ECO-UNESCO
O’s C S E ’s N -U
EC
O
Ireland’s Environmental Education and Youth Organisation
Sh
or
tlist
e j o r ed P
Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Through Youth Action
www.ecounesco.ie ECO-UNESCO is affiliated to the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations
s t c
I am pleased to send greetings to everyone involved in the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards. It is heartening to witness the levels of interest and passion exhibited by so many young people in the future of the environment that we all share. This is an area of tremendous importance and it is reassuring that the motivators and leaders of tomorrow have such a collaborative ethos and have displayed such energy and innovation. I would like to commend the work that you are doing and I would also like to acknowledge the work that is done quietly in the background to encourage and promote this powerful concept, looking towards our shared future and the conservation of our environment. I congratulate all of the award winners and I wish you continued success in your endeavours.
Acknowledgements ECO-UNESCO would like to thank all the participants, teachers and youth leaders who took part in this year’s ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards. We would like to thank our volunteers and those involved in promoting and supporting our work over the last year including:
Gold Funders, Silver Funders & Bronze Sponsors Gold Funders: The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, The Department of Children and Youth Affairs Silver Funder: Environmental Protection Agency Bronze Sponsors: Cork County Council/WasteMatchers, Dublin City Council, Alupro Ireland
ECO-UNESCO Board, Staff & Interns Board: Mark Bennett (Chairperson), Liz Carroll (Treasurer), Anne Marie Kilshaw (Secretary), Peter Byrne Staff: Elaine Nevin (National Director), Laura Cahill, Niamh Hand, Dunchadh Kinane, Ann Kinsella, Eithne Laird, Nora Ide McAuliffe, Megan Noah , Lucy O’ Neill, Sarah Jane Tenei, Paddy Wright
Interns
Stan Zamyatin, Nicola Marzari, Thomas Engel, Carmen Costin, Helen Phelan, Franziska Weisortel, Chiara Zandegiacomo Bonel, Ciara Dean, Ester Batlle Genís, Mario Melo, Emilia Ciaracia, Camille Niang and all of our volunteers and interns who have helped throughout the year
Volunteers Mercedes Brandstätter, Natalia Sanchez, Ana Eliza Bezerra, Daniel Murray, Cliodhna Denny, Rob Nelson, Claire Kilfeather, Roberta Bellini, Carla Marina Soriano, Camila Mello, Kristian Slavov, Inga Sprince, Cristine Cutajar, Leona Darker, Carla Halligan, ECO-UNESCO Peer Educators, ECO-UNESCO Green Team.
Special thanks to
Contents Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................... 3 Welcome........................................................................................................................................................ 4 About ECO-UNESCO .................................................................................................................................... 5 About ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards .......................................................................... 5 Shortlisted Project Summaries Biodiversity...........................................................................................................................11-13 Climate Change...................................................................................................................... 14 ECO-Art & Design.................................................................................................................... 15 ECO-Community Development .......................................................................................16-18 ECO-Enterprise ......................................................................................................................... 19 Energy........................................................................................................................................ 20 Transport.................................................................................................................................... 21 Waste....................................................................................................................................22-23 Water.......................................................................................................................................... 24 ECO-Health and Wellbeing..................................................................................................... 25 Super Junior.........................................................................................................................26-29
Judges & Award Presenters: Mark Bennett (ECO-UNESCO Chairperson); Mary Cunningham (National Youth Council of Ireland Director); Ray Cullinane (Environmental Protection Agency); Kevin Forde (Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government); Marian Parker (Roscommon County Council); Dean Eaton(Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council); Karen Mahon (Alupro Ireland); Sorcha O’Brien (South Dublin County Council); Tim Duggan (Enrich); Michael O’Leary (Transition Year Support Service); Nial O’Connor (Monaghan County Council); Barry Tapster (Larne Borough Council); Joan Shine (SELB); Louise Ryan (Galway Youth Officer); Moira Byrne (Wicklow County Council); Bernadette Maloney (Kilkenny County Council); Mark Nolan (Green Careers Ireland); Paddy Hennelly (National Youth Council of Ireland) Award Presenters: Irish Aid, Catherine Costello (Waste Matchers); Conor O’Raghaillaigh (National Parks and Wildlife Service) ECO-Den Sponsors: Limerick County Council, Limerick City Council, Kerry County Council, Meath County Council, Roscommon County Council, Cork City Council, Craigavon Borough Council Venue Sponsors: Dublin City Council (The Round Room), Claregalway Hotel, Cork City Council and The Lifetime Lab, Craigavon Borough Council’s Lough Neagh Discovery Centre Prize Sponsors: Delphi Adventure Centre, Delta Force Frontier Paintballing, Rainforest Adventure Golf, Purchase.ie, Gate Multiplex Cork, Fairtrade Ireland Entertainment: Stephen Byrne (RTÉ Presenter), JJ Jupiter, Capoeira Ireland Other Supporters: Michael D. Higgins (President of Ireland), Councillor Clare Byrne (Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin), Andy Griggs, Mervyn Horgan
+353 (0)1 662 5491 +353 (0)1 662 5493 info@ecounesco.ie www.ecounesco.ie
Exchequer St
Colle
t
sS rew
t
Tel: Fax: Email: Web:
S ity
ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Funders & Sponsors ................................................. 30
17 St Andrew Street, Dublin 2
Dame Lane
Dame Court
ECO-UNESCO, The Greenhouse,
reen
ge G
Colle
Dame St
Trin
The Young Environmentalist Awards are organised by ECO-UNESCO, Ireland’s Environmental Education and Youth Organisation. For further information please contact:
d An St.
Church Lane
President of Ireland
ne
Uachtarán na hÉireann
Judging Panel: Elaine Nevin (ECO-UNESCO Director) Mary Cunningham (National Youth Council Ireland Director); Eilish O’Boyle (Cork City Council); Roisin Dylan (Waste Matchers); Ann Sullivan (Waterford County Council); Sinead McDonnell (Limerick City Council); Nial O’Connor (Monaghan County Council); Leo Strawbridge (Derry City Council); Danielle McCormick (Antrim Borough Council); Joan Shine (SELB); Sinead Ní Mhainnin (Galway City Council); Joan Tarmey (Clare County Council); Louise Ryan (Galway Youth Officer); Dean Eaton (Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council); Peter Brady (Meath County Council); Niamh Hatchell (Environmental Protection Agency); Ann Bonner (Westmeath County Council); Moira Byrne (Wicklow County Council); Bernadette Maloney (Kilkenny County Council); Karen Mahon (Alupro Ireland)
St An drew s St
Michael D. Higgins
St And rews La
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Message from Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland
Su
reen ge G
ffo lk
St
Wicklow St Wic k
low
St
3
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Welcome to Ireland’s Biggest Celebration of Youth ECO-Action! Welcome to ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase and Ceremony 2013! This is Ireland’s biggest celebration of young people taking environmental action and congratulations to all of you on your hard work throughout the year. We are extremely impressed by all the young environmentalists participating in this year’s awards programme. All of you have shown tremendous enthusiasm, creativity and innovation in your approach to protecting the environment and promoting environmental awareness amongst your peers, schools, youth groups and wider community. We are now celebrating the fourteenth year of the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards. Since the beginning of the programme in 1999, tens of thousands of young people from all across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have participated, by developing local environmental action projects to help conserve and protect the environment and encouraging others to do the same.
About ECO-UNESCO Founded in 1986, ECO-UNESCO is Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation. ECO-UNESCO has extensive experience in the development of environmental education programmes for young people in schools, youth groups and community groups. ECO-UNESCO is affiliated to the World Federation of UNESCO clubs, centres and associations (WFUCA). ECO-UNESCO’s aims are to: • • •
Raise awareness, understanding and knowledge of our environment among young people; Promote the protection and conservation of our environment among young people; Promote the personal development of young people through practical environmental projects and activities Promote the ideals of UNESCO.
The Young Environmentalist Awards recognises and rewards the work of young people all across the island Ireland. This year, there were more than 310 entries from over 4,500 passionate and talented young people from every county on the island of Ireland. Each of today’s finalists attended a regional ECO-Den in March, a Dragons’ Den style heat where participants pitched their projects to a panel of judges and put their best foot forward in order to secure their spot at the final Showcase and Awards Ceremony.
•
We are delighted to have expanded our annual showcase and this year we have 70 shortlisted projects on display at the 2013 Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase; this is a testament to the hard work, time and effort put into the projects by all the groups involved.
Environmental Youth Programme
We hope you have a fantastic showcase and awards ceremony. Be sure to continue the good work and do let us know if we can help you to develop your projects further. Please encourage others to take environmental action and spread the spirit of the Young Environmentalist Awards! Thank you for making the programme such a success and we hope you have a wonderful day!
Our Programmes:
ECO-UNESCO develops and runs programmes for young people on a broad range of environmental issues through schools, youth organisations, community groups or local authorities. The programmes include environmental events and activities, environmental workshops, ECO-UNESCO Clubs, ECO-Youth Choices and Youth for Sustainable Development including Peer Education Programmes.
Training Programmes ECO-UNESCO develops and runs training programmes for young people and trainers within non-formal and formal education, providing a specialist approach to working with young people. The programmes include one-day training courses, FETAC accredited courses (Introduction to Sustainable Development - FETAC L5 and ECO-Community Development Course - FETAC L3).
Consultancy ECO-UNESCO also offers consultancy services to groups and agencies that want a specialist approach to environmental education, environmental youth work and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
The Young Environmentalist Awards Programme: ECO-UNESCO developed and has run the Young Environmentalist Awards programme since 1999. About the Young Environmentalist Awards The Young Environmentalist Awards is an all-Ireland environmental awards programme for young people aged 10-18. Since 1999, ECO-UNESCO has run this programme to honour the work of young people to protect, conserve and enhance the environment through local environmental projects, making a difference to their lives and the lives of others both locally and globally. After groups submit their ECO-Action project report, a number of groups from across Ireland and Northern Ireland are invited to pitch their projects to the ‘ECODragons’ in the regional semi-final judging rounds, the ECO-Dens. The finalists then showcase their project at the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards Gala Showcase and Awards Ceremony in Dublin. The programme is a fun and exciting way to empower young people to become better citizens, to build awareness of environmental issues in the community and promote simple actions and lifestyle changes to improve the environment. For more information visit www.ecounesco.ie
Education Resources Mark Bennett Chairperson ECO-UNESCO
Elaine Nevin National Director ECO-UNESCO
ECO-UNESCO produces environmental education resources including publications, CD-ROMs and posters suitable for primary and secondary school teachers, youth groups, community groups and individuals.
