Independent Schools Victoria

Registered Training
Organisation
BSBSUS201A
Participate in Environmentally
Sustainable Work Practices
Unit 12 of 12

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

Contents
Teacher or Workplace Mapped Observation Checklist .......................................................... 1
Instructions ........................................................................................................................... 2
1. Environmental Sustainability ............................................................................................. 3
2. Climate Change ................................................................................................................ 5
3. Promoting Sustainability .................................................................................................... 7
4. Sustainability ..................................................................................................................... 8
5. Compliance ..................................................................................................................... 11
6. Alternatives ..................................................................................................................... 14
7. Sustainability and You ..................................................................................................... 15

Independent Schools Victoria 2012

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no
part may be reproduced by any process without prior permission from Independent Schools
Victoria. Requests and enquiries concerning the reproduction and rights should be
addressed by email to: equiries@independentschools.vic.edu.au
Every effort has been made to ensure that this publication is free from error and/or omission
at the date of printing. The authors, publishers and any person involved in the preparation of
this workbook take no responsibility for loss occasioned to any person or organisation acting
or refraining from action as a result of information contained in this publication.

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

Teacher or Workplace Mapped

Observation Checklist
Name of Student: ____________________________________________________
BSBSUS201A Participate in Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices
Element: PC
Question (please tick suitable response)
Yes
1.1, 1.2
Can the student identify environmental and resource efficiency
issues including in their own role?
1.3, 1.4
Can the student document and measure, record and file
current resource usage using technology and other appropriate
techniques?
1.5, 2.1, 2.2
Is the student able to identify and report workplace hazards
including breaches of potential breaches and follow
procedures to ensure compliance with organizational
standards?
3.1,3.3
Is the student able to follow organisational plans to improve
environmental practices and resource efficiency, making
suggestions for improvements in their own area?
3.2
Can the student work as part of a team to identify work and
personal areas for environmental sustainability and resource
management?

No

As this students teacher and supervisor, I agree that he/she has demonstrated the above
skills and knowledge during a work placement or in a simulated workplace. Where a No has
been indicated, the student will be given further training to achieve competency. My
responses give a true, valid and fair evaluation of the student.

C/NYC

Date: ______

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If additional tasks were completed, please re-assess student.

C/NYC

Date: _______

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Teacher/Supervisor: Name____________________ Date: ________________

Signature: _____________________ Contact if required: _________________
BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

Instructions
To complete this unit, you will have to complete the following tasks. Have your teacher sign
page one when you have completed the work.

Task 1A
Task 1B
Task 2A
Task 2B
Task 3
Task 4
Task 5A
Task 5B
Task 5C
Task 6
Task 7

Watch a link and briefly answer questions

Watch a link and listing suggestions
Look up a link and answer questions
List the Swedish principles described in a video
Watch very short promotional videos and describe their main meaning
Identify potential resources issues and complete a walk-through and hazard
report
Check a link and note four pieces of information
Show you accessed the EPA site, then print out information
Interview a staff member then join in a class or group discussion
Watch more links and write responses
Think about your own responsibilities and list ways you can make a difference

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

1. Environmental Sustainability
Most people are well aware of issues which exist around preserving our environment for
future generations, and the reasons for participating in practices which reduce the negative
impact of a range of work practices.

Task 1A
Watch the following link which gives a full overview of the issues facing us all to ensure
environmental sustainability for the future. The link of made by a private company so it
is both an advertisement and an informative video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVcR7b2emmg
Answer these questions to show that you watched the video.
i) What is the name of the company? __________________________________
ii) About how many years ago did the carbon dioxide rise due to industrialisation?
___________________________
iii) What is the percentage of greenhouse gases that the speaker claims is produced
by companies and buildings? ________________________________________
iv) What is the name of the environmental project the company started?
Trees for ___________________________
If any of these links are inactive, try finding alternative sites related to Greenhouse
gases, Environmental sustainability, Green Offices

