Eco warrior success stories

Harriet wins competition to be UK Environmental Ambassador

Harriet Elliott, a Year 7 student at Howell’s School, Llandaff, has won a national competition run by British Gas called Our Planet, Our Say to become a UK Environmental Ambassador as part of a new children’s think tank. http://www.generationgreen.co.uk/ Harriet will take part in the UK’s first eco-friendly youth Think Tank, made up of twenty children who will be given the opportunity to be the voice of the youth of today, telling politicians, teachers and parents what they should do to protect the environment. Harriet will join other winners on a tour of three sites across the UK where environmental issues are considered vitally important. The climax will be a trip to the Houses of Parliament where she will present the children’s ideas on saving the planet to politicians. .
Harriet said “I had to enter the competition on the internet and say what I thought we should do to save the environment in the future. I was really shocked and pleased to win and I feel excited and nervous about going to the future Think Tank meetings.”

Gateways School Climate Cops team GreenStitch are first runners-up in the finals of the national Green SOS competition sponsored by npower.

Earlier this year, a team from Gateways School, took part in the grand final of the national Green SOS competition sponsored by nPower at the Science Museum in London. The team – a group of ten Year 8 girls – won their place in the final through their innovative GreenStitch idea and all their hard work resulted in them being awarded the first runners up prize, winning £10,000 for the school to spend on an environmental project as well as a bicycle for each of the girls.

The GreenStitch group came up with an innovative idea of re-using old plastic bags which involved cutting the bags into strips and then using those strips as material to knit colourful and durable shopping bags. They made ipod socks and mobile phone holders – and even knitted an attractive dress which made it onto the catwalk of the school’s annual fashion show. The idea is simple, effective and environmentally friendly – a clear winner!

Suzy Dixon, Head of Middle School at Gateways said: “It’s been a long and fascinating journey and one that in some ways is only just beginning. We have proved that recycling can be cool and every judge involved in the competition final was really impressed with our products and what we have achieved. I am very proud of the girls – their initiative, commitment and drive – and the whole school got involved. The next stage is to build on our success and to sell the products in charity shops to raise recycling awareness and help boost the charities’ funds. We are even looking into forming international links with Fairtrade communities.”