EED403 - Environmental Sustainability Audit Report for Early Childhood

This report presents a sustainability audit conducted on an early childhood center, evaluating its practices in waste management, water conservation, and energy efficiency. The audit details the center's initiatives, including the implementation of recycling bins for different waste types, educational programs for children on water and energy saving, and the use of solar power. The report analyzes the center's current strategies, such as teaching children to turn off taps and lights, using rainwater collection, and promoting the efficient use of appliances. It also provides recommendations for improvement, including enhancing waste management systems, increasing the use of solar power, and educating children on scientific methods to conserve water. The report emphasizes the importance of early childhood education in fostering environmentally responsible behaviors and highlights the center's commitment to creating a sustainable environment for future generations. The audit also references relevant literature on sustainability in early childhood education, providing a comprehensive overview of the center's efforts and areas for further development.

Running Head: SUSTAINABILITY AUDIT
SUSTAINABILITY AUDIT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction:
The center required sustainability regarding recycling wastes. In order to fulfill this aim,
red, yellow and green bins are arranged in collaboration with our local city council, these 3 bins
are provided to the centre. Further the services like teaching the children each day, reminding
them and rewarding them when we need to put something in the bins. There are 4 Class rooms.
Firstly, Kangaroos for 0-2 year olds, 8 children in aggregate. Secondly, Kookaburras for 2 year
olds, 10 children in aggregate, Wombats for 3-5 year olds, 10 children in aggregate. Dingoes for
4-5 year olds, 6 children in aggregate. Total number of children is 34.
Wastes:
Services which are incorporated these bins in throughout the 4 rooms in a small versions
of yellow, red and green bins. We also have these bins in the 4 playground as well. The general
waste and recycling bins are collected fortnightly (alternating weeks) and your green waste bin is
collected weekly (Edwards & Moore, 2012). The lake Macquarie City Council have brochures
for us to have on the fridge. The three bins are kept for three different sections of disposable
items. Firstly, the yellow bin is for disposing- Paper, plastic, bottles and cans and so on.
Secondly, the red bin for disposing General rubbish, nappies, items that cannot be broken down.
Thirdly, green bin for disposing fruit and vegetable scraps, faeces, dirt and leaves and greens
Trees, and branches etc.
Water :
Children are taught about ways to save water, due to the drought and bush fires. Being
on the news and media, we are also in bushy areas surrounded by trees and animals. So while

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washing our hands I have been teaching the children not to have the water running. Turn the
taps off while we are rubbing the soap through our hands. Teaching the children the 2 buttons
on the system, left is for wees and right is for poos. The button on the left is half a flash and the
button on the right is for a full flash (Davis, 2015). Using buckets around the centre inside and
outside any water that is not used from other sources could be filled up and tipped into the
systems of the toilets. Such as emptying water bottles not used at each day. Pouring the excess
water from these bottles into buckets and then the bucket can go into the toilets. Water useage on
the water bills from hunter water, and measuring the water tanks (Cooke, 2015). After each rain.
We also have a measuring container with a level gaude displayed in the playground on a pole to
read after each rain. I believe the old fashion way of washing up by hand saves a lot of water.
We are a small centre and re-use small plastic plates and bowls and spoons. We would purchase
one, but I would search for one with the less water useage and electric efficient. Teaching the
cook staff and educators to make sure we fill up the dishwasher first before turning it on. Not
only for a few items. Can rinse off in the sink first. In short, children are guided to learn efficient
use of water during drinking, showers, toilets and play water.
Energy :
Children are also taught about the ways to save energy. For this purpose fluro usage of
light fittings from 6.30am to 6pm are encouraged and all lights are turned off after 6pm. Here
fluro usage is considered to be the utilization of LED lights. Children are educated about the
importance of turning off electric appliances and all appliances are turned off when not in used at
the power points. Additional usage of power is allowed only in the case of laundry and kitchen.
Solar power is used as energy efficient techniques. There are solar panels on the roof top of the

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center, collecting power from the sun. Children are also educated about solar energy and its
benefits. Using buckets around the centre inside and outside any water that is not used from other
sources could be filled up and tipped into the systems of the toilets. Such as emptying water
bottles not used at each day (Gull Laird & McFarland-Piazza, 2016). Pouring the excess water
from these bottles into buckets and then the bucket can go into the toilets. Water usage on the
water bills from hunter water, and measuring the water tanks. After each rain the center is also
have a measuring container with a level gaude displayed in the playground on a pole to read after
each rain (Nicholson, Cooklin & D'Esposito, 2014). I believe the old fashion way of washing up
by hand saves a lot of water. We are a small centre and re-use small plastic plates and bowls and
spoons. These are the effective initiatives which can be implemented, in order to manage wastes
and scarce energies efficiently and preserve water for the usage of the future generation.
In order to improve the energy water conservation and waste management a more
systematic waste management should be implemented. The natural water should be preserved. In
this context educations should be provided the training of rain water preservation. Along with
this children should also be enlightened about scientific ways to preserve rain water. They should
be made aware of the benefits of preserving rain water. Moreover, the installation of equipments
to preserve rain water should be one of the fruitful initiatives which the center should take to
improve water conservation system. The usage of solar power should be increased drastically. In
the kitchen, as well as laundry, where hot water is essential, the scientific method to use sun heat
to get hot water, should be implemented. The world’s ocean will be so badly populated with
plastic in 20 years time, so best now to teach the children and educate them how to look after our
planet. Even in low poor countries education is best way approachable to teach. We don’t need
money to protect and save the world it’s the education. The ideas of waste management as well

