Latest news with #Let'sGoZero
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Science
- South Wales Argus
Schools invited to take part in week of climate action
Let's Go Zero is behind the Climate Action Countdown 2025, a free week of climate activities running from June 23 to 27 designed to build confidence and creativity in the classroom. Lee Hughes, chief operating officer at Peterborough Diocese Education Trust, said: "The Climate Action Countdown was an outstanding opportunity for our school communities to come together and show leadership in the fight to reduce carbon emissions." Schools can win prizes worth more than £700, including a WiFi wildlife camera, climate CPD training, and daily prizes for the best pupil photos and videos. The programme offers a flexible 'pick-and-mix' pack of curriculum-friendly activities. The week wraps up with the Great Big Climate Quiz. A pupil from SS Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary School in Essex said: "It's really fun and interacts with children in the right way to convince them to care about our planet."
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Schools and hospitals get £180m solar investment
Hundreds of schools and hospitals across the UK are set to receive £180 million for solar panels from the government's new state-owned energy company. The first major investment from Great British Energy was announced on Friday as part of government efforts to reduce the country's planet-warming emissions. The move was welcomed by the school leaders union and NHS providers who said it would also help to manage the "enormous financial pressure" of energy bills. But Andrew Bowie, shadow energy secretary, said the government's net zero plans would make the country "poorer". GB energy firm would secure future jobs, says Labour Net zero by 2050 'impossible' for UK, says Badenoch "Right now, money that should be spent on your children's education or your family's healthcare is instead being wasted on sky-high energy bills," said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on Friday. "Great British Energy's first major project will be to help our vital public institutions save hundreds of millions on bills to reinvest on the frontline," he added. The government also hopes that the project, to provide solar panels for 200 schools and 200 hospitals, will reduce the use of fossil fuels across public property and help achieve its long-term climate goals. This is not the first time such a project has existed - the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, launched under the previous Conservative government, has been running for more than four years and distributed close to £3bn for green technologies. This project in the first instance will target less than 1% of schools. But Alex Green, head of Let's Go Zero - a national campaign to reduce the climate impact of schools - said it was a welcome first move. "It is tough economic times, and to see this progress is a big step. [Whilst] acknowledging that 200 schools is a small starting point, to achieve this in one year is a good pace," she said. The announcement has been strongly welcomed by schools, unions and NHS estate managers who have previously warned of the pressure of high energy bills. In 2022, The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) had said that a third of its leaders were predicting a budget deficit following a spike in energy costs. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said schools wanted to install solar panels as they provided cheaper energy than paying for gas, but the upfront cost could often be prohibitive. "This announcement is therefore welcome and a step in the right direction. In the longer term, this should also help schools manage energy bills, which have been a source of enormous financial pressure in recent years," he said. But the acting shadow energy secretary disagreed that the government's approach would save money. "Labour's Net Zero zealotry is still set to make us poorer. The government is putting our very energy security at risk with their attacks on North Sea Oil and Gas - surrendering our energy independence to foreign powers like Russia," he said. However, energy experts have said that investing in renewable energy could reduce this reliance on imports. Jess Ralston, energy analyst at the think tank Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: "This GB Energy funding is an investment into energy security as solar panels lower the amount of gas we need to import from people like Putin." The first solar panels are expected to be installed by the end of the summer and the government said it would focus them in areas of "highest need". A simple guide to climate change Four ways climate change worsens extreme weather What you can do to reduce carbon emissions Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to get exclusive insight on the latest climate and environment news from the BBC's Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, delivered to your inbox every week. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Schools and hospitals get £180 solar investment from Great British Energy