5
Young Environmentalist Awards 2012 Participants
ECO-Art & Design
Page 15
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Junior Biodiversity
Page 11-13
Junior Project Title: Enhanced Characteristics of the Native Dark Honeybee Young People: Dominique Ní Mhathúna, Oisín Ó Mathúna From: Meánscoil San Nicolas, An Rinn, Co. Waterford Leader: Collette Ní Nuanáin
Project Title: The Possible Environmental Effects of Genetically Modified Crops
-
Young People: Kate Mulcahy, Aine Mulcahy, Emma Spillane From: Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy, Co. Cork Leader: Aine McCarthy
Project Title: Seed Harvesting Methods Young People: Zoe McGirr, Megan Duffy From: Oakgrove Integrated College, Stradreagh, Co. Derry Leader: Christine Gilmore
Senior Project Title: Conservation of the Amur Leopard Young People: Hannah Byrne, Aoife Corcoran, Emily Griffin, Hannah Keartland, Aimme Rose Keenan, Zara Khan, Eleanor Nyhan, Catherine O’Dwyer, Kate O’Dwyer, Laoise O’Dwyer, Aisling Stokes, Aisling Owens, Yvonne Walsh From: Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin Leader: Ann-Marie Purcell
Project Title: Feed Me Young People: Aishling O’Rourke, Nicole Stewart, Siobhan Harkins, Fiona Wall From: St Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon Leader: Marie Geraghty
Project Title: Flutterby Butterfly Young People: Rachel Murphy, Aoife O’Connell, Laura Maunsell, Emma Moynihan, Nicole Leahy Chun, Cliona Leane, Louise Magowan, Lucy Kelly, Jade Pope, Katie Caroll From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Leader: Shane Kissane
Project Title: #LFN (#LoveForNature)
Project Title: Reducing Waste With Great Taste
Project Title: Naturehood Watch
Young People: Erin Hughes, Emma Valente, Niamh McLaughlin, Niamh Brady, Brianna Campbell, Lorna McFall, Jade Haddick, Gina McBurney, Rachael Sherlock From: St. Dominic’s Grammar School, Belfast, Co. Antrim Leader: Jenny Fell
Young People: Cathal Dowd Smith, Patricia Ferguson, Julia Gormely, Tara O’Flaherty From: Skerries Community College, Skerries, Co. Dublin Leader: Tom McDonald
Project Title: The Wildlife Haven
Project Title: Crocodile Dundalk
Young People: Joe Neill, Darragh O’Byrne, David O’Gorman, Liam Jameison From: CBS Kilkenny, James St., Co. Kilkenny Leader: Ger Morrissey
Young People: Niamh O’Carroll, Bryanna Thornton, Roisín McGuigan, Helen Cunningham, Katie Thornton, Orla Reilly, Megan Clarke Reilly From: Our Lady’s College Drogheda, Co. Louth Leader: Clara Ní Dhonabhán
Young People: Kerrie-Lee Mc Dermott, Ciara Murray, Oshea Lawlor Bashford, Cailin Hoey, Chloe Mc Keown, Emily Maguire, Alyshia Jackson, Shauna Martin From: O’Fiaich College, Dundalk, Co Louth Leader: John Horan, Siobhán Sheerin
Project Title: Bug Hotels
Senior
Young People: Robbie Thompson, Conor Dunphy, Adam Leahy, Glenn O’ Donovan, Callan Dempsey From: St. Aidan’s Community College, Dublin Hill, Co. Cork Leader: Sinead Flanagan
Project Title: STOMP Young People: Leah Cullen, Catey Clarkson, Anna Heisterkamp, Katie Mullen, Brian Reynolds From: St. Kilian’s German School, Clonskeagh, Co. Dublin Leader: Sarah Kavanagh
Project Title: Creepy Crawley’s Hotel
Project Title: Melting Moments
Young People: Marcus O’Brian, Mark O’Connor, Lucas Cronin From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Leader: Shane Kissane
Climate Change
Young People: Roisin Finan, Narule Stewart, Devon Mullally From: Meán Scoil Muire Gan Smál, Roscommon Town, Co. Roscommon Leader: Frances Kilcommins
ECO-Community Development
Page 14
Page 16-18
Junior
Junior
Project Title: Has the Sea an Affect on the Turloughs of North Clare?
Project Title: Community Table and Bench Young People: Robert White, Martin O’Connor, Kieran Neville, Darragh Doyle, Edwin Cahill, Michael Kenneally, Rory Doyle, Tommy Brennan, Josh Price, Jody Dwyer, David Kedney From: Hugginstown Youth Group, Co. Kilkenny Leader: Teresa Walsh
Young People: Myra McNamara, Eimear Thynne From: Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare Leader: John Sims
Senior
Project Title: Greener Together
Project Title: Communergy
Young People: Ross Hennessy, Darren Brennan, Megan Sherlock, Jordon Keogh, Louise McGrath, Shane McGrath, Stanley Cooling, Ryan Mooney, Lisa McGrath, Millie Honer From: Sayswacc, Whitefriars, Aungier St., Dublin Leader: Brigid Ruane, Aisling O Connor, Brendan Dowling
Young People: Eoghan Quigley, Amanda Dempsey, Chloe Dunne, Aaron Boland, Oliver Peake, Jennifer Dooley, Matthew Cummins, Colm Strong, Niamh Allen, James Griffin From: Mountmellick Community School, Co. Laois Leader: Mairead O’Connor
Senior Project Title: Urban Wildlife Garden
Project Title: Investigating the Variation of Foodstuff Fed to Livestock in Order to Reduce Methane Emissions
Young People: Aishling Collier, Ann Sexton, Heather Beasley, Kellie Malone, Marcela Makrovikova, Sarah Callagher, Sehrish Khan From: ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group #LFN (Love For Nature) Leader: Laura Cahill
Young People: Christopher Gainley, Adrian Rowland, Ciaran McManamon From: St. Gerald’s College Castlebar, Co. Mayo Leader: Keiran Hall
Project Title: Secret Life of Bees
Young People: Jing Li, Alia Luddy, Eoin Byrne, Alacque White, Robert Cosgrave From: ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group Tenacious Trees Leader: Laura Cahill
Young People: Elaine McLoughlin, Audrey Harney-Nolan From: St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon Leader: Marie Geraghty
Project Title: Skerries Allotments
Young People: Murrough Connoly, Shane Monahan, Christoper Ahern, Darragh Costello From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Leader: Shane Kissane
Young People: Glenn Fitzpatrick, Aaron Fallon, Dylan Byrne, Jonathon Ho, Zara Donohoe, Melissa Kitching, Clare Purvis, Moira Purvis, Louis Lowry From: GAP Youth Environmental Network (YEN), Ballymun, Dublin Leader: Deidre Walsh
Project Title: Stop Animation; Love the Trees
Project Title: Our Ecological Study of Kilkenny
Project Title: Our Park, Our Environment Young People: Laura Daly, Emma Johnston, Kellie Ann Cornally, Darragh Healy, Sinead Holloway, Damien Carroll, Thomas Pettit, Sadhbh Mandal, Kate Bracken, David Fox, Fergal Hynds, Arianne Dunne, Leanne Claffey, Ciara Cullinane, Rachel Maguire, Megan O’Brien, Kealan Foley, Amber Hennessy, Mark Fallon From: Moate Community College, Moate, Co. Westmeath Leader: Margaret Mandal
Project Title: Adopt a Tree Young People: Iseult Daly, Aoife Garvey, Grace Egan, Seija Nevalainen, Clodagh Fitzgerald, Clodagh Carr, Leonie O’ Connor, Emma McCarthy, Maeve Lyons From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Leader: Shane Kissane
Project Title: Growing Together Young People: Emma Irwin, Stephanie Staunton, Sinead Dowling, Min Pan, Megan Kelly, Kirstin O Hene From: St. Joseph‘s Secondary School, Stanhope St, Dublin Leader: John O’Brien
Project Title: Rooting for our Future Young People: Laura Caroll, Eleanor O’Grady, Laoise McElligot, Ciara O’Sullivan, Darragh McGarty, Marcos Prendeville From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Leader: Shane Kissane
Project Title: Making a Difference Young People: Sean Egan, Jennifer O’Donoghue, Lorcan Holden, Matthew Shortall, Eimear Ryan, Rhiannon Curtis - Davis, Amy Ryan, Ailbhe Twomey, Fiona Patterson, Conor O’Keffee, Liam Dinan, Conor Bradshaw From: Portmarnock Community School, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin Leader: Niall Fitzgerald
ECO-Enterprise
Page 19
Junior
Project Title: Wheeling in the Years
Project Title: The Water Sentinel
Young People: Eric Conroy, Barry Dunne, Dylan Dunne, Denis Joyce, Martin Cawley, Ryan Dunican, Niall Keenan, Charlie Ward, Leon Doherty, Evan Taylor From: Clara Youthreach, Kilcoursey, Clara, Co. Offaly Leader: Joe Derring
Young People: Grace Long, Ellen Durkin, Theresa Durkin From: Avondale Community College, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow Leader: Michelle Finnegen
-
7
Project Title: Grasstonbury
Senior
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Project Title: Buy a Bulb Grow A Smile Young People: Caitlin Ryan, Maura Tierney, Emma Burke, Melissa Anderson, Sarah Keleghan, Mary O’ Connell, Choice Aigbe, Sarah Fahy From: Meán Scoil Mhuire, Newtownsmith, Co Galway Leader: Jackie Dockery
Project Title: From Mould to Gold Young People: Joshua Alhassan, Ceejay Alvarico, Morgan Berry, Conor Bracken, Colm Byrne, Jordan Campbell, Barry Carr, Luke Carroll, Mattheo Clucas, Garreth Collins, Gerard Curran, Gary Doonan, Alex Flynn, Jonathan Gaskin, Patrick Horan, Cillian Kelly, Kevin Kelly, Thomas Killeen, Dylan Lacey, Conor May, Lorcan McGovern, Karl Murphy, Emmet O’Reilly, Adam Phipps, Kenny Coldrick From: St Brendan’s College, Bray, Co. Wicklow Leader: Susanne Hand
