Anglican stewardship is a theological concept that embodies the ethical planning and management of resources. This idea can easily be applied to environmental concepts.

The Bishop Druitt College Council and the greater college community have a strong commitment to sustainable practices and have embedded these values into our communities new strategic plan. The college community has then found innovative ways to activate these goals in practical ways.

At Bishop Druitt College, our Environmental Group has been active in supporting local environs such as Newports Creek. They have also been active in working with the college canteen to reduce plastic waste and to plant more local trees on site and within our region. The “think globally, act locally” rhetoric is in action at the college.

The college has also embarked upon an ambitious carbon dioxide reduction strategy. To facilitate this change the college has over the past 12 months replaced 80% of our lights with LEDs. The upgraded LED also saves on our electricity costs by 40%, has a similar impact on our carbon emissions and reduces our fire risk. The light is also truer to sunlight.

Independent research conducted on LED lighting concludes that students also have improvements in mood, performance and wellbeing as compared with similar groups using traditional fluorescent light.  

Innovative schools have been moving towards this model over the last few years. Bishop Druitt College, which already has a significant solar system in place, will be expanding its environmental commitment over the next three months to include an additional 99-kilowatt solar system. BDC Principal, Mr Nick Johnstone, states that “the college community can see local action regarding the climate change issue and can be proud that their school is part of the solution for our shared future”.

Nick Johnstone 
Principal