but also the wider community. Not only did we hope to bring about change – raising awareness, educating VSA students about sustainability, and facilitating collaboration between different key stakeholders are also our main goals.
What was your favourite project/moment in the Environmental Council?
My favourite project was definitely my first VSA Earth Week in 2024 with the Environmental Council. Although all the activities we organised were well-received and successful, I especially loved the thrift shop we organised with Redress. It was amazing to see all the students actively involved, participating and most importantly, having fun! It reminded me of precisely why we decided to initiate the Environmental Council, and was an important indicator of the result of all our hard work.
What are your hopes for the Environmental Council in the future?
In the future, I hope for more collaboration with not only important stakeholders in the school and wider community, but especially with the student body. I believe that the participation and involvement of all VSA students is essential to initiate change and promote sustainability at VSA.
To what extent do you think the Environmental Council has benefited our school’s sustainability levels?
Although there have been many observable achievements since the establishment of the Environmental Council, including the introduction of sustainable school meals, the student garden, hydroponics, recycling projects and more, I believe that the most important achievement is successfully sparking student engagement and interest in our purpose. This is key to being able to maintain elevated sustainability levels in the long-term.
What challenges did you encounter while starting and running the council?
The most challenging aspect of starting and running the council was ensuring visibility of our work and achievements among the community. Furthermore, as environmental issues have become somewhat of a cliche topic for many, it was difficult to change some of the skepticism and stereotypes surrounding this topic.
