The article below is by PhD student Dan Kelly.
In the latest seminar, from the Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable World series, we learned about a project that collaborates with schools in Auckland to address their emissions and inspire others.
Initiated by Auckland Council and led by various primary and secondary schools, as well as kura and kōhanga reo, the Mana Ora – Students Decarbonising Schools project, prioritises “student-led action.” It also explores different accredited methods to measure change, further empowering the storytelling and inspiration associated with collective action towards more climate-friendly lives.
Anaru Hetaraka provided context on the project’s name, explaining how the word ‘mana’ highlights the power people have “to do right by the taiao and their ancestors”; to earn prestige and respect by enhancing the mauri and ora of the whenua where they live. Grounded in a holistic Māori worldview that emphasizes interconnection through whakapapa, ‘mana ora’ in this context is about people stepping into the role that is humanity’s inheritance: to contribute and be beneficial members of our social and ecological communities, thereby improving the quality of life for all.
We then heard from Bridget Glasgow about Auckland Council’s Sustainable Schools team, which targets several impact areas such as transport, energy, waste, food, and ‘grow’. They work towards generating and growing sustainable, empowered communities. Bridget emphasized the role of young people in the future and their desire to make a difference, echoing Anaru on the importance of changing minds to change the physical world.
The Mana Ora project was enabled by funding from the Westpac Government Innovation New Zealand Fund. On a practical level, Bridget explained how they offered small implementation funds for actionable ideas. School groups had to provide a budget and explain how their idea would impact carbon emissions and spread within the community.
Bridget then shared case studies from across Auckland. At Meadowbank School, their group combined efforts to promote active transport with the measurement of carbon levels outside their school, showing that efforts to walk, bike, or use public transport were making a physical difference to local air quality. In another example, students at a kōhanga reo attended workshops guided by specialists on the coast and in the forest, engaging in tirotiro taiao (close environmental observation) and then composing waiata and art based on their observations.
We also heard about efforts to establish circular food systems as one manifestation of the broader circular economy. In this project, students at a kura collected food scraps, made compost, and used it to grow kai, demonstrating how leftovers can become compost and then food.
Lastly, we heard from Rachel Bolstad, who offered reflections on the Mana Ora project. Evaluations revealed that student involvement was central. Schools were leading their own projects but networked with other schools in clusters, supporting a sense of community and expanded possibilities for change. Rachel shared other research that resonates with the findings of Mana Ora, including the importance of combining education about climate change with practical action. She suggested that schools offer a ‘sweet spot’ for engaging the broader community, with projects like Mana Ora providing opportunities for those interested to connect and work together in service of greater change, from today for the future.
The Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable World seminar series continues as well, with our next seminar on 1 November at 1-2pm. We’ll be joined by Assoc. Prof. Sharon Stein discussing research by the academic-art collective Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures. You can join direct via the link – https://auckland.zoom.us/j/93588540906 – or email dkel042@aucklanduni.ac.nz for a calendar invite. Hope to see you there!
The Mana Ora – Students Decarbonising Schools project is ongoing, and you can find a number of further case studies online.
This article was written by Dan Kelly.
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