Australian School Bans Trash Cans on Campus to Help Save the Environment

Category: Education/Family


Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. premises / ˈprɛm ɪs əz / (n) – a building and the area surrounding it

    People who are not wearing their IDs will not be allowed to enter the school premises.

  2. compost / ˈkɒm poʊst / (n) – a mixture of organic things used as fertilizer

    Some gardeners use compost for their plants because it is cheaper and safer than chemical fertilizers.

  3. redeem / rɪˈdim / (v) – to exchange an object for something else

    You can use this coupon to redeem a free meal in all participating stores.

  4. take out (something) / teɪkˌaʊt / (phrasal) – to remove

    The company is slowly taking out all of the old equipment from its office.

  5. make a difference / meɪk ə ˈdɪf ər əns / (idiom) – to have an impact on something

    The team started the livelihood project to make a difference in the lives of unemployed women.


Read the text below.

A school in Australia has banned trash cans on its premises to encourage students and staff to reduce waste.

In Melbourne Girls’ College (MGC), trash cans have been removed from classrooms and offices. They have been replaced with containers for paper, recyclable materials, and leftover food for compost. However, there will be sanitary waste containers in the school’s restrooms. According to MGC Principal Karen Money, the school plans to reuse, recycle, or turn all the waste it produces into fertilizer by the end of 2020.

Money mentioned that the school’s sustainability team, which is composed of parents, staff, students, and community members, is responsible for creating the initiative. She believes that MGC is the first among high schools in Australia to try removing trash cans on campus. The principal hopes that the act will encourage parents to use more sustainable packaging for their children’s school lunches. The school plans to give tokens to students who will bring reusable food containers, which can be redeemed for prizes and rewards.

In addition to the goal of reducing waste on campus, the initiative also aims to cut the school’s waste disposal costs.  In 2018, MGC spent almost $13,000 just for taking out trash from its premises.

The school’s plan garnered various reactions. Some people commented that the plan to remove campus trash cans will not really make a difference in the amount of trash because students will simply bring their trash home. However, most parents are supportive of the new initiative, with one even saying that she is proud that the school has a strong environmental policy.

Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think that the initiative will effectively encourage students to bring lunch with reusable packaging to school? Why or why not?
• What are the possible drawbacks of reducing trash bins in school premises? Discuss.

Discussion B

• How can schools help raise their students’ awareness of pressing global issues? Discuss.
• How can students be encouraged to participate in school activities that deal with global issues?