The Council’s Learning Through Action (LTA) programmes give Christchurch students great opportunities for hands-on learning about how the city runs and how we can all care for the environment and its resources.

Learning Through Action is an education service provided by the Christchurch City Council. Thanks to funding from the Ministry of Education’s Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom (LEOTC) programme, the Council can give school groups an in-depth hands-on experience taught by experts — park rangers and staff working in the areas of waste, recycling and heritage buildings.

Winter is a good opportunity to find out about how our waste is managed or about our past political heritage.

The programmes on waste give a fascinating look behind the scenes to find out what actually happens to the contents of our black rubbish bags and our green kerbside recycling bin. Students also learn how rubbish can become a resource.

Learning Through Action can give students compelling reasons to really reduce how much is thrown away.

Other “behind-the-scenes” programmes allow students to visit a water-pumping station and appreciate how lucky Christchurch is to have its artesian water source. A programme is also offered at the Wastewater Treatment Plant so students can see how our sewage is processed and cleaned up. The heritage programme involves a visit to the Canterbury Provincial Council Building where Christchurch’s first laws were debated.

Many schools have taken the opportunity to look a little harder at how Christchurch City operates and how we as citizens impact on the environment. The activities the students carry out are designed to compliment the Science and Social Studies Curriculum and also raise awareness of the Environmental Education concepts of Interdependence, Biodiversity, Sustainability and Responsibility. As well as providing students with the knowledge of what is “out there”, the Learning Through Action programme passes on Council messages and encourages students to find ways of actively getting involved in looking after the environment rather than waiting for someone else to do it.