3:49pm Thursday 9th November 2006
As the debate over global warming continues to rage, JANAKI MAHADEVAN discovers how schoolchildren in Barnet are taking it upon themselves to help save the planet Global warming, brought on by excessive carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles, homes, businesses and power stations, is said to cause ice caps to melt, leading to rising sea levels, flooding, displaced populations and drought. Coupled with the worldwide destruction of rain forests and their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, the future looks bleak.
We can all do our bit to save energy, and some of Barnet's schools are leading the way.
Last week, Mill Hill County High School announced plans to build a wind turbine to generate electricity for the school in Worcester Crescent.
The school's head of geography and environment, Jonathan Gunzi, said: "The kids are the future, if they aren't going to do it, no one will. The wind turbine will be a very visual teaching tool for students that I hope it can provide a practical aspect rather than just the theoretical element of environmental action."
The school has also set up an environmental action committee which organises green activities for each year group to work on throughout the academic year. These tasks include recycling, growing organic vegetables, and restoring the school meadow.
Mr Gunzi added: "When you see the response from the children, it really does show you that the younger you start the more likely you are to carry on and become excited by it."
St James' Catholic School, in Great Strand, Colindale, has been the pioneer of environmental friendliness in Barnet schools. It already has a turbine and solar panels installed at the school, which reduce its carbon emissions by three-and-a-half tonnes per year - the equivalent of the energy used to power a three-bedroom house for a year.
Janet Keir, the school's science and community enrichment officer, said: "Students started recycling a couple of years ago and it mushroomed from there. They decided to start composting and to produce a vegetable garden and, because of this, they got the opportunity of helping another local primary school to do a garden makeover.
"It was through this that we got assistance to apply for a solar panel, and having received double the amount of funding offered we went for the wind turbine as well."
One of the more unusual projects run by the school is its eco-centre - a building made out of straw, constructed by pupils and staff and powered by renewable energy. The school's attitude to the environment led it to be chosen to represent the UK at the Youth Eco Parliament in Paris last month, an international gathering encouraging children to work with adults to protect the environment.
Ms Keir added: "All schools should go green. More young people than you think do worry about issues like conservation and fair trade. Schools have something they wish to say regarding these issues and if we can raise awareness and give that a voice, that is fantastic.
"Most children want to help the environment so it is about us giving them the opportunity to do so."
Barnet Council has a scheme called Barnet Environmental Action For Real in Schools (BEARS) which aims to make it easy for schools to incorporate green initiatives into their curriculum and lifestyle.
Stuart Gadsden, waste and sustainability coordinator for the council and coordinator of BEARS said: "We are trying to provide practical support for schools in the borough. We take the message into schools, mainly in assemblies, and the children can then take that home. One of the demonstrations we do is to empty a rubbish bag and sort it out so that children can see how much can be recycled.
"We can also look at renewable energy and efficiency and include it with the national curriculum. For example, citizenship lessons link nicely to the issues of helping the environment."
As well as the larger carbon cutting initiatives, the BEARS scheme helps schools with litter, journeys to school and looking after natural resources on their grounds.
Mr Gadsden said: "We are very lucky in Barnet to have some fantastic environmental projects and every school in the borough is involved in some way.
"I think we have to teach children at a young age how important it is to learn about caring for the environment because we need to get children into habits. It's not just about the theory, it is about teaching them the practical skills so that it becomes a very normal and important thing for them to do.
"It is uplifting and gives you hope when you chat to students and see how passionate they are. It makes you think we can work through this."
For more information on BEARS, contact the council on 020 8359 7400 or email recycling@barnet.gov.uk
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk