A WEEK of living simply has given staff and students at Mt Maria College’s Enoggera and Mitchelton campuses insight into how two-thirds of the world’s population survive every day.
The college’s student representative council organised the recent week of activities, which culminated in a mass gathering on the Enoggera campus oval with “Live Simply” spelt out by students wearing simple black or white T-shirts.
Year 12 student Christopher Drummond said council members gained their inspiration from teachers at the Mitchelton campus.
“Late last year, the teachers from the Mitchelton campus made a pledge to live simply for a week, wearing only black or white clothes to school,” he said.
“This was as a result of an initiative of Rachael Fletcher after she read author Naomi Klein’s book No Logo.”
Christopher said the council thought it would be great to engage all students from Years 8-12 in the awareness-raising idea of “living simply”.
The student body was asked to live simply in all aspects of their daily school life during the week.
Initiatives such as turning off lights, computers and using minimal resources were encouraged.
They also had to wear black and white to school on Friday August 8.
Christopher said the day was a huge success, with students actively participating in all areas of the project.
“It sparked debate and discussion amongst them, which is exactly the goal of the SRC,” he said.
Guest speaker Caritas Australia’s global education advisor for Queensland Jennifer Byrne said it was a great example of students putting their faith into action.
