10 SepIntroducing Australia’s First Certified Carbon Neutral Kindergarten
ELAA member, Albert Park Preschool, announced on Saturday that it had achieved its five year dream to become the first certified carbon neutral early childhood service in Australia.
The announcement came during Albert Park’s celebration event during the afternoon to mark its recent attainment of an ACECQA ‘Excellent’ rating and they were also acknowledged as the 2019 joint recipient (along with the City of Port Phillip) of the Cities Power Partnership Community Engagement Award.
The event was attended by a number of VIPs including Mr. Josh Burns MP Member for Macnamara (Guest Speaker); Hon. Martin Foley Member for Albert Park; Ms. Nina Taylor Member for Southern Metropolitan; Mayor Dick Gross – City of Port Phillip; Mr David Craven – Director of Cities Power Partnership and MC for the afternoon was well-know TV personality and sustainability consultant, Rob Gell AM.
The kindergarten’s philosophy celebrates a commitment to the wellbeing of our world and each other as part of a promise to Bunjil – creator deity of the Boonwurrung – to care for the bubups (children) and country. Their philosophy also reflects the belief that “We are all interconnected with nature and our youngest citizens can, and do, play a key role in shaping a happy, healthy, sustainable future for our community.”
To make this commitment to community visible and model environmentally responsible practices, Albert Park committed to attaining carbon neutral certification. To achieve carbon neutrality the kindergarten partnered with the Sustainability Department at City Of Port Phillip to identify and implement opportunities to reduce emissions. Actions included installing solar panels, solar batteries, a solar heat pump and energy efficient LED lighting.
Behavioural changes have been implemented across the service with children at the centre of this learning. Children actively participate in regularly reading meters, distributing organic waste to the four worm farms on site, and caring for the community garden.
“To take time to view our big, beautiful, blue planet from the perspective of a child is to truly appreciate the wonder of life from the smallest of living creatures to the largest gifts of nature. We feel it is our duty to support the children’s love of nature by reducing our carbon footprint”, says Administration Director, Jenny Whelan. “We might be little, but we dream big, and together we can continue to make a difference.”
Despite being one of the newest and smallest additions to the Carbon Neutral Network, Albert Park Preschool is already pursuing a new goal of bringing together a sustainable learning community and is proud to partner local Primary Schools and Albert Park College in pursuit of this vision.
ELAA congratulates Albert Park Kindergarten on this wonderful achievement.
