South Fremantle Senior High School
First Carbon Neutral High School in Australia

 In July 2007, SFSHS became the first school in Australia to commit to becoming Carbon Neutral - this is a major task with the school emitting 567 tonnes of Greenhouse gas per year.

With a Project Officer administering the project and a working group of local business people, community members, a Fremantle City Councillor, DET staff and Murdoch University, parents, staff and students are committed to setting goals to reduce energy consumption, water and waste in the school.

In 2007 a grant was obtained from the Sustainable Energy Development Officer to undertake a Greenhouse Audit. An investigation took place of energy and water use and waste generation at SFSHS and the subsequent greenhouse gas emissions generated. Dr Stephanie Jennings from Community Solar completed the audit in November 2007, including behavioural and technological measures to reduce greenhouse emissions. Thirty four measures (34) to reduce greenhouse gas were identified and by December 2008 ten (10) measures had been implemented to reduce our carbon footprint.

The school has been successful in obtaining grants for replacing bar heaters with thin panel heaters, installing LED security lights and solar panels. SFSHS is working with the Primary Cluster to assist local primary schools in carbon reduction strategies.

Deputy Prime Minster Julia Gillard unveiled a solar power array in April 2008, which was donated by SolarGrid as the result of a sponsorship where 25 households signed up for solar power. Ms Gillard also met with students who were working on various Carbon Neutral initiatives. In April 2008 senior students attended the ‘Water Forever Conference’. 

An important aspect of the Carbon Neutral Project is the focus on student engagement, their knowledge and interest is key to whether the Carbon Neutral project is a real success. The Carbon Neutral Program has developed a range of Sustainable Living Projects which students are involved in.

These Sustainable Living Projects include the development of an Earth Garden, Seed to Tree Project, Recycling Program, Aquaponics, Worm Farm and Kali Garden (Kali – Noongar for Kitchen).  Students are involved in real-life initiatives to look after our planet. In 2008 all Year 10 Society and Environment students travelled to the Wheat-belt to plant almost 10,000 trees as part of the Seed to Tree Project. Students are on their way to achieving this outcome again in 2010 and this will be an annual event.

The P&C have also supported this work by organised a tree planting on the school grounds to provide food for the Carnaby Black Cockatoo.

Hospitality students learn about the environmental cost of food production and transport. The Green Room, an outdoor classroom used for seed propagation and the Kali Permaculture Garden were developed during the year by staff, students and community members. These initiatives were made possible by a $50,000 grant from HotRock Foundation.

The Carbon Neutral Project is now embedded in curriculum programs across the school with students and teachers acquiring an increasing awareness of climate change issues. As students face the challenges and opportunities of climate change they are given skills, solutions and hope to address a complex future.

The Bendigo Community Bank Fremantle Branch generously supports the Carbon Neutral Bank with a unique sponsorship arrangement through their Telecommunications Service. Representatives of the Bendigo Bank sit on the Carbon Neutral Working Party along with Professor Peter Newman from Murdoch University, the school principal Geri Hardy and other school and community representatives. The Fremantle Port Authority sponsors the school with some aspects of this project to assist the school to work in partnership with local primary schools.

Check out the Carbon Neutral Blog
Keep up with how our school is doing its bit to keep Australia green.

South Fremantle Senior High School

Copyright 2010 South Fremantle Senior High School

In addition to the fact that the buildings and grounds are magnificent, the features that set South Fremantle Senior High School apart from the crowd are the staff and students of this institution. South Fremantle Continue ...........

2010