Project Title: Nesting Boxes Young People: Stacey O’Leary, Daniel O’Leary, Adam McCann, Shane Loughran, Scott O’ Leary, Lee Comiskey, Travis McCann, Grany O’Leary, Diarmaid Mc Court, Nathan Cawley, David Murray From: Youthreach Monaghan, Knockaconny, Co. Monaghan Leader: Colm McArdle, Kathlena Slowey
Energy
Page 20
Junior Project Title: Saving Energy Young People: Nichola Cadden, Caoimhe Boyce From: Eureka Secondary School, Kells, Co. Meath Leader: Leo Murphy
Senior
Young People: Aisling Mullen, Aisling Harnett, Ciera Tiernan, Stephen Hayden, Bona Mae Patlong, Daniel Stairs, Jennifer McNamara From: ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group New Waves Leader: Laura Cahill
Transport
Page 21
Junior Project Title: More Walking, Less Driving Young People: Aidan McMahon, Clodagh Sulley, Patrick Finucane, Noel Haren, Kevin O’Looney, Gaynor Brennan, Noelle Crowe, Darren Curtin, Claire Davoren, Curtis Sherlock, Eoin Frawley, Luke Howley, Anthony Lacey, Emma Lucas, Oisin Leyden, Cathal Malone, Sean Meehan, Corey O’Connor, Anna O’Regan, Dylan Ryan Phelan, Stephen Roche, David Shannon, James Vaughan From: Ennistymon Vocational School, Co. Clare Leader: Gabrielle Fahy
Senior Project Title: Bicycle Use and Safety Young People: Róisín Dick, Niamh O’Hare, Michaela Murphy, Leah Shipley From: St. Louis Secondary School, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan Leader: Michael Halton
Project Title: Pedal Power Young People: Laura Connolly, Alan Morrison, Ste-phen Curley, Arthur Beardshall, Kira Connolly, Kristina O’Dowd, Alice Gillard, Celine Gallagher, Mary Foody From: Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, Co. Sligo Leader: Helena Ryder
Project Title: Save Today, Survive Tomorrow Young People: Heather Coleman, Chloe Collins, Tara Curtin, Bronagh Daly, Yvonne Doyle, Chloe Flynn, Katie Glavin, Casey Hynes, Niamh O Brien, Niamh Palmer, Sarah Palmer, Gemma Price, Kate Toland, Anna Toland, Sarah Walsh, Ailbhe Whelton From: Presentation Secondary School, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork Leader: Deirdre Maher
Project Title: All Waves Better Value Young People: Niall Buckley, Kelly Brosnan From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Leader: Shane Kissane
Project Title: Generation Green Young People: Mary Claire Hanafin, Shauna O’Flynn, Emma Kerwick, Jennifer Mullally, Caroline O’Connor, Lydia O’Toole, Siobhán Barnaville, Laura Jane Stapleton, Alicia Howe From: Presentation Secondary School, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Leader: Olivia O’Brien
Waste
Page 22-23
Junior Project Title: Plashouse Young People: Dean Shaughnessy, Culum O’Malley, Caoimhe Varley, Anita Murphy, Conor Crisp, Stephen Maughan, Gary Hopkins, Daniel Gibbons From: Ballinrobe Community School, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo Leader: Michelle Reddin
Project Title: Don’t be Trashy, Recycle Young People: Wilson Victor , Mollie Jackson, Kara Judge, Nikita McCann, Tomasz Prokop, Ellen Toman From: Drumcree College, Craigavon, Co. Armagh Leader: Áine Cumiskey, Bridget McCabe
Senior Project Title: From the City to the Sea, Keep Galway Litter Free Young People: Choice Aigbe, Melissa Anderson, Emma Burke, Aisling Carrick, Chloe Corbett, Sarah Fahy, Kristiana Hristeva, Sarah Keleghan, Izabela Komoniewska, Katie McDonagh, Vanessa Murray, Dominika Nawroka,
Mary O’Connell, Shauna O’ Hara, Kyley O’ Kane, Martyna Przygodzka, Caitlin Ryan, Maura Tierney From: Meán Scoil Mhuire, Newtownsmith, Co. Galway Leader: Michelle Mc Donagh
Project Title: Youth Top Gardeners (YTG) Young People: Leigh Brady, Joseph Cleary, Emmet Farrell, Mariana Gabor, Mary Hastings, Lola Hourihane, Neri Kalemi, Niamh Kelly, Tal Landy, Ciara Lucas, Thomas Maguire, Shaun McDonnell, Emma McGrail, Tanya McLoughlin, Patrick Morgan, Isabelle Cleary Moylan, Rachel Naughton, Conn O’Cleirigh, Shauna O’Leary, Conor O’Tode, Claudia Russell Kathryn Tolster, Emily Wallcer, Craig Winterlich, Aoife Wylie From: ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group YTG Leader: Laura Cahill, Megan Noah
Project Title: Hands On Young People: Holly Whiriskey, Elaine Treacy, Meadhbh Ryan, Sophie Power From: St. Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea, Co.Galway Leader: Ann Taylor
Project Title: Zero Landfill Young People: Adam Montgomery Watson, Lauren Browne, Ryan Surgeoner, Aimmee Jones, Eugene Burns, Hannah McGuicken, William Telford, Ben Luney, Sophie Love, Rachel Lockyear, Natalia Tesmar, Matthew Johnston, Tyler McDowell, Ivan Buick, Laura Duffin From: Ulidia Integrated College, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim Leader: Sandra Patterson
Project Title: Keep Mercy Clean and Green/Recycled Greener Fashion Young People: Shannon Ahearne, Robyn Cole, Chloe Hogan, Nicole Fulton, Laura Phelan, Lisa Browne, Shauna O’ Callaghan, Amber Mitchel, Jade Fullard, Barbara Kelly-Clarke, Andrea Doyle, Lauren Cowap, Niamh Hyland, Emma Moran, Aoife Fairbrother, Shannon Byrne, Shauna Marshall, Sophie Smith, Nicole Byrne, Rachel Cronin, Courtney Adams, Grace Ashe, Rebecca McGrath, Kayleigh Tully-Knott, Nichelle Gabie, Rebecca Ellis, Clarisse Harcourt, Chelsea Graham, Amy O’Donoghue, Ashley O’ Dowd, Nichole O’ Dwyer, Paige IversMurtagh, Shannon Gaughran, Gemma Derby, Aoife Redmond, Laura Dignam, Leah Forbes, Ciara Radford, Rebecca Doyle, Jadeen Lynch, Kelly Doran, Michelle Finlay, Emma Mulligan, Chloe Byrne, Jade Boyd, Courtney Sommers, Michelle Kiernan From: Mercy College, Coolock, Dublin Leader: Mary Scully, Brema Coffey, Siobhán Cassidy
Water
Page 24
Junior Project Title: Harvesting Rainwater in North Clare Young People: Eala Mardel, Rebecca O’Callaghan From: Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare Leader: John Sims
Project Title: Water Warriors
Senior Project Title: Every Drop Counts Young People: Stephen Callanan, Allen Keane, Jason Keane, David Maher From: St. Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea, Co. Galway Leader: Ann Taylor
ECO Health and Wellbeing
Page 25-26
Junior Project Title: ECO Revolution Young People: Paul O’Rourke, Callum Henderson, Ryan Wade, Orla Hazard, Sophie McKena, Shan Matthew, Patrick Dalton, David McGee, Patrick Leonard, Alex Synes, Eoin Hughes, Caleb Montgomery, Niamh Stone, Emma Smyth, Gerard Hegarthy From: Our Lady’s and St. Patrick’s College, Knock, Belfast, Co. Antrim Leader: Roisin Collins
Senior Project Title: The Importance of Growing Your Own Garden Young People: Nicola Browne, Sarah Byrne Browne, Grainne O’Neill, Megan O’Connor, Hannah Cummins, Nadine Brill From: St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Athlone, Co. Roscommon Leader: Marie Geraghty
Project Title: It’s Your Choice, It’s Your Life Young People: Adam Kane, Oliver Hughes, Jason Nolan, Robert Ralph, David McCabe From: ECO-UNESCO ECO-Youth Choices X-Hale Leader: Laura Cahill
Project Title: Ecook Book Young People: Sophie Barron, Caoilfhionn Burke, Paige Donnelly, Sophie Doyle, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Tola Fleming, Megan Jones, Saifa Kajuni, Liadh Keogh, Ellen McMahon, Saoirse McNally, Nicola McShane, Sarah Meenan, Natalia Messa Sheehan, Juliette Reidy, Carla Roses Colas, Afric Ryan, Marina Sampayo Cortes From: The Teresian School, Donnybrook, Dublin Leader: Terry Glass
Project Title: The Garden Young People: Paddy Slattery, Gregory Lotter, David O’Connell, Simon Downes, Adrien Hayes, Peter Howard, James Glasson, Sidney Eackret, Kimberley Keitel, Emma McDonald, Orla Cooney, Amanda Gleeson, Steven Cheatley, Clodagh Ryan, Kate O’Brien, Claudia Hayes, Maeve Higgins, Elisa Gonzalez-Blaya, Ana Falguera, Alan Sheahan, Conor Barnes, James Corcoran, David Cardy, Mahammed Dagari, Jack Moloney, Nell Stritch, Adam Donaldson From: Villiers Secondary School, Co. Limerick Leader: Anita Mahon
Young People: Second Year Students from Coláiste Pobail Setanta From: Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Clonee, Dublin Leader: Lis Pringle
9
Super Junior Project Title: Cycological
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Shortlisted Project Summaries
Page 26-29
Young People: John Vincent Pandac, Chloe Joe Curran, Paulina Skudlarska, Kornelia Dulik, Rahul B. Mathew, Adam Corcoran From: St. Joseph’s School, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Leader: Michelle Cahalane
Project Title: How Healthy Is Your Lunch?
