Creswick North is participating in the Five Star Sustainability in Schools program and the school is a hive of activity and enthusiasm.

The council's environmental sustainability officer Thea Laidlaw said the schoolyard had been transformed with a chook shed near completion, a worm farm in operation for food scraps and large tanks collecting stormwater

for toilet flushing.

Future plans include a vegetable garden.

Ms Laidlaw said the pupils were setting an example in the community.

"All of these achievements can be taken up by community members, to collectively reduce water, energy use and the volume going to landfill," Ms Laidlaw said.

"As community representatives, students are actively promoting a sustainability ethic of energy, water and waste management to the broader community demonstrating that sustainability."

Ms Laidlaw is also looking into the efficiency of homes, business and industry in the shire in relation to issues such as reducing landfill.

Ms Laidlaw said this study meant assessing our use of drinking water and patterns of energy use and making changes to reduce overall consumption.

The council is tracking use of energy, water and fuel consumption across its own operations. A water and street lighting project is also underway to reduce consumption and buildings are being retrofitted to be more energy efficient.