Task 1B
Watch the link below and list four ideas suggested to assist making greener offices.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1khjsamNAyQ&feature=related
i) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

ii) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

iii) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

iv) ________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

2. Climate Change
Sir David Attenborough has been on TV for many years as he is an expert in many areas of
natural history. One of his brothers Richard also makes films, and his son Robert is a
lecturer in bio anthropology (the study of primates and fossils) in Canberra. In the clip below,
he is speaking to Professor Peter Cox who devised a graph which explains many
possibilities for the causes of global warming.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ob9WdbXx0

Task 2A
To show that you watched this link and understood its message, answer the following
questions.
i) What year was there a new upward trend in the red graph line? _______________
ii) What do the red, green and yellow lines represent?
Red:_________________________________________________________
Green: _______________________________________________________
Yellow: _______________________________________________________
iii) What caused the main recent changes to the graphs?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

Task 2B

Watch the video below and list the 4 basic principles developed in Sweden 20 years
ago.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NiTN0chj0
i) __________________________________________________________________
ii) _________________________________________________________________
iii) ________________________________________________________________
iv) ________________________________________________________________

If any of the above links are inactive, try the following key words until you find suitable
sites: Sir David Attenborough, Professor Richard Cox, bio anthropology, global warming
You teacher may have to adapt the questions to suit the new site.

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

3. Promoting Sustainability
While many people are aware of the potentially devastating effects of not protecting our
planet, ideas to get everyone involved is vital to spreading the message.
In 1989 Australian builder and yachtsman Ian Kiernan decided he wanted to do something to
clean up around the Sydney Harbour. That led to the countrys biggest community-based
environmental event known as Clean Up Australia Day which has now spread to other cities
and countries.
Many people believe the messages about sustainability must begin with school-aged
children who will then carry the practices into adult life. This idea led to the creation of a
number of very short, simple cartoon clips that now appear on YouTube.

Task 3
Click on each link. Use one or two words to describe the messages they are
promoting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCQdXXkJD_8&feature=fvwrel
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmNqpKbH0co&feature=fvwrel
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIforUNXrUQ&NR=1
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Ek3v1RBEU&feature=relmfu
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZdUA8zxJ0&NR=1&feature=fvwp
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUeNyPTjfec&feature=relmfu
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvFsMe8_NIM&NR=1&feature=fvwp
___________________________________________________________________
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNtX3m9UajQ&NR=1&feature=fvwp
_____________________________________________________________________
BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

4. Sustainability
Your school is not only just a school. It is also a workplace and most of the work which
occurs in the buildings is similar or the same as occurs in any businesss office. Office
administrative staff, teachers and students all use electricity, computers, printers,
photocopiers, scanners, paper, cardboard, water, cameras and other equipment and
resources. The following task asks you to identify issues which can occur anywhere in your
homes, schools and workplaces.

Task 4
i) Begin in your home and try to identify at least five potential issues relating to
conserving or recycling resources. Look for things that are wasteful and try to think of
how they could be reused/recycled/reduced.
Resource Issue
1.

Suggested Solution

2.

3.

4.

5.

ii) Now do the same activity in your school, concentrating on the types of materials
and resources used in your role as a student.
Resource Issue
1.

Suggested Solution

2.

3.

4.

5.

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

iii) If you were starting your own business, suggest three things you could do or buy to
reduce your carbon footprint and improve efficient use of resources.
a) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
b) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
c) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

iv) Remember how you did an OH&S walk-through of a room or building to find
potential hazards? Do a walk-through of an area, room or building to find any potential
environmental hazards and identify the correct person to receive the report. Then
suggest how the environmental risk could be reduced or corrected. The form to be
filled out is on the next page but here is an example.

Identified Environmental
Risk
1. Dripping tap in the grounds
near the gymnasium

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Report it to?
The maintenance
department
OR The sport teacher

Risk-reduction
As a student try to make
sure the tap is correctly turned
off to prevent water loss.
The maintenance department
may have to replace the taps
washer.

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

Identifying Environmental Hazards

Identified Environmental Risk

Report it to?

Risk-reduction

1.

2.

3.

4.

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

10

5. Compliance
Think Global, Act Local. Although this phrase is now used in relation to environment issues
and behaviour, it was originally believed to have been used as early as 1915 by a Scottish
town-planner and activist called Patrick Geddes, although many people believe it was coined
by environmental activist Hazel Henderson.

