Studies show that maintained schools in England have a total carbon footprint of over 7,000,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. If the UK is to achieve a low carbon future, it will be vital that schools play their part in radically reducing this figure by not wasting energy, encouraging active travel, and by buying sustainable goods.
– Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
It is our children and grandchildren that will be most affected by climate change. We have a duty to equip them to deal with the challenges that it presents.
– Greg Clark MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
Today's children are going to have to live with a lot of future climate change so it's vital they learn about it now and find out what can be done about it.
– Sir John Houghton,
Former co-chair of the Scientific Assessment Working Group, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Currently Honorary Scientist of the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research at the Meteorological Office.
As a new Mum myself I'm all too aware of the impact climate change could have on the next generation. Schools have an important role to play in showing people how they can make a difference, and Schools Low Carbon Day is a fantastic way of getting children involved and making saving energy as routine as brushing our teeth.
– Juliet Davenport, CEO, Good Energy, the 100% renewable electricity supplier
Is man really causing
global warming?
Not sure?
Read the recent statement from the Royal Society.
Read a comprehensive rebuttal of arguments against man-made warming.
Cool the World is a collection of lesson plans and educational resources to teach children about global warming and renewable technologies.
These resources were originally put together to support Schools Low Carbon Day which took place on 24th June 2010. Over 1600 schools, both primary and secondary, took part in Schools Low Carbon Day.
The day was about:
- Educating children about climate change.
- Focusing children on their own energy consumption / carbon footprint.
- Encouraging action by asking children and / or their families to make a pledge to cut their carbon emissions in some way.
We have left the resources on this site for anyone who would like to use them to do so. Cool the World is run on a voluntary basis and there is no charge for using the site. Click on the links on the left to access lesson plans and information, or click here to read more about the day how it was organised.
Schools Low Carbon Day was well supported with over 1600 schools taking part. Here are some of the comments we had from some of the most prominent supporters:
It's great that Schools Low Carbon day will be encouraging children to understand more about protecting the environment they live in. Councils often go into schools to teach children more about recycling. Teaching children about green issues encourages them to cut their own carbon emissions and no doubt, pester power means some of this will rub off on parents too.
Chairman of the Local Government Association Environment Board, Cllr Gary Porter