Measuring the size of a footprint may sound easy enough, but for UQ chemical engineering student Heidi McNichol, it involved plenty of surveys and complex mathematical formulas.
Miss McNichol analysed the ecological footprint of the Campus Kindergarten located at the St Lucia campus, measuring all the land consumed by activities within the area the taken up by the kindergarten.
She has found that on a ‘footprint per person’ basis, the kindergarten performed better than other similar institutions.
There were six key areas Miss McNichol focused on, including food, transport to and from the kindergarten, utilities, waste, land taken up by buildings, and miscellaneous goods used on campus, such as paper.
“I’m looking at all the things the kindergarten consumes,” she said.
She surveyed parents about the food they put in their child’s lunchbox and their transport to and from the kindergarten. Staff members at the kindergarten were also quizzed on their food items consumed while at work, and also about their methods of getting to and from work.
To calculate the size of the kindergarten’s footprint, Miss McNichol had to apply "scaling factors to convert the whole thing to a global hectare", using data from the Global Footprint Network.
“I expected to find that the biggest contributors would be utilities like electricity, but the results show the largest contributor to the footprint was actually food, followed by transport and then electricity,” she said.
“I’m hoping the study will raise awareness of the environmental impact the kindergarten has. The results will also be a good educational tool, and I hope the staff will use it as an educational tool for the kids,” Miss McNichol said.
“The calculations are difficult, but the end results are easy to understand.”
Campus Kindergarten Centre Director Greg Lang said the project was part of a continued sustainable environmental effort started by the kindergarten six years ago.
“We already have rainwater tanks, a worm farm, chickens and a garden where we grow and then eat the food. This is part of the commitment of the board, and we have a really pushed sustainability,” he said.
“To some degree, what we do with the children is very good already, and we can use the results from this audit to back up the information we give to parents.”
Greg said the kindergarten had an environmental sustainability and education team who also helped staff continue to teach children about ecological sustainability, and involve families as a whole in being eco-friendly.
“Our long-term goals are to change people’s hearts and minds towards the environment, not just as some trendy greenie thing, but as something sustainable. Overall, the parent body is very supportive of our environmental push.”
“We see creating a sustainability ethos has to be part of a culture of awareness about our impact on the environment and how we find solutions for that impact. If we cannot help develop a sense of care and respect for the environment we can help children see the need to be problems solvers to ensure sustainability has a place in their lives.”
Overall, Miss McNichol said the study, helped along by her supervisor Dr Kate O’Brien, would be ‘useful in singling out where the biggest environmental impacts are, giving the kindergarten staff ideas about where the biggest costs are’.
“It will help the kindergarten to reduce environmental costs, and provides an extra step to see how they can improve,” she said.
Media: Heidi McNichol (0421 544721), Greg Lang (07 3365 3894), or Amanda Sproule at UQ Communications (07 3365 2339)
.jpg)