Project Title: ECO Mental Young People: Julia Miguel, Sophie Fitzpatrick, Chloe Fitzpatrick, Harvey Killeen, Jamie Devlin, Joswel Bautista, Abby Byrne, Kerrie Dunne, Adam Van Eekeren, Lauren Mc Elroy From: Our Lady Queen of Apostles National School, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin Leader: Paula Galvin
Young People: Alex Hosey Nolan, Garrett O’Connor, James Breen, Ruairí Carton, Jack Ring, Adam Hewson, Emma Murphy, Tara Clarke, Leah Murphy, James Mahon, John Joe Murphy, Eamon Corrigan, Molly Ring, Nicole Hewson, Hermione Murphy, Emma Tully, Amy Corrigan From: St. Ibars National School, Clohamon, Co. Wexford Leader: Aisling Cooney-Whitty
Project Title: Butt Out: What Affect Does Tobacco Have On Living Things?
Project Title: Where Have All The Daddy Long Legs Gone?
Young People: Vilte Dubickaite, James Franklin, Shane McCarthy, Leah Browne, Lauren Houlihan, Liam Moloney, Thomas White, Ike Sidney, Daniel Ayodeji, Christina Oluwadare, Klevis Cenalia From: Moyderwell Primary School, Co. Kerry Leader: Linda O’Driscoll
Young People: Kim Clarke, Caoimhe Doody, Maeve Carolan, Emma Campbell, Aoife Farnham, Aoife Bourke, Anna Burke, Emma Byrne, Eva Byrne, Emma Crumlish, Eva Collum, Sarah Browne, Alex Dunne, Alex Devine, Amy Coughlan, Karishma Courtenay, Isabelle Bryans, Aoibhe Cunningham, Ciara Claffey, Grainne Brennan, Ita Corcoran, Lauren Callaly, Megan Doherty, Zoe Duff, Mia Doyle, Mia Finnegan, Roisin Finnegan, Grainne Perryman From: Belgrove Senior Girls National School, Clontarf, Co. Dublin Leader: Katie O’Neill, Jo Garry
Project Title: Planet Pals Young People: Alicia Premkumar, Meadhbh Broderick, Daniela Besleaga, Caragh O’Toole From: Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Ard Aitinn, Co. Carlow Leader: Mary Hourihane
Project Title: Our Future 2020 Young People: Ellie Carson, Ruby Mackay, Roise Joyce, Hayley Grogan-Leneghan, Robyn Duffin Lyons, Erin O’ Connor, Robyn Lyons, Ava Elders, Isabel Scully, Caoimhe Keogh, Katie Moran, Bella Osan, Molly Kavanagh, Tara Dempsey, Sive Cusack, Lara Reid, Joanna Kleiner, Michelle Rapliza, Mia Mooney, Alex Vaughan, Bruno Fitzgerald, Adam Whitten, John Drew, Evan Smith, Cian McManus, Ciaran Kavanagh, Tommy Houlihan, James Byrne, Sean Fitzpatrick, Daniel Hicks, Rory Nolan, Vinu Joshy, Roy Byrne, Alex Brady, Dylan Flaherty, Max Morrison From: St. Brigid’s National School , Greystones, Co. Wicklow Leader: Regina O’Malley
Project Title: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle Young People: Mr. O’Connell’s Class, Mr. Goggin’s Class, Ms. McEnerney’s Class From: Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa, Whitechurch, Co. Cork Leader: Mary O’Mahony
Young People: Alice Ryan, Torija Skietniece, Ellen O’Donnell From: St. Thomas the Apostle National School, Rosegreen, Cashel, Co. Tipperary Leader: Maura Molony
Project Title: Cheap and Efficient Domestic Lighting
Project Title: Save the Bees Young People: Calum Stevenson, Caolan Mc Cann, Danny McAlinden, Matthew Close, Callum Dynes, Maria Donnelly, Cliodhna O’ Neill, Sarah Corr, Elise Smyth, Oisin Mc Aliskey, Georgia Mc Stravick, Lucy Maginn, Catherine Mc Mahon, Callum Mc Gibbon, Jude Donnelly, Charlie Mc Cullagh, Shea Donnelly, Megan Farren, Leo Shanks, Daniel O’ Neill, Halle Grimes, Olivia Dynes, Josh Mc Keag, Adam Lennon, Luke Lennon From: St Mary’s Primary School, Lurgan, Co. Armagh Leader: Terry McCullaugh
Project Title: Christmas Leftovers Young People: Ava Daly Marah, Jacob Jones, Dean McCarthy, Jonathan Hackett, Tia McGrath, Leah Kelleher, Kacey Cotter From: Scoil Naomh Therese, Bishopstown, Co. Cork Leader: Anette Power
Project Title: Save Energy, Save Our Planet Young People: Alvin Mc Elwaine, Rebekah Greer, Kerri Dickson, Kyle Hill, Christan Riley, Jason Nicholl, Nathan Creane, Annabel Armstrong, Jane Hill, Sophie Kinghan, Matthew Reyburn, Kyle Dickson, Jason Dickson, Leah Harrison, David Hill, Louisa Armstrong, James Wilson, Richard Mc Elwaine, Alan Hill From: The Central School, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan Leader: Iris Kirkland
Biodiversity
Enhanced Characteristics of the Native Dark Honeybee Meánscoil San Nicolas, An Rinn, Co. Waterford
Junior
‘If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left.’ This group discovered that bees are disappearing globally and scientists and beekeepers world-wide continue to seek the cause. The group focused their research on the varroa mite and discovered that the parasite is one the largest threats to the honeybee population. In the past and present, these mites have been controlled by- hard and soft chemical or natural treatments. Increasing attention is being given to identify honeybee behavioural traits that can control the varroa mite. The aim of this project was to look at one of these traits in the Irish dark honeybee or ‘black bee’. The Waterford students wanted to identify the causes of declining population with the aim of taking action against these causes. The group have submitted reports to the Irish Federation of Beekeepers and have now been invited to report in their national newsletter on the issue.
Seed Harvesting Methods
Oakgrove Integrated College, Stradreagh, Co. Derry
-
Junior
Researching techniques in order to successfully re-plant and re-grow fruit and vegetables was the key aim of this project. The group began by testing various methods to remove seeds from fruits and vegetables in order to discover the optimum growing method. They wanted to successfully germinate the seeds (melons, peppers, tomatoes and corn kernels) following the seed saving. Their hope is that farmers can use their techniques in order to save money. The group is interested in training/educating small local farmers to be able to save seeds and replant them, rather than having to spend money buying the seeds. The project achieved its goals which were; successful extraction of a variety of seeds and the re-growth of the tomato, pepper, melon seeds and pop-corn kernels. They hope that farmers in developing countries will be able to use these methods for financial benefit in the years to come.
-
The Possible Environmental Effects of Genetically Modified Crops Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy, Co. Cork
Junior
Genetically Modified (GM) crops and potatoes is a topic on which a lot of research is being conducted, but this group felt the majority of people do not have sufficient information about it. After carrying out 500 surveys and analysing their results, it became clear that very few people know about GM foods and their possible affects. The group interviewed Darina Allen, a TV personality and renowned chef who is strongly against GM; and John O’ Mahony who has seen GM crops growing in America and is a strong supporter of them. Wanting to increase their fellow students’ knowledge of GM crops, this group delivered an easy to understand PowerPoint presentation on the issue to first, second and third year classes. The main goal of the project was to get public perceptions and opinions on GM crops and to then use this information to plug gaps in public awareness of this issue.
Conservation of the Amur Leopard
Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
There are only 35 Amur leopards in the wild today. Due to the deforestation of their habitat and illegal poaching, this beautiful animal is nearly extinct. This group knew they wanted to tackle the issue of animal conservation and raise awareness about this issue. To do this, they created a PowerPoint presentation about the Amur Leopard and presented it to all the CSPE classes in their school. They also developed a video game about the Amur Leopard being hunted by poachers and made it available to their peers in an effort to further raise awareness about the near extinction of the species. Finally, the group held a cake sale to raise funds for WWF, who campaign for the protection of the Amur Leopards and other endangered species. ECO-UNESCO Club
11
Feed Me ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon
Naturehood Watch
Senior
Interested in local birds, their habitat and feeding patterns, this group had an obvious topic for their project! When they first started, winter was approaching and so they began their action project by researching bird feeders. They discovered that the local bird population relied on bird feeders during the winter months and so they set about creating feeders made from recycled materials they found at home. They also set up a recycling collection point in their school canteen to help gather the necessary materials. A prototype was developed and the group then facilitated a first year art class, informed them about their project aims and made recycled bird feeders with them. The finished products were then hung around the school and its vegetable garden. This project had two aims: 1) To stop birds picking at crops the students planted during the year, and 2) To feed the birds during the long cold winter when food was scarce!
Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry
ECO-UNESCO Club
#LFN (#LoveForNature) Biodiversity Fun Day ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group
Secret Life of Bees
St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
A biodiversity workshop and a fun day to teach local 6th class students about biodiversity and it’s importance to their local area was the main focus of #LFN’s project. The group researched and created workshop activities such as the nature name game, wildlife bowl, web of life, showed a video on biodiversity, made a shoe garden and even developed a park quiz! The group also planned and held a biodiversity fun day in their local park. In the morning, various groups cleared waste and debris from a section of the park filling three trolleys full of rubbish! When the 6th class group arrived, they participated in activities such as the rabbit and fox race, giant Jenga, face painting, flower graffiti and creating bird feeders from recycled materials!
This group became aware of how important biodiversity is and discovered that without it; the human race would be extinct. Through an environmental action workshop the group researched biodiversity and its role in our world. They also examined how biodiversity is a necessity, the serious effects of having low biodiversity levels and, how to enhance them. They carried out a biodiversity survey not just in their own school but in other local schools also. Naturehood Watch looked at flowers, grass, plants, worms, insects, soils, trees, ponds, gardens etc in each school. They are currently in the process of sending emails to all the schools in Tralee informing them how to improve the biodiversity levels within their schools. They created a website (www.naturehoodwatch.com) and a Facebook page (Naturehood Watch).
