Climate Change Schools Project images

Smart logo for a Smart Car

richard — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:37:46 GMT

On the 22nd April Dr. Krista McKinzey made her first school visit as Climate Change Schools Project Officer, driving all the way from Durham to Dr Thomlinson C of E Middle School in Rothbury in a car powered only by renewable energy! This impressive feat took over five hours, as Dr McKinzey had to stop to recharge the electric car’s battery in Morpeth for three hours en route!

The pupils of Dr Thomlinson Middle School were given this unique opportunity to question Dr McKinzey and see the customised eco car displaying the winning Climate Change Schools Project logo because the logo’s designer Sally Gray (age 13) is a pupil.

“The aim of the Climate Change Schools Project is to achieve a network of local Climate Change Lead Schools who encourage putting climate change at the heart of what they do,” said Dr McKinzey when interviewed by the school’s English Student Voice representatives during the visit.

Last term 11 schools from across the region submitted 250 ideas for a competition to design a logo to support this climate change project. Two pupils from the school were short listed amongst the 5 finalists. Both Beck Tait and Sally Gray attended the special award evening at the Science Learning Centre North East (SLCNE), part of Durham University, in Durham last December along with their parents and Miss Turton, their Geography teacher.

Each finalist was presented with an insect home and a book. As the overall winner Sally accepted an additional seat for the school grounds, which was made out of over 2,000 recycled plastic bottles. In addition Sally has the honour of seeing her winning logo printed on all of the Climate Change Schools Project materials including, of course, the electric Smart Car!

This electric Smart Car is one of only a hundred in the world, and the North East is especially lucky to have a few of these electric cars zipping around the region. It is one of the world’s first carbon neutral cars. At its base in Durham it is re-charged via an on-site wind turbine. The car was leased by the Environment Agency and is embellished with Sally’s design both on the front and back. The sides of the car are painted contrasting colours, with one side showing what the world could be doomed to look like, and the other showing a more positive future which could be possible if people – both young and old – begin to take care of their own world. This colour scheme was prompted by Sally’s own design, as she wanted to highlight ‘Life as it could be and life as it should be’. Many children at Dr Thomlinson C of E Middle School share Sally’s concerns about the environment and were most impressed with the car both inside and out.

All of the students in the Northeast who designed a logo for the competition will shortly see their work in print. In June, a book of all the designs and the children’s thoughts about climate change will be published and copies will be distributed freely to those pupils who participated. If you care about climate change and are interested in the book, visit www.climatechangeschools.org.uk .

Keep an eye out for Sally’s eco friendly, zero emission, electric Smart Car “zooming” around the North East

NORTH EAST YOUNGSTERS AUTHOR CLIMATE CHANGE BOOK

richard — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:36:23 GMT

Two-hundred and fifty of the North East’s climate change aware young people have authored a book entitled Climate Change Schools Project in advance of World Environment Day on 5th June.
The book is the culmination of outstanding artwork entered into a recent logo competition for any young person aged 7 to 14 years to design a positive message about climate change. One of these was selected to become the logo for the ground-breaking new Climate Change Schools Project which ultimately aims to put climate change at the heart of not only North East schools, but also the national curriculum.

The book includes a foreword by international author, renowned environmental campaigner and Chancellor of Durham University, Bill Bryson.

He said: “It is with great pleasure for me (as a father, grandfather and bearded green crusader) to be invited to contribute to a book on climate change which has been driven by children. The beautifully-crafted and thought-provoking art, and the insightful and inspiring thoughts of the children which are showcased in this book show that the community here in the North East, with which I am proud to be associated, is well-placed to deliver a powerful and proactive response to the climate change debate.”

The winning design was created by Sally Gray, age 13, who attends Dr. Thomlinson CoE Middle School in Rothbury. Her design graces the book cover and highlights the role we all have to play in confronting the challenges of climate change. Sally’s winning logo has also been used on all materials associated with the Project, including school resources and one of only 100 worldwide electric Smart Cars currently being driven around the region. The Climate Change Schools Project book has been published with the support of Science Learning Centre North East, Durham University, the Environment Agency and Hill Print Media based in Newton Aycliffe.

Dr. Krista McKinzey, Climate Change Schools Project Officer and manager, said: “The young contributors to this book have also provided their views on why climate change is important to them, and the foreword by Bill Bryson captures the spirit of these young people.”

“The book in itself sets a positive challenge to everyone who reads its wonderful pages. We are fortunate to have so many amazing young climate change ‘ambassadors’ in the North East who may become the leaders of our future, encouraging us all to strive for a better and more sustainable world. This book is a true celebration to our outstanding young people.”

Climate Change Schools Project – Getting Smart!

richard — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:34:59 GMT

On Monday, 3rd March, the Climate Change Schools Project received one of only a hundred worldwide electric Smart Cars to travel around the North East! The car, kindly provisioned by the Environment Agency, aims to showcase developing technologies that can lead to a more sustainable future. David Saddington, the 2007 North East Climate Change Champion, launched the car, which is powered using electricity generated from the wind turbine located on Science Learning Centre North East’s grounds. The car, with wonderful and thought-provoking graphics, incorporates the specially designed logo by Sally Gray from Rothbury (age 13), the winner of a regional competition to produce a positive message about climate change for the Climate Change Schools Project.

The Climate Change Schools Project, a ground-breaking regional pilot initiated in autumn 2007 through the collaboration of Science Learning Centre North East and Durham University, the Environment Agency and Northumbria Regional Flood Defence Committee, SustaiNE, the North East Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Schools and One World Network North East, will use the wind-charged electric Smart Car to visit schools around the region. The Project aims to use an exciting and novel approach in bringing climate change to the heart of the national curriculum. With the help of volunteer teacher teams and DEFRA, ANEC (the Association for North East Councils), STEMNET (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics Network), Newcastle Science City, One World Network North East, Northumberland County Council, the Northumberland Strategic Partnership and Tees Valley Climate Change Partnership, a network of specially supported regional ‘Climate Change Lead Schools’ will be established during the 2008 – 2009 school year. These schools will become the foundation for a new regional centre of excellence in teaching, learning and acting on climate change. Other regions are set to follow after culmination of the pilot Project in the North East.

Bill Bryson supports North East Climate Change Schools Project

richard — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:33:21 GMT

Dr. Bill Bryson, Chancellor of Durham University, visited Science Learning Centre North East on 23rd June in order to obtain a copy of the recently published book Climate Change Schools Project, to which he contributed a spirited foreword, as well as to learn more about the innovative new schools project bearing the same name.

The book was authored by ~250 young people, aged 7 to 14 years from across the North East, and contains their inspirational artwork and views about climate change.

Bill said: “It is encouraging to read the vision for the Climate Change Schools Project which is set to bring this critical, global issue to the heart of the national curriculum. I congratulate all of the various partners who have come together to develop what I hope will be recognised as a landmark project for engaging tomorrow’s leaders and policy makers in an issue that we must address today.”

Dr. Krista McKinzey, Climate Change Schools Project Officer, explained the role of the region’s new ‘Climate Change Lead Schools’ active from 2008 – 2009 onwards, and also took Bill for a spin in the Project’s electric Smart Car, 1 of only 100 worldwide.