More than 200 children from North Yorkshire have shown overwhelming support for preventing and raising awareness of climate change.
Along with 36 teachers, these children attended a Schools’ Climate Change conference held recently at Thirsk Racecourse and organisers were bowled over by their enthusiasm.
The conference, organised by Neil Jameson, the York and North Yorkshire Schools’ Climate Change Officer, was the culmination of a competition for pupils to come up with ideas for their school or community Mowbray School, Settle won the top award of £1,500 for a small wind turbine to power their outdoor classroom and thereby reduce their carbon footprint.
Bedale High School won £750 to create an allotment and grow their own food and Swainby and Potto Primary School won £750 to create a community mosaic on the theme of climate change to raise the awareness in their local community of the need to do something.
Neil Jameson, the York and North Yorkshire Schools’ Climate Change Officer, who is based at Harrogate Borough Council said: “Pupils were challenged to come up with practical projects that will help raise the awareness of climate change and reduce carbon emissions in their school or community.
“It is great that with the support of the Co-operative Membership we were able to reward pupils with funding to enable their ideas to become reality. It is the next generation that is going to have to bear the bunt of the worsening weather conditions and so being able to help them to do something positive in tackling climate change is a good thing.
The children really were amazing. In fact they told us that the worst thing about the day was having to go home!”
All councils in the county are supporting the Schools’ Climate Change programme funded through the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership and sponsored by the Co-operative Membership and Image Playgrounds.
A recent study has found that schools within North Yorkshire are contributing 70 per cent of the county council’s C02 emissions. With the introduction of the Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment, county councils will now have to purchase allowances to cover the CO2 produced in schools.
So the more carbon emissions they reduce the less costly it will be for them.
List of schools that attended: (School Type Location)
Reeth & Gunnerside Primary Catterick Garrison Richmondshire DC
Tockwith Primary Nr Boroughbridge Harrogate DC
Wistow Primary Nr Selby Selby DC
Swainby & Potto Primary Nr Stokesley Hambleton DC
Osmotherley Primary Nr Northallerton Hambleton DC
Hambleton Primary Nr Selby Selby DC
La Cateau Primary Catterick Garrison Richmondshire DC
Sheriff Hutton Primary North York Ryedale DC
Sowerby Primary Thirsk Hambleton DC
Lakeside Primary York York C Glusburn Primary Settle Craven DC
Lothersdale Primary Nr Keighley Craven DC
St John Fisher Secondary Harrogate Harrogate DC
Settle Middle Middle Settle Craven DC
Mowbray Special Bedale Hambleton DC
Rathmell Primary Nr Settle Craven DC
Bradleys Primary Nr Keighley Craven DC
Scably Secondary Scarborough Scarborough DC
Fulford Secondary York York C Brackenfield Private Harrogate Harrogate DC
20 schools 207 pupils 36 Staff