Our Lady’s College, Drogheda, Co. Louth
Senior
Promoting, protecting and preserving endangered butterflies in Ireland was this group’s main aim. They began by carrying out a skills survey within the group in order to identify people’s suitability for the various roles. They then set up social networking pages and researched their topic in detail. Their first action was to raise money and create awareness within their school by selling Christmas decorations. They sold original, handcrafted, butterfly shaped decorations and raised €131.50. They also held a bake sale making butterfly themed cupcakes and raised even more money! To date, Flutterby Butterfly has raised over €400 in aid of butterfly charities and farms around Ireland. They have also raised awareness of biodiversity and the role of butterflies within the environment.
Senior
ECO-UNESCO Club
The Wildlife Haven
Flutterby Butterfly Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry
This group set up wildlife havens around their school grounds for squirrels, birds and insects. They made recycled feeders out of milk cartoons for the birds and used their TY mini-company profits to buy food. They then used shallow plant pots for bird baths and put these up, along with the feeders, in a secluded part of the school so that their bird haven wouldn’t be disturbed. A survey was carried out on what types of feathered friends visited their feeders and baths and they discovered goldfinches, coal tits, robins, wood pigeons and dunnocks, to name just a few! Spotting some dead wood that was about to be thrown out, the group involved some first years in the project and helped them set up insect piles. In the process they discovered beetles, woodlice, worms, snails and spiders all nesting/ living in the wood piles! They also planted a variety of wild flowers to attract bees and butterflies in summertime!
Bug Hotels
St Aidan’s Community College, Ballincolly, Co. Cork
ECO-UNESCO Club
Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry
This group’s motto is; ‘No one could make a bigger mistake than he who did nothing, because he could only do a little.’ This team choose bees as their topic when they became aware of the declining bee population and their vital role in the eco-system. The main aim of the project was to highlight the importance of bees in the environment and to successfully raise awareness about the decline in bee population. The project looked at the inner-workings of beehives, honey manufacturing, fun bee facts and a lot more besides! They hope that their project will give people of all ages a new perspective on bee culture, its importance and raise public awareness of the necessity of protecting bees, their habitats and in turn, the environment. ECO-UNESCO Club
-
Senior
This group decided to create four ‘bug boxes’ and ran a class competition to create the best one! Each group worked as part of a team and then the whole class took part in creating something new from something old! They researched projects on the website www.wastematchers.com to discover the kind of goods people generally try to get rid of and then came up with the idea of making ‘Bug Boxes’ and ‘Insect Inns’ out of these materials! Items that they used to create their hotels included old carpet, roof tiles, wood leftovers from the woodwork classroom, old paint from the art cupboard, clothes from ‘lost and found’, used Christmas trees, pine cones, leaves and twigs!
Creepy Crawley’s Hotel
Senior
Senior
WasteMatchers
Senior
Raising awareness of biodiversity amongst a younger generation, this group worked with a local primary school, informed them about biodiversity and facilitated them to set up their very own insect hotels in their school grounds. The hotel is designed to create a habitat for many different insects and bugs to live in. It is made out of refuse and natural materials found around the local area so the project had an added bonus of helping to clean up the surrounding environment. The group hope that the new habitat will provide a safe place for insects to thrive and a place for local children to learn more about the importance of insects, as well as raising awareness about the environment! The hotel is placed in the primary’s school garden which should bring many welcome creepy crawley creatures to the area!
ECO-UNESCO Club
13
ECO-Art & Design
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Climate Change
Has the Sea an Affect on the Turloughs of North Clare?
Reducing Waste With Great Taste
Turloughs are very common in the Burren. This group discovered that there was a turlough near Bellharbour in Clare which is believed to be affected by the sea as it is in such close proximity to it. The group decided to research three turloughs, two in Bellharbour and one in Kilfenora. Kilfenora was used as they deemed it far enough from the sea not to be influenced by it. The group wanted to make people aware that turloughs can be affected by tides. If sea level rises as predicted due to global warming, then turloughs will be affected and thus their flora and fauna will also be disturbed. Their findings? The sea did have an effect on the turloughs close to it and the height of the tide affected the height of the water in the turloughs. This could mean that if sea level continues to rise, turloughs will be greatly affected.
One of the biggest waste problems St. Dominic’s faced was the number of plastic bags that were thrown away at lunch time. They sought to come up with an initiative to show their fellow students that plastic bags could actually be used for something else. The idea of jewellery made out of plastic bags and other recycled materials was one that they loved, especially as they are all jewellery enthusiasts! As a group, they undertook crocheting lessons with their school’s needlework club and were soon producing prototypes of flower-adorned bracelets and hair bands from lengths of plastic bags. They also- branched out into other materials to show how materials such as tin cans could be utilised in a fun way. They gave presentations to classes in their school to raise awareness and now plan to produce more prototypes and hold a stall to sell their recycled accessories. The group had an amazing time throughout this project, and learned a lot about their school’s waste and how to reduce it, as well as strengthening their friendships, teamwork and crocheting skills!
Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare
Communergy
Mountmellick Community School, Mountmellick, Co. Laois
St. Dominic’s Grammar School, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Junior
Senior
Promoting the conservation of water and energy in their local community and informing people how they could successful conserve was Communergy’s main goal. The group travelled to Brussels to attend the ‘Qatari-Brussels’ event which was based around the climate change talks being held in Doha, Qatar. They also organised a ‘Water and Energy Saving’ exhibition which coincided with the school’s open evening. The exhibition included a fashion show, a launch of their book, some games, stands for businesses like Supervalu, LEAF, METAC, MEG and exhibits showing ionised water, weaving baskets and information on Communergy’s trip to Brussels. One of the biggest parts of their campaign was running several conservation workshops in primary and secondary schools, and a third level college in Dublin.
Crocodile Dundalk
O’Fiaich College, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Senior
Viewing climate change as one of the most serious environmental problems facing the world, this Mayo group decided to tackle the issue head on. They wanted to raise awareness of climate change amongst their local community, and in particular, farmers. They found that the contribution of the agricultural sector to greenhouse gas emissions (particularly methane) is profound, and a reduction in this sector alone would greatly benefit Ireland’s environmental status. Their objective was to find a foodstuff that effectively reduces methane emissions from livestock. From their results they concluded that a combination of hay and silage is best as it reduces methane by 22% compared to the cow’s normal diet. Application of their result to Ireland’s agricultural sector could reduce a cow’s yearly methane level by over 40,000 litres! The group spread awareness of their project and results through a blog, their school open night and contact with the local community. They now hope to highlight their results to their local government authority.
Tenacious Trees-Love the Trees
ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group
STOMP
St. Kilian’s German School, Clonskeagh, Dublin
Alupro Ireland
ECO-UNESCO Club
Alupro Ireland
ECO-UNESCO Club
Junior
-
Senior
This group wanted to stomp out the bad habits which harm the environment. They chose to do this project because they felt that some young children weren’t very interested in what goes on around them everyday and so they decided to educate pupils in 4th, 5th and 6th class by making a fun, short film. The whole point of the project was to raise environmental awareness among children and to encourage them to participate in taking action and making a positive difference in their local environment. The group achieved this by targeting the younger classes through media e.g. movies and music. The environmental themes highlighted in their movie were; littering, pollution and saving water and energy.
Melting Moments Meán Scoil Muire Gan Smál, Roscommon Town, Co. Roscommon
Senior
Polar bears are beautiful animals that have roamed their native areas for thousands of years. However, ice in the polar region is melting at an alarming rate and warnings issued by the U.S. Geological Survey inform that two thirds of polar bears will disappear by 2050. This project set out to establish an enterprise which would yield much needed funding to support the hard work of “Polar Bear International” and raise awareness around the melting ice caps. They ran publicity campaigns in their school and community warning about the danger of global warming and its effects on the polar bears by using flyers and posters, composeing a song and by contacting key agencies. To raise funds they created and sold unique snowflake Christmas decorations using recycled aluminium cans and by painting old roof slates with polar scenes! Their sale slogan; ‘Buy a flake, so the bears won’t bake’!
Senior
Tenacious Trees created a short animation to raise awareness of the importance of trees worldwide, the impact of deforestation and how this impacts on global warming. The group planned their project over a number of months, compiling all of the information they wished to convey in their film. They explored the environmental, social and economic causes and effects of deforestation – focussing not only on the impact deforestation has on people, but also how it is a key factor in the extinction of many plants and animals due to the loss of habitats. The group explored many film options before settling on stop motion animation and taking part in a one day film training to build up their technical skills. The group, with the assistance of an editor, blended photographs with their own voices and sound effects to create the final product!
Junior
This project entailed the design and construction of a large aluminium can sculpture made from recycled materials. The result was ‘Crocodile Dundalk’! When starting out, the group researched aluminium recycling and decided to work on a can sculpture as many of them have a huge interest in art. They also wanted to highlight the issue of recycling aluminium to their local community in a creative way. In order to undertake the project the group worked with different in-school and community groups. They contacted Louth County Council who helped them decide on an outside space where their ‘Crocodile Dundalk’ could be displayed. They then collected a lot of aluminium cans from their school, community and local businesses. The school’s Leaving Cert Applied woodwork class helped to construct the wooden structure to affix the cans on to. And now, Blackrock Tidy Towns will display the project beside the Bring Banks in Blackrock to highlight recycling issues in the area!
Investigating the Variation of Foodstuff Fed to Livestock in Order to Reduce Methane Emissions St. Gerald’s College, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
ECO-UNESCO Club
Alupro Ireland
15
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
ECO-Community Development Community Table and Bench
Hugginstown Youth Group, Kilkenny
Junior
Wanting to give something back to their locality, this group decided to make a table and bench and present it to the community. They hope that this will encourage people to sit and chat with each other. The group was offered an opportunity to work within a wood workers’ workshop and use traditional sustainable tools to make their bench and table. This proved to be a brilliant opportunity to use waste wood and sustainable methods to create something positive for their local community. The project was successfully completed and the group are now going to present a beautiful oak table and bench to the people of their locality. Through this project the group has gained a much better understand of environmental issues as well as becoming more included in their local area.
