6 May 2008
In a water saving twist on the traditional lamington or chocolate fundraising drive, Brimbank schools are discovering a way to help their school and the environment.
City West Water is offering schools involved in its Water – Learn it! Live it! program the chance to raise money through a showerhead exchange.
It will donate $2 for every inefficient showerhead swapped for a three star, water efficient one. The schools also receive the proceeds from the scrap metal recycled from the old showerheads.
And two Brimbank schools, Keilor Downs Primary School and Glengala Primary School, have already signed up, raising hundreds of dollars and helping their community save more than a million litres of water a year.
Edith Corbet, Glengala Primary’s Sustainable Schools Co-ordinator, said they had swapped more than 50 showerheads and raised $180.
“The showerhead exchange program was a great idea for a fundraising activity for the school. We had many families bringing in two or three showerheads, so we had an excellent response,“ Ms Corbet said.
“The program also complements our educational programs. The money raised will go towards purchasing recycling bins to further our recycling program in the school.”
Mary Akmacic, Year Five teacher at Keilor Downs Primary, said the $140 raised from 40 showerheads swapped by their students would go towards painting a mural as a backdrop to their water wise garden.
“We have done a lot of work as a water wise school, planting native gardens, capturing water from bubblers and including water conservation lessons in the classroom,” Ms Akmacic said.
“We found the showerhead exchange a fantastic way to teach students ways they can save water at home as well as getting their families involved in looking after the environment.”
The Water - Learn It! Live It! education program has been developed by City West Water and Melbourne’s other water companies and provides primary and secondary schools with ways to include water conservation lessons in the classroom.
Managing Director of City West Water, Anne Barker, said the showerhead exchange drives were a great way for schools to raise money and help their community save water.
“The school exchange not only makes it convenient for families to swap over their showerheads, it can also lead to significant water savings, with the efficient showerheads saving more than 13,500 litres per person every year,” Ms Barker said.
“Best of all, the students raise money for their school while helping them see they can make a positive difference to their environment and local community.
“It is fantastic to see students taking home what they’ve learned through the Water – Learn it! Live it! program, encouraging their family and friends to save water,” Ms Barker said.