With increasing evidence of climate change around the world, environmental protection has become a strong focus for many individuals and organisations. The student body recognised the need for action and established the Ravenswood Environmental Protection Agency (REPA) in 2010.
REPA is student-elected and composed of representatives from Years 1–11. Four Year 6 Sustainability Captains take leadership responsibility in the Junior School and there are two Year 11 Chairpersons in the Secondary School. Each Year Group in the Secondary School has two elected members on the REPA Committee. The group meets regularly under the guidance of a teacher mentor to discuss, plan and organise initiatives that support environmental sustainability.
Some REPA initiatives within the Secondary School include the promotion of Earth Hour, World Environment Day and informative sessions to promote environmental responsibility. These have been promoted through the support of Nude Food (rubbish-free lunches) day in the Junior School, the sale of refillable water bottles and Keep Cups to discourage the one-off use of plastic bottles, and supporting environmental causes such as the ongoing sponsorship of an orphaned orangutan.
REPA’s mission is to: ‘highlight each student’s capacity to help protect the environment through small manageable acts, and to generally raise awareness of environmental concerns.’
Based on the premise that every change starts with one good step, REPA’s initiatives provide the school, and the wider community, with opportunities to be involved in environmentally sustainable projects. These can be summarised under three main themes: reducing waste, sustainable practices for the future and encouraging active participation in local, national and international environmental initiatives.