Students across the world have taken it upon themselves to join the fight against climate change. According to scientific research, planet Earth is on the verge of several severe climate tipping points. Once past these, it is believed the damage done to our planet will be irreversible. The young people of today are now galvanised into action to prevent this. Activists such as Greta Thunberg are calling for governments to enact radical changes to reduce carbon emissions. And she is not alone.
Worldwide strikes to protest the current climate crisis are bring large groups of people to rally together. The first ever global climate strike, held on 15 March 2019, is believed to have been attended by over 1.6 million people. Schools were faced by the walk out of thousands of students, with many teachers also absconding to accompany their classes. Such action by the younger generations is heart warming to see. But even without going on protest marches, there are ways students are working with their schools to help the environment.
Use your feet
Walking to school wherever possible cuts emissions from cars and busses. The charity Living Streets launched their Walk to School movement to encourage just this. Their annual Walk to School Month encouraged over 2 million primary students to take part last year. Not only does this help the environment, it’s also a great way of getting a bit of exercise every day.
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Bin it
Waste management is another big factor. Many students have campaigned for their schools to introduce separated recycling bins. This will lead to less waste being committed to landfill. Scrap paper trays in classrooms encourage re-using materials. Food waste can also be re-used as compost if separated correctly.
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Fashion Fix
The fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to the current environment crisis. Fast fashion in particular is a big problem. Vast quantities of items are produced cheaply and only worn a couple of times before being thrown away. This has caused pollution halfway across the world. Ghana has the worlds largest second hand clothes market, much of which comes from the UK. But it cannot cope with the sheer quantity of low quality items being shipped there. In response, many schools hold fashion swap events. Bring in items you no longer wear and trade them with others to instantly update your wardrobe. This is a really fun and stylish way for students to help the fight against climate change.
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Ditch the plastic
Even something as simple as changing stationary is having an impact. Many school aged children are now choosing to use material stationary bags, rather than plastic boxes. Using writing tools such as fountain pens which are re-fillable massively reduces the dependence on single use pens. Investing in decent quality calculators rather than throw away ones that need replacing every year.
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These changes may seem too small to really matter. Sometimes it can feel daunting to be faced with a problem as huge as the potential destruction of the planet. But as Greta Thunberg herself says, “…no one is too small to make a difference.”
How can WiseUp help?
WiseUp Team Building brings all of the equipment needed for a great activity day to your school grounds. This reduces the need for multiple carbon emitting coaches to transport pupils long distances to activity centres. We make our equipment from the highest quality materials. This ensures many years of use out of each item. If a piece of kit is broken on our days, it is generally re-purposed into something else. Practical items aside, our events give students the chance to get outside into the fresh air and enjoy the environment around them. The more time they spend outside getting to love the world, the harder they will fight for it, which can only be a good thing! Contact us about bringing a great event to your school.
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