Greener Together
Sayswacc, Whitefriars, Aungier St., Dublin 2
Junior
This group worked with a lot of young people who live in flat complexes with no individual gardens and not much space for their rubbish. Therefore all of their waste went into one bin. Through various activity projects, the group taught local young people how important composting is and how the compost and nutrients help the fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers to grow. Sayswacc also made a wormery using recycled items from a skip and then designed an even bigger wormery which they hope to make from recycled construction items to encourage more composting from other areas in the community. Finally the group presented their project locally to highlight all the work they had carried out and the huge impact it has had on the community. Sayswacc also educated young people about recycling and how to use recycled materials for arts and crafts activities.
Urban Wildlife Garden
Senior GAP Youth Environmental Network (YEN), Ballymun, Co. Dublin After engaging in discussions regarding the local environment and potential environmental issues in Ballymun, the YEN decided they wanted to address the lack of wildlife habitats in the area. As YEN have been working in the Virgin Mary Community Garden in Ballymun since June 2012, they decided this was the perfect space to create and support wildlife habitats and to share the work they have carried out in the garden with their peers and members of the local community. They built a wildlife pond and planted native water and marsh plants, installed bird boxes, built a bird feeder in the shape of a mobile home, built a willow fence and willow plant supports, sowed wildflower seeds and planted fruit trees! YEN raised awareness about the importance of native wildlife habitats through their local media and by providing garden tours to local youth groups and schools.
Wheeling in the Years
Youthreach Clara, Clara, Co. Offaly
Senior
While working on a landscaping project within their youth club, this group approached a variety of local community groups as they wanted to get involved in helping to improve the area. Following this they were asked by Clara Tidy Towns and Clara Community and Family Resource Centre to help create a sculpture to highlight the importance of water and also help promote the history of the Clara community. The group researched aspects of Clara’s history and heritage for the project and after a lot of research and consultation with local residents, they designed and costed a plan for the area which included a water feature that uses rainwater collected from the roof of the adjacent building. They also included a solar powered pump to circulate the water and power night lighting for the feature. The design they decided on was a water mill wheel set in bog land which was decorated by seasonal flowers and plants!
Skerries Allotments
Skerries Community College, Skerries, Co. Dublin
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
This group were interested in local allotments in Skerries. They know that among the greatest benefits of maintaining an allotment are exercise, a healthy lifestyle from outdoor activities, good eating habits from consuming fresh fruit and vegetables and the reduction of one’s carbon footprint and food miles. The group met with the Skerries Allotment Association and organised to bring a work party of 30-40 Transition Year students to the allotments to help work in the communal areas and develop it further. They planted willow along the riverbank and sowed and propagated seedlings and plants in the communal polytunnel. Through their project the group highlighted the benefits of having an allotment and the importance of instilling in young people a joy and knowledge of how to grow and produce their own food.
Our Ecological Study of Kilkenny CBS Kilkenny, James St., Co. Kilkenny
Senior
This group toured Kilkenny gathering information and taking pictures of wildlife and living creatures in the environs of the area. Once the group gathered their information, they then developed a website, www.ecoploring.com to store and publicise all their information. The website aims to teach primary school students more about the native wildlife that surrounds them. The teachers of the local school loved the idea of the website and have begun to incorporate it into their curriculum. The Kilkenny group have already visited three primary schools in their area and are booked to visit even more in the future! Along with this, they are creating an app which provides the information stored on the website along with GPS driving instructions to the Castle Park and the Eco Park which are marked as ‘places of interest’ on their site.
Our Park, Our Environment Moate Community College, Moate, Co. Westmeath
Senior
The aim of this project was to increase the awareness of the developing Midlands Amenity Park and its impact on the environment and community. The park contains a natural wildlife sanctuary supporting many endangered plant species such as the petty white flowered bag bean. The group carried out surveys to analyse people’s awareness of the park and its importance to the environment. They then designed a vibrant and attractive poster display which showed how the turlough wetlands area of the park provides unique features and supports a wide variety of plants and animals. The tourlough also has potential for supporting future species and thus highlights the importance of protecting our wildlife for future generations. The group displayed their posters in Moate Library and also ran an environmental quiz week with questions each day on environmental issues!
-
17
Adopt a Tree
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Eco Enterprise
Senior
Encouraging the growth, planting and preservation of Ireland’s native trees was this group’s main mission. Trees play a very important role in nature and the group noticed a lack of them in their community. Adopt a Tree hoped that through their project they could promote the importance of trees in Tralee. They raised awareness about the issue in their school and tried to reach the wider world by use of social networks. They carried out tree research and came up with the idea of ‘adopting’ a tree, i.e. sponsoring a sapling which the group plants, and in return the sponsor receives an information pack including a thank you letter, bracelet and Certificate of Adoption. By doing this, the group advocated the planting of trees, calling attention to Ireland’s need for more and giving everyone a chance to do their bit to help the environment.
The Water Sentinel
Avondale Community College, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow
ECO-UNESCO Club
Growing Together
Senior St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Stanhope St., Stoneybatter, Dublin This project aimed to facilitate a community rejuvenation project in a residential estate in Arbour Hill known as Bricin’s Park. The area contains both residential housing for elderly people and family council houses. The group felt the area was quite sterile and in need a makeover. They wanted to renew and grow relationships within Bricin’s Park and with the wider community. Simple changes and additions that improved the area’s biodiversity were implemented and an outdoor space to be enjoyed by the whole community was created. ‘Growing Together’ is about fostering closer relationships between the various members of the whole community to create a foundation for a better future. The group worked with the members of the community to enhance the beauty of the area and highlighted environmental as well as social issues throughout their project. Their work has helped enrich the lives of all members of the Bricin’s Park community.
Rooting For Our Future
Senior
Encouraging people to become more self-sufficient with their food is this group’s core aim. Through the project, they learned how important producing and buying local food is to the economy of the area. It brings employment, reduces carbon footprint and gives a better overall quality of food. The group discovered that every meal has a certain number of food miles attached to it and the less the food has to travel, the more nutritious it will be. Rooting for our Future now have a much better knowledge of food sustainability and food miles and they have passed this information on to their peers by promoting and raising awareness around the areas of self-sufficient growing and food miles. The group found that ‘It is cheaper to buy your own seeds and grow your own vegetables and fruit in a patch of your garden than it is to go to the supermarket and buy fruit and vegetables that will only last you 3 or 4 days.’
Making a Difference
Meanscoil Mhuire, Newtownsmith, Co. Galway
Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry
St. Brendan’s College, Bray, Co. Wicklow
ECO-UNESCO Club
This project is in year two of a five year commitment to two communities in Lesotho, Africa. The project works with a hospital community called St. Joseph’s Roma and a school community in Hlalele, Lesotho. The project engages young men and women in the area of global responsibility in order to inspire them to become role models for others in their community. The group also wanted to help them understand how actions and behaviours of people in developed countries, have a cause and effect that can impact on lives the other side of the world. The project is currently emphasising food production, water harvesting and is building learning power and appreciation of culture and identity. Building learning power is key to this project as education and skills allow a self determination which is important for the dignity of the individual and the wider community.
Youthreach Monaghan, Knockaconny, Co. Monaghan
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
This project was designed to show that there are many natural resources available free of charge that communities and individuals can use to their advantage. The group researched ideas and decided that their beautiful school grounds would provide them with the perfect raw materials i.e. leaves. They decided to produce leaf mould and sell it as a fertiliser/compost. For the project to be a success they had to research, harvest leaves, make bins, form commercial links with the local community and of course market their product! The group successfully produced high quality compost which they marketed and sold within their school, local community and even in garden centres! In doing so, they have also highlighted how easy it is to interact with the environment!
Nesting Boxes
Senior
Senior
As they are a city centre school with no green grounds, this group decided to tackle the issue of biodiversity with an emphasis on creating a roof top garden. As they had previously investigated the cause and effects of biodiversity and its importance to cancer research, they also wanted to incorporate the value of biodiversity into the project. The ‘Buy a Bulb, Grow a Smile’ campaign saw this group get local businesses on board to contribute daffodil bulbs which these Galway growers then sold to the students and staff in their school. They then planted, cultivated and harvested these daffodils on behalf of the buyers and donated both the flowers and money raised to the Irish Cancer Society for resale on Daffodil Day 2013. The group hope that their acts of planting, harvesting, donating and awareness raising gave as much please to their community as the whole process brought them!
From Mould to Gold
Portmarnock Community School, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin
Focusing on water wastage in the home, this group researched and designed an affordable waste water monitoring alarm system called ‘The Water Sentinel’ which is designed to detect if a tap has been accidentally left on. It aims to: • Protect householders from unnecessary water charges • Reduce costs for County Councils in preparing treated water for domestic consumption • Benefit the environment by reducing the amount of water taken from rivers, lakes and underground sources The water sentinel consists of two probes which are inserted into the S-Bend of a sink unit’s soil pipe. The probes are wired to an alarm box, which is affixed to an adjacent wall. The control box uses an analogue electronic timer circuit to operate an audible alarm which rings if the sensor probes detect water flow after a three minute period.
Buy a Bulb, Grow a Smile
ECO-UNESCO Club
Junior
Senior
Following a class discussion, the members of Youthreach Monaghan decided to construct a number of nesting boxes for Monaghan Town to attract wildlife to the area and enhance the appearance of some well known landmarks in the locality. Three different styles of nesting boxes were researched, designed and constructed for the project. They were then decorated and modified to suit the particular area in which they were located. The project took place over a period of 4 weeks, under the supervision and guidance of the group’s woodwork tutor. After meeting with Monaghan County Council, the group secured permission to erect the nesting boxes in the designated areas. The boxes have greatly added to the beauty of the natural environment and of course make a cosy home for feathered friends! This project had a very successful outcome and all the students felt a great sense of accomplishment on its completion.
19
Grasstonbury - New Waves
Energy ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Saving Energy
Eureka Secondary School, Kells, Co. Meath
Junior
This group began their project by determining their message, audience and method of action. The aim of the project was to raise awareness on how to use energy more efficiently. The group discovered a high amount of energy being used unnecessarily and thus, money being wasted. They wrote a song to help get the energy saving message across to younger children in the area. The group also began an awareness raising campaign throughout their school including posters to illustrate when and where not to turn on lights and why everybody should be concerned with reducing energy consumption.