Hundreds of schools and hospitals across the UK are set to receive £180 million for solar panels from the government's new state-owned energy first major investment from Great British Energy was announced on Friday as part of government efforts to reduce the country's planet-warming move was welcomed by the school leaders union and NHS providers who said it would also help to manage the "enormous financial pressure" of energy Andrew Bowie, shadow energy secretary, said the government's net zero plans would make the country "poorer". "Right now, money that should be spent on your children's education or your family's healthcare is instead being wasted on sky-high energy bills," said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on Friday. "Great British Energy's first major project will be to help our vital public institutions save hundreds of millions on bills to reinvest on the frontline," he government also hopes that the project, to provide solar panels for 200 schools and 200 hospitals, will reduce the use of fossil fuels across public property and help achieve its long-term climate is not the first time such a project has existed - the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, launched under the previous Conservative government, has been running for more than four years and distributed close to £3bn for green technologies. This project in the first instance will target less than 1% of Alex Green, head of Let's Go Zero - a national campaign to reduce the climate impact of schools - said it was a welcome first move. "It is tough economic times, and to see this progress is a big step. [Whilst] acknowledging that 200 schools is a small starting point, to achieve this in one year is a good pace," she announcement has been strongly welcomed by schools, unions and NHS estate managers who have previously warned of the pressure of high energy 2022, The National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) had said that a third of its leaders were predicting a budget deficit following a spike in energy Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said schools wanted to install solar panels as they provided cheaper energy than paying for gas, but the upfront cost could often be prohibitive. "This announcement is therefore welcome and a step in the right direction. In the longer term, this should also help schools manage energy bills, which have been a source of enormous financial pressure in recent years," he said. But the acting shadow energy secretary disagreed that the government's approach would save money. "Labour's Net Zero zealotry is still set to make us poorer. The government is putting our very energy security at risk with their attacks on North Sea Oil and Gas - surrendering our energy independence to foreign powers like Russia," he energy experts have said that investing in renewable energy could reduce this reliance on imports. Jess Ralston, energy analyst at the think tank Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: "This GB Energy funding is an investment into energy security as solar panels lower the amount of gas we need to import from people like Putin."The first solar panels are expected to be installed by the end of the summer and the government said it would focus them in areas of "highest need". Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to get exclusive insight on the latest climate and environment news from the BBC's Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, delivered to your inbox every week. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.
BBC News
14-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cornish primary school near Bodmin cuts food waste by 85%
Children at Nanstallon Community Primary School near Bodmin have been taking action to reduce food waste at lunchtime by being more careful with is one of a series of measures at the primary which have led to its recognition as an Eco-School, which cares for the than 40 schools in Cornwall have achieved the status where children decide how they want to become greener and take action on climate change. Ben Stephenson, the headteacher, said "The biggest thing for us was we had a lot of food-waste at lunchtime and we were measuring between 1.5kg to 3kg of waste and over a month we reduced that by 85%." The Eco-School programme is part of the Keep Britain Tidy Council is working with the charity and schools climate campaign Let's Go Zero to help support eco-education and Eco-Clubs. All schools are required by the government to have a Climate Action Plan by the end of the year Stephenson said: "We set up a number of activities for the children that were tangible and sustainable like collecting the school's compost each day."We've got children who collect the recycling, they're feeding the birds, they're making their own fat balls."He added the children were pro-actively leading the project to reduce food waste at lunchtime and they now averaged 300g saved over the week. "There are some days where we have zero waste and they're pretty incredible like that," he said. Children 'take ownership' Pupil Isabella said "At school on Friday we produced zero waste because we weren't talking as much as we usually do and we were concentrating. "We all got stickers from Mr Stephenson and they're rarely given out," she said. Archie, one of the school's Eco-Club members, said: "I like making bird feeders, bird food and also making our bug hotels and also planting the trees that we planted." Charlie, another Eco-Club member, said: "In the summer we go to forest school, you get to do fun stuff like making bug hotels and fat balls."Mr Stephenson said: "Because it's tangible, because it's something they do and can take ownership of it's meaningful for them, the same as planting new trees on the school site and being able to collect blackberries and apples and take them to chef to put in the crumble. "It's all of those things that bring them closer to their own environment, appreciating the bounty from that and how to look after it," he said. Charlotte Clarke is Cornwall Council's Eco-education project manager and runs Nanstallon Community Primary's Eco-Club. "I think it's important to teach children at a young age about climate change so they make sustainable choices and at the end of the day they are our future," she said."Hopefully they will go on to choose green careers and help us to save the planet," she added.
