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National Recycle Week 2020

Whitefriars College celebrated National Recycle Week last week. The theme was Sustainable Food Movement and the students and staff were invited to a week of events to encourage them to consider their food habits and their impact on the environment.

Students began the week trying vegan sausages and egg free meringues on Meat Free Monday. Mrs Molloy replaced the eggs with chickpea brine. Who would have thought? Boys were suspicious and hesitant about trying these foods, but majority found them enjoyable. Would you introduce Meat Free Monday in your home? For every 500g beef patty, it takes the same amount of water as a 6-hour shower. Agriculture, land clearing and its by-products cause 51% of greenhouse gas emissions. If everyone introduced Meat Free Monday, there are several benefits to the planet and your health. Check out http://www.foodwise.com.au/meat-free-mondays/homepage/ for more information and great meat free recipes.

Future Food Tuesday was a wonderful challenge to try a new food… crickets!! This popular event allowed students to sample a popular overseas protein dish. Crickets on their own, cricket savoury muffins, cricket pasta and cricket corn chips. Well done to the brave Mr Murphy and Mrs Hoinville and the students who hopped to the challenge and learnt about the Sustainable Food Movement. A big thank you to Mrs Ciavarella who purchased and prepared the food. Visit https://ediblebugshop.com.au/ to delight your guests at your Covid-safe Christmas catch up.

Waste free Wednesday focused on reducing the lunchbox waste. Beeswax Wraps making workshop offered participants hands on skills to design and melt the beeswax onto the cloth for a sustainable cover. The Sustainability and Environment Team encourage all households to reduce single use plastics and really not to use cling wrap for school snacks and lunches.

Did you know Australian’s waste one in five shopping bags of food? This equates to 300kg of food per year per person and wastes $20 billion dollars to the Australian economy. It also produces 5% of greenhouse gas emissions. The College learnt bread, cheese, milk and bananas are the main items Aussie households throw out. Mrs Ciavarella and Mrs Molloy’s oatmeal and banana pikelets and frozen banana ice-cream was a hit and the ingredients used were products nearing their shelf life. Check out http://www.foodwise.com.au/foodwaste/ingredient-guide/ on how to reduce your food wastage.

Who would have thought we have a College of teetotallers? Bush Tucker Friday offered staff and students indigenous tea and bush tucker herb pita breads to highlight the sustainable food production and sustainable land care of Indigenous people. The strawberry gum, Gumbi Gumbi and Pepper berry tea was very popular for its flavour and medicinal benefits. To read about different bush tucker teas and products, visit http://www.bushfoodshop.com.au/native-tea/

The Sustainability and Environment Team wish to acknowledge the mammoth efforts of the Food Tech staff, Mrs Ciavarella and Mrs Molloy on making the National Recycle Week events an opportunity of learning, trying new things and having fun in the process.

 

Ms Jo Menzies

Sustainability and Environment Team Facilitator