Many people also relate the term to the late Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
While everyone can see the necessity for working toward creating a sustainable environment
in order to insure the health and happiness of people, animals, plants and the planet itself, it
often seems such a huge issue that it seems too difficult to solve. The Think Global, Act
Local idea means that everyone can contribute in so many small ways that it can make a
huge difference when all of the efforts are combined.
Every time you pick up rubbish, recycle paper and conserve water, you are helping.
There are many laws at all levels of government and internationally aimed at promoting
sustainability.

Task 5A
Check the link below (or put in a search for the law) and name the 1972 international
environmental law:
www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/InternationalLaw_InternationalEnvironmental
Law
i) _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Then list one each of the international laws in each category:
ii) Biodiversity: ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
iii) Atmosphere: ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
iv) Pollution/hazardous substances: ______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

11

There are also many federal, state, local and industry laws relating to environmental
performance and sustainability.
The following link is a Victorian state authority called the EPA (or look up the Environment
Protection Authority, Victoria). www.epa.vic.gov.au
This site has helpful information on communities, air monitoring, forms and emissions
tracking.

Task 5B
i) Access the above link and print a page to demonstrate that you have looked at the
site.
ii) Go to the link below and click on the Begin on the Greenhouse Gas Calculator
www.epa.vic.gov.au/AGC/home.html

Fill out the details on the online questionnaire for at least the household and
transport sections. For this section of the unit, you will need to print out at least two
charts generated by the greenhouse gas calculator and attach them to your
workbook.
iii) Looking at your charts, what conclusions can you come at about your results? For
example, you might see that you take a lot of car trips, so you could decide to use
your bike or the bus more often as your own contribution toward Acting Local.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___ ________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
If doing those two tasks is difficult in your environment, you could complete them
somewhere else such as a social club, scout hall, a parents workplace or anywhere with
some organised plan or policy for environmental sustainability.

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

12

Task 5C
For this task, you will need to find out some details about your schools commitment to
environmental sustainability. Because all schools are different in relation to policies,
location, facilities and ethos, there are two tasks below which you may have to adapt
to be appropriate for your situation. Your teacher will help with this decision.
i) Interview a member of staff about the schools procedures for improving
environmental practices and resource management. Then make a suggestion for
improving one issue.
Person Interviewed: ___________________________________________________
Suggest one issue needing improvement and how you would do it.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

ii) Join in a class or group discussion on the schools contributions toward

environmental sustainability. As a team, make suggestions for improving the area
where you study and play. (Or this can be with another group with an adult witness)

Teacher or other Adults evidence

Student: ______________________________ has actively participated in a team
discussion on the schools efforts to implement sustainability and has made notes on
the suggestions for improvements.

Teacher to sign: __________________________________ Date: ______________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

13

6. Alternatives
Task 6
Watch this link and fill out the gaps in the question below.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PPxYCDKVec
i) This video is against the use of ___________________________ fuel, and in
favour of three alternatives called ___________________________________,
______________________________ and _________________________________.

ii) Watch these links which talk about three different types of alternate energy sources.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4CTceusK9I&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwBZTrnXsvA&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=76AJm2l8T7o
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnPEtwQtmGQ&feature=related
Which do you think sounds the most sustainable form and why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

14

7. Sustainability and You

Everyone needs to Think Global. Act Local. Remembering what you have read in this
booklet and the things you may have seen on TV or in other subjects, make some decisions
on how you could start acting responsibly to ensure the planet is sustainable.

Task 7
Think of six ways that you personally can commit to supporting a sustainable planet
and list them below.
i) _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

ii) _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

iii) _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

15

iv)_______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

v) _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
vi)_______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

16

Submitting the Work for this Unit

Some work is to be filled out in the booklet.

Your teacher may ask you to send some electronically. Ask for an email address to send
it to
If you have group work, you may choose to submit it using a USB stick, or burn onto a
CD.

BSBSUS201A (V2)

Independent Schools Victoria, 2012

17