The sea levels rose around eight inches in the last century. In the last two decades alone, the rate at which sea levels are rising has almost doubled. Climate change has impacted our weather systems, the acidity in the oceans and the rising temperature of the Earth.
Our young people are inheriting this Earth and over the past few months have been taking to the streets to make their voices heard. They want to make a difference to the world and they want the older generations to listen. Never has being more energy efficient been more important.
Younger generation making a stand
The environmental impact of schools and businesses are now becoming part of our children’s sphere of awareness. In the last month, two school girls put a petition to the UK government to bring more climate change education into the school curriculum. Children across Europe have been inspired by the strikes started with Greta Thunberg. Young people are seeing the difference that one person can make in a way that has not been seen for some time. Our young people are taking a powerful stand on climate change.
These children want to know what their schools, universities, and employers are doing to reduce their environmental impact. Young people are even making this part of their employment considerations. It is inspiring and it should move businesses to consider if they can do more to reduce their CO2 levels. Businesses who want to attract those skilled and passionate children when they graduate from universities and training.
To support this growing understanding from their pupils, schools can lead the way and show children how small changes lead to big differences.
Think global, act local
A phrase developed in the 70s for Friends of the Earth might seem a little overused in today’s society but it is young people who are really putting it into action. They care about the green credentials of their potential employers, where they choose to shop and spend their time. They are more aware than any generation before them about the impact of what they do, the choices they make and how they live because they are experiencing the reality of climate change.
One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is by changing your lighting source to a more energy-efficient LED lamp. It sounds too easy but when you consider that Thomas More School is set to save 28.86 CO2 emissions each year from switching to LED, it has quite an impact. In fact, it is the equivalent of heating over three houses for a year.
Or Rushcliffe School that saves 70 tonnes of CO2 from changing its lights, which is the equivalent of providing energy to charge almost 9 million smartphones. Rushcliffe would have needed the equivalent of 82 acres of forest to produce the additional energy needed for their old lighting system. A simple, local change that has had a global impact.
These simple switches can make a positive impact on climate change. The more small adjustments we make, the bigger the change and the better outlook for our future generations.
