Sustainability
Our commitment to our Earth
Petrie Terrace is committed to sustainability now and for the future of our society. We support sustainability through many initiatives throughout the school - enough for all forever.
School Environmental Management Plan
Our School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) guides our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and resource management. Water, electricity and waste management are reviewed and regular improvement targets set.
School community garden
Over the past few years our dream to establish a Kitchen Gardens Program at the school has been realised. Each student belongs to a Peer Support Group that has designed, planted and nurtured a kitchen garden. Two plantings and harvestings occur each year - winter and summer. The growing season is celebrated with a whole school feast that students prepare.
Active school travel
We participate in the Active School Travel Program and undertake Walking Wheeling Wednesdays and promote active travel.
Composting and worm farms
At break times, students have the option to place their compostable food scraps into the coloured bins for transfer to the Worm Habitats. The 'Worm Juice' is utilised on our kitchen gardens throughout the school providing excellent nutrients.
Solar power
Our school has 2 large solar panel systems connected to the grid - a 4KW Inverter with 22 x 180Watt Panels and a 2.6KW Inverter with 32 x 88Watt Panels to offset our energy consumption and carbon emissions. The panels, temperature, energy consumption, generation and carbon offset can be monitored from the Solar Schools website.
Lighting
All of our lights have energy efficient fluorescent tubes. Lights have been retrofitted with T5 tubes and retrofit kits. Our Hall has automated energy saving lighting features. All external security lighting is on a timer. Mini solar powered garden lights are now in the Moreton Street entrance garden and Back Playground..
Water tanks
We have 2 x 15,000 litre water tanks underneath our Hall that is utilised for the Hall Toilet Systems and connected pressurised Tank Taps.
We have 6 x 3,000 litre water tanks throughout the campus that use gravity feed taps to supply students with water for the classroom gardens.
Taps
All external taps have been retrofitted with vandal proof heads and aerators to minimise water usage and unauthorised access. All new internal taps are fitted with aerators.
Toilets
All our toilets have been retrofitted with dual flush systems. All urinals operate with Zip Flush automated flush systems and Desert Waterless Urinal Cubes.
Irrigation
Our oval sprinkler system is efficient and automated to minimise water wastage. Water usage is monitored under the Active Play Surface Brisbane City Council program and a secondary oval water meter.
Recycling
Classrooms have coloured and visually labelled recycling and general waste bins for students to actively engage in discerning between recyclables and general refuse.
All school rubbish and waste is then sorted into the Brisbane City Council Standard Waste and Large Yellow Recycling Bins.
We also have Brisbane City Council Green Waste Bins to make sure all our pruning, mowing and garden waste doesn’t end up as landfill.
Printer ink and toner
We refill all toner cartridges for our printers and operate a Printer Ink and Toner Cartridge recycling program through Cartridge World and the bin is located in Admin. We purchase 100% Recycled Paper for all our paper requirements.
Technology
All our workstations utilise LCD Screens and workstations are turned off at night. We also engage in e-recycling for all our old technology.
Air conditioning
Air conditioners in A Block at our school are set to 24 degrees in Summer and 18 degrees in Winter. The units are only used when temperatures are uncomfortable.
Paper
As a school some usage of paper is always required, however we always endeavour to minimise paper usage where possible. All Newsletters are electronic as is the majority of home- school communication including Admin and Classroom communication.
We purchase Australian Made Paper Products with a high recycled content product for all our white printer paper requirements. Wherever possible we look to a Carbon Neutral Paper product for coloured paper, card and stationary requirements.