Pres Power: Save Today, Survive Tomorrow
Presentation Secondary School, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork
ECO-UNESCO Club
Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry
More Walking, Less Driving
Generation Green – Cleaner, Greener Energy Presentation Secondary School, Thurles, Co. Tipperary
Ennistymon Vocational School, Ennistymon, Co. Clare
St. Louis Secondary School, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
Senior
Senior
Hoping to inspire local businesses to be greener, Generation Green carried out case studies of businesses using alternative energies and outlined the savings made by these companies to businesses in their area. They hoped that this would motivate the companies to become more energy efficient. The group also held a number of green events such as: an energy awareness night where people could test drive an electric car, a ‘Reduce Energy Day’ with the motto of ‘Plug out and get out!’ where the whole school were encouraged to save energy in the gym by exercising outdoors! Finally they took part in an ad promoting e-cars in order to highlight the savings to be made to the pocket, and the environment. In all, the project inspired others to save energy while having fun!
Junior
This group wanted to make the local town safer for the whole community and wanted more students to walk or cycle. They organised a petition, signed by the local community, to get a pedestrian crossing in the village. They then wrote to the local council with their petition and requested a pedestrian crossing to be developed in the centre of the town. Barry Keating and Councillor Michael Higgins replied to their letter and informed the group that Ennistymon have been allocated €30,000 for a pedestrian crossing in 2013. The group also held a bicycle fixing workshop to train people on repairs and held a demonstration on environmentally friendly cars such as the Nissan Leaf and the Toyota Prius. They publicised and ran a Cycle and Walk to School Day in 2012 and will hold another later this year. The group also held an environmental workshop for the TY students where everyone explored various environmental issues.
Bicycle Use and Safety
Raising awareness of the unlimited untapped energy potential available to Ireland in the form of wave based hydro-electricity was the key focus of this project. The group wanted to raise awareness of the benefits of hydroelectricity on a local level so that people would have a greater understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of off shore oil wells (which could be environmentally damaging), versus hydroelectricity (which would be a cleaner source). Harnessing hydroelectricity would have tremendously successful consequences for Ireland both in the form of financial benefits and the protection of the environment. The group are promoting this message in their community to as many people as they can!
ECO-UNESCO Club
Transport
Senior
Raising awareness about energy conservation and investigating the energy efficiency of their school were the main aims of Pres Power. Following an interview with their principal they discovered that their school is not very well insulated. They addressed this issue by planning to use reflective radiator foil to help improve the school’s energy efficiency. The group came up with a creative way of fundraising for this foil: ‘The Coin Race’; where each class was asked in bring in coins and create an energy related image from them. There was a prize for the best image and afterwards all the coins used went towards buying the foil. The next major part of the project was to raise awareness. The group realised that they would need to make energy conservation interesting and cool for people to encourage them to conserve energy. With that in mind, they decided to make an app which includes games about energy and recycling, as well as tips on how to save energy!
All Waves Better Value
ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group Senior The New Waves planned and held a festival style environmental awareness day in Father Collins Park, Dublin, Ireland’s only wholly sustainable park. The aim was to raise awareness and engage young people on the issue of transport and energy in their own lives. The park’s wind power turbines powered the performer’s PA equipment– highlighting that being environmentally conscious is cool! The day included a number of activities including running a home-made pedal powered smoothie bike which in turn allowed festival goers to make their very own organic fruit smoothies! As the day coincided with International Nelson Mandela Day, the group incorporated the youth theme of “taking action and inspiring change” and created a Nelson Mandela statue from recycled materials. The day was- a great success and was attended by the South African Ambassador, his Excellency Ndou, staff from the embassy and 140 Dublin people.
ECO-UNESCO Club
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
This group decided to raise awareness about bicycle use and safety in their town. They visited local schools and presented a PowerPoint presentation about how to cycle safely, the benefits of cycling to the environment and the individual and how to cycle safely. They gathered information by asking local 6th class students about their opinion on the establishment of cycle paths in the town. This information is now being used to back up the local council’s attempt to receive funding for cycle paths. As a result of the project, the group were invited to be a part of a local government sub-committee supporting the establishment of cycle paths and other elements necessary for the movement, such as bicycle shelters. This committee could make an immense difference in their town providing a more environmentally friendly, efficient and healthy mode of transport with less traffic congestion at peak hours and less CO2 emissions from cars.
Pedal Power
Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, Sligo
Senior
Cycling is a hugely popular activity in Jesus and Mary Secondary School and they even have their own cycling club! They secured bike racks earlier this year having received a grant from Sligo County Council which the group spent a lot of time putting together a proposal for. They wanted to continue to raise people’s interest in cycling not only in school, but also in the local community. They held a bike awareness day and held a cake sale where all the confectionery was bike themed! They also ran a poster competition and these were displayed around the school and in local shops. Further awareness of their project was also raised through the local radio and an article published in the local paper on the benefits of cycling. In the future, the group plans to speak with the County Council about putting bicycle lanes in Enniscrone.
ECO-UNESCO Club
21
young students how they could reduce their everyday litter and the litter around Galway city beaches. The group plans on expanding their project throughout the year; continuing their campaign to get more little bins in the vicinity of the beach, to make existing bins more visible and accessible, and to increase the number of anti-litter posters on the beach.
Waste ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Plashouse
Ballinrobe Community School, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
Junior
The aim of this project was to involve the school and local community in recycling plastic bottles. The group decided to build their own glasshouse from these bottles and then grow their own fruit and veg. To achieve this, they started a campaign within the school running poster campaigns and holding competitions such as spot prizes for students who put their bottles in the correct bin. The local national school and Tidy Towns committee also helped the group collect bottles and provided suggestions on how to build the glasshouse. The group have been busily growing plants and vegetables from seed within the school and they will now transfer these seedlings into the ‘Plashouse’. They will use some of the vegetables within their school, and will then sell some saplings and vegetables to the local community. The group were delighted to be able to produce something worthwhile from what was originally considered waste!
Don’t Be Trashy, Recycle
Drumcree College, Craigavon, Co. Armagh
YTG - Youth Top Gardeners
ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Youth Group
“If we can do it, you can do it” is the motto of the YTG whose project aims to raise awareness of the benefits of having a rooftop garden. The group wanted to show Dubliners how a rooftop garden can not only tackle food security, but also address the issues of climate change and reducing urban waste. To help encourage other organisations and individuals in Dublin to create their own roof top gardens, the group built their own garden in the city centre using mainly up-cycled materials. They received advice and assistance from several professional gardeners along the way. They also created a mural out of recycled materials to create awareness and educate people about rooftop gardens and all its potential benefits including food security, mitigating climate change, community building and reducing unemployment and waste. The rooftop garden was officially launched to the public in March 2013.
Junior
Reducing waste within the school and local community whilst having fun was the main aim of this project. The group recycled paper and used some of it to make recycled paper logs. They then collected rain water to nourish plants and used biodegradable foods from the staff room to make compost for their eco-garden. To reduce waste in the community, the group asked all pupils to bring in recyclable goods from their homes such as old clothes, mobile phones, batteries, spectacles and bottle lids. The group wanted to help local and global organisations as part of their project. The mobile phones were donated to the MacMillan Cancer Society while the spectacles went to Vision Aid Africa. Their aim of the project was to teach people that although they may find it easy to throw everything into the bin, some items can have a second life or be recycled safely to help others and to protect our environment!
Keep Mercy Clean/Recycled Greener Fashion Mercy College, Coolock, Dublin
From the City to the Sea, Keep Galway Litter Free Meanscoil Mhuire, Newtownsmith, Co. Galway
Hands On
St. Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea, Co.Galway
Senior
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
This group decided to tackle climate change and the issues of waste management in their school as they identified that waste contributes greatly to climate change. When the group started the project there was no recycling scheme in St. Brigid’s. They thought the best way to start off their project was to get environmental issues recognised and discussed within their school and so they decided to run an ECO-Club for first year students. Through peer education they taught the first years about climate change, carried out an audit on the level of school waste over two days, placed four recycling bins around the school, created a webpage to raise further awareness of their project, organised a poster competition and created litter surveys and a video. They were so successful with their endeavours that they were even invited to present their project at the Loughrea Tidy Towns Open Night!
Junior
Tackling the school’s litter and waste problem, this group decided to create a Green Committee. They began by getting extra bins, student ‘cleaners’, and involving the whole staff and student body in the project. Seeing only slow improvements, they decided to invite environmental speakers to give talks and help to inspire and inform their school and community. Following these visits, the Green Committee became more involved in green projects. They introduced environmental competitions and started presenting their information on notice boards, electronic boards, through the intercom and gave students the opportunity to help the group in their mission. As a result the school has reduced its waste significantly and increased its recycling of paper and plastic. The group used some of the waste material gathered to create ‘recycled green fashion’. They also created fashion items and displayed them within the school to show how recycled materials can be creatively employed to create fashion and art!
Senior
ECO-UNESCO Club
Zero Landfill Ulidia Integrated College, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
Though the school had increased its recycling, this group wanted to aim for ‘zero waste to landfill’ in Ulidia Integrated College. They began by measuring exactly what was recycled within their school. The group carried out a bin audit and arranged to empty a collection of three day’s waste and then categorise it. They then measured what was currently being recycled and what could be done to increase the amount. They publicised the project throughout the school, raising awareness of waste issues throughout the project. They made presentations to other class groups to educate them about what to put in the bins and they also publicised many facts about waste to their fellow students. The project had a press launch in the school in January 2013 and was reported about in the local papers.
