Waste Wise in the Wild: Outdoor Education champions sustainability

At Carey, sustainability is a commitment across all of our campuses and programs. We are dedicated to reducing our environmental impact and helping our students become thoughtful custodians of the world around them. This endeavour is championed in our Outdoor Education programs, where sustainability is woven into every adventure.

Outdoors Victoria, the peak body for Outdoor Education in our state, recently published a case study to highlight the work of Carey’s Outdoor Education team in developing practical waste management and sustainability initiatives.

View the case study

On camps and expeditions, the Outdoor Education team has developed innovative waste management systems that make it simple for students to engage with. Colour-coded bags and containers for food waste, recycling, soft plastics and landfill are used consistently across all year levels. This consistency helps students quickly learn what belongs where, building lifelong sustainable habits.

The report outlines the School’s partnership with One Planet, an Outdoor Education supplier who worked with the team at Carey to design purpose-built waste bags to keep rubbish contained, easy to move and safe from animals. These bags are black with either a yellow triangle for mixed recycling or a red square for landfill. The bags are durable, able to be hosed out and easy to carry on a trek.

Food scraps are collected in reusable containers during programs, then composted at Camp Toonallook or donated to local farms for animal feed. Soft plastics are compressed into red bags and brought back to Melbourne for recycling. These thoughtful solutions not only reduce landfill but also strengthen relationships with community groups along the way.

Just as importantly, students are given the knowledge to succeed. Through pre-program education and clear signage, they understand not just how to manage waste, but why it matters. These lessons empower them to see the impact of their choices, both in the bush and in their everyday lives.

This work is a shining example of Carey’s broader sustainability goals in action – reducing waste, building awareness and modelling environmentally responsible practices for our community.

Congratulations to our Outdoor Education team for this well-deserved recognition from Outdoors Victoria, highlighting their creativity, leadership and dedication to sustainability. Their ongoing work ensures that Carey students are not only developing resilience and independence in the outdoors, but also learning what it means to care for the planet we share.

Kelly Southworth
Content Developer, Community Engagement