Mayor urges local schools to sign up to tackle climate change

After William Hogarth receives £2,000 Environment Award

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sustainableschools

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone is urging more schools in Hounslow to sign up to learn how to reduce the carbon emissions they produce by learning more about renewable energy sources as part of the 2007 London Schools Environment Awards launched at City Hall today.

Chiswick's William Hogarth School recently won £2000 for their work for the local environment, as part of the London Schools Environment Awards in 2006. The Awards were set up by the Mayor of London and are sponsored by Thames Water and EDF Energy. Over 700 schools have signed up for the scheme this year, which aims to improve children’s learning about the environment and this year the schools are being encouraged to emphasise climate change.

To make it easy for children to learn about how renewable energy can act as a way to combat climate change, each school signed up to the awards scheme will receive a toolbox, which includes a solar educational kit, which demonstrates how solar energy works. The Department for Education and Skills has provided a grant to help fund the toolbox to support the scheme as part of the Year of Action on Sustainable Schools.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said ‘As the Stern review has shown, the future of our economy as well as our environment rests on taking action to cut carbon emissions now rather than waiting for problems to unfold.

‘These awards are helping children in Hounslow to learn about looking after the environment, to tell their parents how they can live a greener lifestyle and crucially helping the next generation of Londoners to live a healthier lifestyle as they grow up.’

Liz Banks of Thames Water said ‘Water conservation has a big part to play in learning to be environmentally aware, and we are delighted to be involved in the London Schools Environment Award once again. Last year we were very impressed at the water saving projects submitted by youngsters and we look forward to working with schools in 2007.’

The London Schools Environment Awards have been developed to foster children’s sense of responsibility for their environment and the categories that the schools focus on are water, litter and local environment quality, waste and recycling, energy and climate change, transport to school and biodiversity.

London schools signing up to the initiative will receive a toolbox to assist teachers, which includes literature and environmental items to help them with their entry. The schools are asked to submit their work on 1 June 2007. A distinction award of £2000 and a highly commended award of £1000 will be presented to two schools in each London borough.

December 14, 2006