Answers lie in the soil

A NEW program to teach kids about sustainable living and healthy eating will be rolled out at 12 schools in the Northern Rivers over the next year.

A NEW program to teach kids about sustainable living, healthy eating and biodiversity will be rolled out at 12 schools on the Northern Rivers over the next 12 months.

Lunch Munchers was developed by the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority, but has been adapted for the local area by Northern Rivers CMA board member Isabel Borrelli.

She said it would teach infants and primary school students about worm farms, composting and recycling.

“It's about starting them early,” she said.

“Healthy soils lead to healthy outcomes, and this program teaches students about the relationship between the two.

“Lunch Munchers is based on science and biology. It also uses mathematics.”

The resources are provided to schools free, and Ms Borrelli said it was easy for teachers to incorporate it into the daily curriculum.

“There are lesson plans to help get them going,” she said.

“Teachers can pick and choose bits to fit in with what they're already doing in the classroom.

“It's very flexible.”

Lunch Munchers will befacilitated by NRCMA's community support officers, who can also help schools apply for funding to build worm farms or vegetable gardens.

Teachers at Evans Head were the first to be briefed on the program yesterday.

It is expected that students will get involved over the next couple of weeks.

Originally published as Answers lie in the soil