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as saving water are implanted to the tender minds of the children so that children becomes aware
of new technologies as well as inventions and creativity can be fostered along with environment
preservation (Forrest & Shearman, 2015). This is indicative of the aim of the center to to raise
children that are environmentally responsible and will have a positive attitude towards their
health and the world that surrounds them in adult life. With the help of exposing children to the
natural environment and becoming nature centered, we are encouraging respect and
responsibility, embedding sustainable practices and building awareness.
In the conclusion, it can be sated that, centre is completely dedicated to manage wastes
effectively, as we have reduce our wastage from 3 red bins to 1 each week for general rubbish.
By stop, think and measure what we are putting in the red bins. Introducing the yellow and
green has helped this. Researching and looking at all the other effective energy conservations to
reduce and help world’s wastage problems (Edwards & Moore, 2012). The initiatives taken for
water conservation are also remarkable. The world’s ocean will be so badly populated with
plastic in 20 years time, so best now to teach the children and educate them how to look after our
planet (Elliot, 2015). Even in low poor countries education is best way approachable to teach.
We don’t need money to protect and save the world it’s the education. The ideas of waste
management as well as saving water are implanted to the tender minds of the children so that
children becomes aware of new technologies as well as inventions and creativity can be fostered
along with environment preservation. This is indicative of the aim of the center to to raise
children that are environmentally responsible and will have a positive attitude towards their
health and the world that surrounds them in adult life. With the help of exposing children to the
natural environment and becoming nature centered, we are encouraging respect and
responsibility, embedding sustainable practices and building awareness of worldwide issues. In

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order to improve the energy water conservation and waste management a more systematic waste
management should be implemented. The natural water should be preserved. In this context
educations should be provided the training of rain water preservation. Along with this children
should also be enlightened about scientific ways to preserve rain water. They should be made
aware of the benefits of preserving rain water. Moreover, the installation of equipments to
preserve rain water should be one of the fruitful initiatives which the center should take to
improve water conservation system. The usage of solar power should be increased drastically. In
the kitchen, as well as laundry, where hot water is essential, the scientific method to use sun heat
to get hot water, should be implemented. Educators make sure that children are enlightened with
a series of experiences and gain knowledge regarding motor development. With the hope that of
guiding children towards a healthy lifestyle children are encouraged to positive dispositions.

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References:
Cooke, S. (2015). Healthy and sustainable environments for children and communities (Ch. 8,
pp. 162-186).
Davis, J. (2015). What is early childhood education for sustainability and why does it matter?
(Ch. 1, pp. 7-31).
Edwards, S. & Moore, D. (2012). It will be a wasteland if we don't recycle: Sustainability and
intentional teaching in early childhood. Every Child Magazine, 18(3).
Elliot, S. (2015). Children in the natural world (Ch. 2, pp. 32-54).
Elliot, S. (2016). Sustainability as the norm in early childhood settings, The Spoke.
Forrest, S. & Shearman, D. (2015). No time for games. Children’s health and climate change.
Doctors for the Environment Australia.
Gibson, M. (2015). Leadership for creating cultures of sustainability (Ch. 3, pp. 55-75).
Gull Laird, S. & McFarland-Piazza, L. (2016). Children need to play outside but we're not letting
them, Conversation.
J. M. Davis (Ed.). Young children and the environment: Early education for sustainability (2nd
ed.). New York: Cambridge.
Lloyd, M. (2015). The world is getting flatter: ICT and education for sustainability in the early
years (Ch. 7, pp. 145-161).

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McCrea, N. (2015). Food first: Beginning steps towards children’s sustainable education (Ch. 9,
pp. 187-208).
Miller, M. (2015). Reconciliation and early childhood education for sustainability: Broadening
the environmental paradigm (Ch. 6, pp. 124-144).
Nicholson, J., Cooklin, A., & D'Esposito, F. (2014). What do parents fear? Unwrapping the
bubble-wrap generation, Conversation.
Robinson, L. & Vaealiki, S. (2015). Ethics and pedagogy at the heart of early childhood
education for sustainability (Ch. 5, pp. 103-123).