The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative WA (AuSSI-WA) provides support for schools endeavouring to embed sustainability within the culture of their school community.

Perth Zoo has developed a suite of education experiences to support AuSSI-WA objectives, highlighting human impacts on biodiversity. There is a program for each phase of development (Late Adolescence program available from July 2009). Look out for the green footprint on our Education Experiences pages.

Lesson in a Lunchbox is for students in Kindergarten to Year 3 and uses the contents of their school lunchboxes to illustrate the effects of consumerism on the environment. One part of this program is the Garbage Garden. Three garden beds at the Zoo’s Homestead have been filled with a variety of plastic, paper and food stuffs found in student lunchboxes. The three beds will be refilled on rotation every three months so that students can see how long things take to break down.

The Garbage Garden highlights the impact of landfill and rubbish on our environment and native wildlife. Students will be able to see the organic material break down while the synthetic material remains.

For students in Years 4–7, Backyard Safari looks at the importance of habitat for wildlife survival and how to create a fauna-friendly garden at home and school.

Bushland Real Estate, directed at Years 8–10 students, examines the factors threatening the survival of cockatoo species, particularly habitat destruction. Students are encouraged to build nest boxes that will help sustain native wildlife.

The south-western Australia biodiversity hotspot is the focus of Being Conservative. Human activity is putting increasing pressure on the species in the region. Students in Years 11 and 12 are introduced to the Zoo’s Native Species Breeding Program as well as the effort that goes into the Zoo’s conservation programs.

For more information on how your school or community can become sustainable, visit www.sustainableschools.wa.edu.au or contact Vicki Lenegan on (08) 9474 0457. To make an education booking, fill in the online booking request form or call (08) 9474 0365.