On Wednesday, 4 May, Waverley College’s Students of the World Ecology Group were invited to a Design Thinking Workshop at St Clare’s College, run by Netnada, a company that measures carbon footprinting.
Upon arriving at St Clare’s and after a few flights of stairs (something the Waverley boys are very comfortable with), we entered a room filled with whiteboards. There were two very friendly instructors from Netnada, who would be helping us through this brainstorming process, and 10 St Clare’s students from their Environmental Group.
We were divided into four groups, each with a mix of St Clare’s and Waverley students. After a few thinking exercises and enlightening conversations, it was time to draw and write out our ideas.
Collaborating to Create Strategies to Tackle Waste
The instructors guided us through a step-by-step process of how to create strategies to tackle both College’s waste issues. This involved timed responses, creative construction of who our ‘customers’ are, and how they think, to help us to pinpoint the best way(s) forward. The interesting discovery was the realisation that both boys and girls have more in common when it comes to waste – and what to do with it – than we thought.
It was an amazing experience and some incredible ideas were put on the table – both literally and metaphorically. Thanks to this workshop, both Colleges now have a firm idea about what to do next, in the battle to educate and change the behaviour of students and staff in our own war on waste.
The future is bright for the ecological situation at both St Clare’s and Waverley College. We are so thankful for the experiences we had.
Lachlan Isaac (Year 9) and Ms Rebecca Sutcliffe
Ecology Coordinator
E: rsutcliffe@waverley.nsw.edu.au
