Preserve & Protect: An Incredible 3 Day Camp
The 2018 Eco Explorer Camp welcomed 200 students from across Dulwich schools to our Puxi campus for 3 days and 2 nights of camping in tents and participating in 12 amazing Environmental Sustainability focused workshops with industry professionals and teachers. 'Preserve and Protect' was the theme for the 3 day camp. Students were split into small groups and each group did 12 hands-on ECO education workshops, which highlighted the 'Preserve and Protect’ theme. The workshops were:
- Rain Harvesting – the engineering and designing of water catchment solutions for rainwater.
- Solar Toys – learning the science and engineering behind solar energy and solar panels.
- Designing protective bird homes using recycled plastic materials
- Organic planting and gardening
- Building the Bug-ri-la hotel: students designed and build a "mini-beast hotel" for the garden whilst learning about the importance of bio-diversity
- Nature Photography – students learned techniques to capture images in nature
- Water Analysis – students tested water quality measuring the PH levels and nitrates found in various water environments
- Cooking without palm oil – students prepared and cooked 2 meals including sweet potato flatbreads with salsa, and chocolate cake.
- Upcycling textiles for new fashion creations – students designed and made their own upcycled purses and wallets from recycled fabrics
- Natural Art – Students learned how to make natural paints and dyes using recycled local materials, including rocks, bricks and earth.
- Creating sustainable plastic – students worked with chemical engineers and chemistry teachers in the labs to make sustainable plastic using biodegradable materials
- Film Communications to build awareness – Students worked with award winning TV commercials and film director, Shigeto Sayama to storyboard and shoot their own environmental protection message for animal conservation.
We feel humbled to have welcomed 2 amazing keynote speakers to our Eco Explorer Camp; Callum Gerrish, African animal photographer and conservationist, and Heather Kaye, founder of global fashion brand, Finch Swimwear. We would like to extend our gratitude for their participation and full respect for helping us to open the eyes of our young students. Callum and Heather, you truly inspired us with your powerful messages of caring for the planet. We are committed to being more responsible when we use and choose plastic and Dulwich Puxi is now well on its way to removing plastic straws and takeaway coffee cups from our restaurant and cafe.
Two amazing artists joined us for this year’s Eco Explorer Camp and we would like to say thank you to Jared Williamson, Australian landscape artist who patiently taught our students how to make natural paints and dyes using crushed rocks, bricks and tiles from the immediate environment. http://jaredwilliamson.wixsite.com/williamson/shanghai
And to Shigeto Sayama, award winning TV commercial and film director who worked so creatively with our students to create a film which we are so excited to share with our community. Thank you for your vision and passion to encourage tomorrow’s leaders to think more carefully about their world.
3 days of camping and organising 200 students is no small challenge and we could not offer this experience to our Dulwich family without the support of amazing teachers. To all the teachers who travelled with and supported their students across the 3 days, we say thank you and we look forward to welcoming you all back to Dulwich Puxi next year.
