The HTAV is committed to minimising its environmental footprint. The Association actively supports the Environment Sustainability Strategy of the Victorian Department of Education and the environmental aims of the Strategic Partnerships Program. The Executive, Board and Staff of the HTAV each have a role to play in making the Association as green as possible.

Ongoing commitments

The HTAV is committed to making its operations as environmentally-friendly as possible. We take the following approach on an ongoing basis.

The HTAV Executive endeavours to:

• Take environmental concerns into account when planning new programs and initiatives
• Review the Association’s environmental impact from time to time
• Model good practice through own travel, recycling, power usage
• Allow for modest increases in expenditure on sustainable products/practices.

Board members endeavour to:

• Promote sustainable practices in own schools/workplaces
• Model good practice through own travel, recycling, power usage.

Staff members endeavour to:

Minimise power usage:
• Minimal use of lights and air conditioner
• Turn off computer and/or monitor when not in use
• Use a green-power provider.

Use paper sparingly:
• Re-use and recycle paper
• Print double-sided where possible
• Minimise faxing, printing and photocopying.

Save water:
• Minimal use of dishwasher
• Re-use water in sink.

Buy green products:
• Buy biodegradable detergent, spray & wipe etc.
• Use recycled paper products
• Get refills instead of new containers where possible
• Re-use plastic bags.

Reduce car travel:
• Car-pool where possible
• Use public transport where possible.

HTAV departments endeavour to:

Run low-emission events:
• Select venues that are near public transport
• On conference flyers, list public transport routes, advocate car-pooling and note any green approaches to be used at event
• Reward participants who use green travel (e.g. door prize)
• Model good practice through own travel to venues
• Re-use name-tags and wallets where possible
• Encourage presenters to minimise photocopying
• Make conference handouts available online.

Produce sustainable publications:
• Avoid unnecessary printing
• Reduce printing by publishing journal and some publications electronically
• Use paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council where possible
• Re-use and recycle packing materials for books.

Provide green membership services:
• Use up old membership materials (pens, pads, wallets, Agora, Bulletin)
• Use biodegradable membership cards and packs where possible
• Contact members electronically.

Promote environmental education:
• Tell teachers about HTAV environment policy
• Make schools aware of government grants for environmental projects
• Encourage students to travel by public transport to Student Lectures.

2012 actions

In addition to the ongoing commitments above, the HTAV sets a number of specific environmental goals each year.

In 2012 the HTAV will improve its environmental awareness and practice in the following ways:

1. Donate $200 to the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies (CERES)
2. Reduce printing through increased digital publishing
3. Purchase environmentally-friendly gifts for presenters
4. Encourage staff and board members to make environmental donations in lieu of Christmas gifts.

We encourage every school to create an environment policy and to set both ongoing and yearly goals for protecting the environment. We hope that schools will let us know what they are doing and we will spread the word to others, via our website and member emails.