PBC is among the largest state high schools in Queensland, with around 2,600 students and between 250 and 300 staff, and working in such a large school gave Tom a front-row seat to the impact, and potential, of better waste management. 

“Working here at a big school and seeing the opportunity that we had to change the way things were done – that excited me - that we could be involved in setting up a new program for how schools can approach their waste management.  

I noticed that we were sending an awful lot of rubbish to landfill – between 90 and 100 wheelie bins every week.” 

That observation led to action.  

“A colleague with some students and I did a bin audit and we worked out that about 70% of what we were sending to landfill didn’t need to go there.” 

The first step

With the audit results in hand, the team knew where to start. 

“After our waste audit, we thought the easiest thing we could do was to get involved in the Containers for Change scheme.  

So, we put bins out around the school and that was our entry point really. We then expanded to looking at composting and separating recycling and moving towards compartmentalised bins.” 

Measurable impact and a lasting legacy

The results speak for themselves, but the impact goes far beyond fundraising. 

“CFC was really the catalyst that allowed us to get more involved in sustainability. The program has had a significant impact on PBC - we’ve raised about $23,000 in six years.” 

Today, the Containers for Change program at PBC is a thriving example of what’s possible when a school community embraces sustainability. 

“Because of what we’re doing, I really do feel like we’re making a big change.”