What is the Issue: Introduction + Our Goals
The Issues
Recently scientists from around the world have been coming up with more and more evidence that we are causing the planet to change because of our choice of lifestyle:
- In 2006, America generated 220 million tons of waste.
- Worldwide, we consume approximately 16.33 trillion kWh of electricity - at a cost of £1.6 trillion!
- It is estimated that in the US, each person uses 80-100 gallons of water per day, mainly by flushing the toilet.
- The number of households who have access to a car in Great Britain rose from 52 per cent in 1971 to 75 per cent in 2004.
The Results
All this energy being used is changing our planet and the change is not a good one.
- The average temperature of Britain will rise by 4oC by 2080 if nothing is changed. There will also be less rain in the summers and even more in the winters. More national issues.
- Temperatures of 40oC in the summers would be normal. This would lead to water shortages and consequent deaths, as seen across the Mediterranean in recent years. More international issues.
Many adults say that it is not their problem, but the next generation's.
Where is the next generation now? In classrooms up and down the country.
Our Goals
We believe that if young people, like us, are taught about the environment it will encourage us to shoulder the burden together and make the changes that will make a difference. If every young person in the country makes even the smallest change to their lifestyle then great things could happen.
Our aim is to involve the whole school community: students, teachers, non-teaching staff and even parents!
What is EcoLearning?
EcoLearning is teaching young people about the environment in which they live, showing them what they have to protect both locally and in the world as a whole, explaining to them how to make the small sacrifices that make all the difference.
Traditionally this would have been seen as the job of a school's geography and possibly biology departments. However, such is the scope of the topic of EcoLearning that it spans the whole curriculum and beyond.
The effect of a school is not confined to the fences that form its boundaries. In the same way that a school imparts knowledge to its students, the concept and ideals of EcoLearning should be passed onto the surrounding area.
We believe that if you and every young person in the country is affected by the EcoLearning scheme then together we can make the changes that can affect the planet.
- Bassis, L. (1998). Waste Disposal. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from University of Michigan Web site: http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/wastedisposal.htm
- Environmental Sustainability Committee. (2006). Nationwide Waste Statistics. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from Environmental Sustainability Committee Web site: http://www.esc.mtu.edu/docs/NationWideStatistics.pdf
- Yahoo!. (2004). World Facts. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from Yahoo Kids! Web site: http://kids.yahoo.com/reference/world-factbook/country/xx--World
- UK Government. (2007). Car Access Statistics. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from National Statistics Web site: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1770
- BBC. (2007). Climate Change. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from BBC Climate Change Web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/
- BBC. (2006). Drought worsens China water woes. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from BBC News Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4754519.stm
- US Geological Survey. (2005). Water Q&A: Water use at home. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from USGS Web site: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/qahome.html