ECO-UNESCO Club
Brainstorming all the environmental issues in their local area, this group found that litter was a huge problem on the beaches in Galway city and one of the most immediate needs was for more anti-litter signage and bins. They designed a poster to highlight the issue and displayed their posters in the local aquatic centre, thus getting the local community on board. The group also visited a primary school and gave a presentation about their project, created a special environmental word search and informed the
23
Eco Health & Wellbeing
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Water
ECO Revolution
Harvesting Rainwater in North Clare
Our Lady’s and St. Patrick’s College, Knock, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Junior Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare
The Eco Revolution’s aim was to encourage the school community to grow their own food, provide an environment where biodiversity could flourish and where the school community could enjoy the great outdoors. The group researched how to plant, grow and harvest their own food. They grew herbs and vegetables in their raised beds and planted potatoes in their drills. They also set up a system to compost leftover food, started a wormery and - the area. They cleared planted a variety of plants to attract biodiversity into their school pond and introduced pond plants and also built a ‘bug hotel’ to increase biodiversity levels. To raise awareness, they carried out an ecofriendly Christmas decoration competition and used their school magazine to highlight the work that they were doing. Following the success of the Christmas decoration competition, the group then designed and created edible eco-friendly decorations for the garden’s wildlife!
‘It doesn’t take a lot of time, effort or money to harvest rainwater and it rewards you, as you can have reduced water charges’ was the key message this group put across to their local community businesses, households and the general public following their research into rainwater harvesting. The group interviewed the owners of a local hotel and found they were very interested in the project. The hotel informed them that each year their water bill is approximately €2,000. As they are a small establishment, a large proportion of this water is used for toilets. However, the group advised that this water could instead be replaced by harvested water. They also identified that the amount of money that normal households and commercial properties will have to pay with the new water charges could be very high. The group are now trying to show that this water saving scheme is a solution to reduce this cost, as well as minimising negative environmental impacts.
St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Athlone, Co. Roscommon
St. Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea, Co. Galway
Senior
Getting your fingers green by growing your own vegetable garden and eating well was the basis for this project. The group researched information on how to grow a garden, the advantages and disadvantages of doing so and the benefits in terms of reducing food miles, producing more nutritious food and having a healthy diet. They then started their own garden and gained many skills by doing so. They in turn passed their knowledge and skills on to other groups encouraging them not only to grow their own garden but also increase their vegetable intake.
Junior
The basis for this group’s project was water conservation; students researched the effects our water usage has on the environment and the areas in which water is wasted. They then researched what measures could be taken to prevent this. In various groups, the students made movies on the different aspects of water waste that they felt strongly about. Using recycled materials, they made story boards, sets and characters and shot their movie through stop motion animation. It took over 300 photos to make each movie! Re-using materials the group also made accordion type books to document their research and ideas and to record the progress of their project. The movie premiered on March 7th and highlighted the importance of water conservation to the whole school and members of the local community. Everything used in their project was recycled or reused. All in all the students proved to be true Water Warriors!
Every Drop Counts
ECO-UNESCO Club
The Importance of Growing Your Own Garden
Water Warriors Colaiste Pobail Setanta, Clonee, Co. Dublin
Junior
Xhale - It’s Your Choice, It’s Your Life
ECO-UNESCO ECO-Youth Choices
Senior
This group created a docudrama and forum with the aim of increasing young people’s awareness on the risks of smoking and the benefits of quitting. The docudrama entitled: ‘It’s Your Choice, it’s Your Life,’ uses a split screen and follows the life of a young person who decides they will smoke and the same person who decides not to, and the impact this decision has on their life. The group used a sustainable development lens to show not only the health impacts, but the broader environmental, social and economic implications of these decisions. They then ran a day long forum with over 50 young people and invited representatives from the Irish Cancer Society, a local HSE Health Promotion Officer on Tobacco and students from various local schools to attend. The group ran a number of exciting interactive displays, demonstrations, simulations and workshops throughout the day, further exploring the issue with the participants.
Senior
This group raised awareness of fracking and water quality in their home-town and highlighted the importance of water as one of our most valuable resources. Every Drop Counts accomplished this by starting an awareness campaign in their school and testing water quality in Loughrea Lake. Their message: ‘Raise awareness of water pollution in our local area and explain what we can do to help raise awareness of the danger of fracking and how it affects the water quality, the possibility of it coming to Ireland and how it can affect us’. They also explored and examined the shortage of water in third world countries suffering from drought. Finally they designed and created a website http://everydropcounts.x10.mx/ and are continuing to highlight the need for conservation of water in their local area.
Ecook Book
Teresian School, Donnybrook, Dublin
ECO-UNESCO Club
Senior
Researching food waste, this group were astonished how much food is thrown away every day in the developed world when so many struggle with starvation in other countries. The group produced a recipe book that promotes healthy eating and helps reduce food and packaging waste at home. They decided that all the ingredients in their book were to be locally produced meaning less packaging and energy being wasted. Buying produce in season was also highlighted as hugely important as it is more readily available and food is eaten at its best. The group set up a restaurant in their school, using recipes from their own cookbook and visited businesses in their area asking permission to stock their book. By having the book available in local shops, they hope to raise awareness, not only in their school, but also in their local community. ECO-UNESCO Club
ECO-UNESCO Club
ECO-UNESCO Club
25
The Garden
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Villiers Secondary School, Co. Limerick
Senior
The aim of this project was to enhance the school grounds by creating a garden with many elements: a space where students could go for quiet time or hold a prayer or memorial service, a vegetable garden where they could grow plants for experiments and an area to plant a small amount of cereals. Over the next few months the group prepared the ground and planted trees and bushes. To protect the garden from the outside world they included a hedge of beech trees. The group also reused old corporation compost bins and went on to create four planting beds, developed paths made from waste gravel left by contractors and made benches and seats from old waste wood. The also created insect nests from old guttering and bamboo blinds and used recycled metal tubing to make a tree water fountain, using energy from their wind generator to power the pump!
Super Junior Cycological
St. Joseph’s School, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin St. Joseph’s had a large number of parents driving their children to school which meant congestion and a lot of unwanted CO2 in the air around the school. This group wanted to encourage more pupils, their friends and families to cycle and leave the car at home. After conducting a survey on the distance and time taken to cycle from each child’s home, it was clear that many students, particularly those in the senior classes, could make more of an effort to cycle. Students who cycled received a reward each week and the class who had the most cyclists were praised at a school assembly and given the ‘golden bike’ for two weeks. The school reached a 10% increase in cyclists in most classes and students now feel a much greater responsibility towards protecting the environment. Not only that, but they also really enjoy the weekly challenge of being the class with the most cyclists!
How Healthy is Your Lunch?
St. Ibars National School, Clohamon, Co. Wexford ‘A healthy school lunch sets up good habits for life, it helps concentration and gives the best opportunities in the day’ is this group’s motto. St. Ibars focused on raising awareness around the importance of having a healthy lunch, and thus having healthy people, in a healthy environment! The group found that younger students needed encouragement to eat well and so they designed specific lunchboxes that would be appealing to them and encourage them to fill their lunchbox with healthy food. Each lunchbox had separate compartments for various food groups with some containing hot and cold sections to keep food fresh and allow for warm soups and pastas to be added during the colder months. The project promoted using lunchboxes instead of the tinfoil and cling film that some students were using as they are better for the environment and can be reused for a long time. This group wanted to reduce and reuse while spreading the messages of eat local, eat in season and eat fresh!
Where Have All The Daddy Long Legs Gone? Belgrove Senior Girls School, Clontarf, Dublin
Examining the Daddy Long Legs (crane fly) in their local environment, this group investigated everything about the insect over five months. During this time they planned their project and examined a number of sources of information regarding the insect including an internet and library search, information requests from relevant organisations, a field
trip and peer group research. When they had gathered and examined all their insect information, they then delivered a presentation on the Daddy Long Legs to other pupils in their school. They liked the insect so much that they even designed and made their very own Daddy Long Legs for the classroom, so that there is always one close by!
Planet Pals
Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Carlow, Co. Carlow A group of four girls who want to make a difference created Planet Pals. This is an environmental group in their school to address the hopes we all have for our future and provide a real understanding of how we can all make a difference. The group learns, informs and inspires others with their presentations, competitions and fun crafts activities. They have their own logo, pamphlets, posters and are in the process of setting up their own web page. They also distribute their own newsletter throughout the school and have even made environmental information books which are used by teachers in the classroom and are also available in the local library. They regularly invite guests to speak on environmental issues and have organised for two litter pickers to clean up any rubbish on the school grounds every day. Looks like the planet is in good hands with these pals!
Our Future 2020
St. Brigid’s Natioanl School, Greystones, Co. Wicklow Carrying out research and investigations into a variety of environmental issues was the key aim of this project. As the group had a large class they divided into six small groups and tackled issues such as: renewable energy, water usage, composting, reducing, re-using and recycling. They also carried out a survey on pupils’ knowledge of environmental issues, organised a community clean up and invited guest speakers to visit the school and inform students about renewable energy. Once the research and investigations were complete, a two-day presentation of all the students’ work was presented to the school. The presentation was both visual and interactive and engaged approximately 500 students. Since completing the project the school has been in contact with other organisations such as Tidy Towns and are now planning on a sea shore clean up!
Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle
Scoil Naisiúnta Padraig Naofa, Whitechurch, Co. Cork A move to a new school and a change of uniform gave this group the innovative idea of recycling their old school uniforms and sending them onto a developing country. The group collected 200 uniforms and shipped them out to Belarus with a Chernobyl Children’s charity where children there are now giving them a second life! However, the group didn’t just stop there. They then asked older people in their community to bring any old clothes, curtains, towels etc that they were no longer using to a collection point in the area. They then sold these clothes to a company for cash and raised €292 which was enough money to develop a classroom for school children in India! Learning more about that country, the group discovered that many families there make their own clothes but that buttons are hard to come by. And so now, in association with the Hope Foundation, they are sending unused buttons to families in Calcutta!
27
ECO Mental
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin Going green every step of the way, this group decided to develop a greenhouse, not just to grow their own food which now includes garlic, pea shoots, carrots, beans and basil, but also to creatively recycle plastic bottles in their school and homes. ECO Mental’s greenhouse is built entirely out of plastic bottles while the plants are nourished by collected rainwater! The group also wanted to spread their environmental ethos to the whole school and so they also put up posters to show their fellow students how to reduce, reuse and recycle! ECO Mental had a great time making their greenhouse, learned a lot from the project and are really looking forward to reaping the rewards of their produce in time to come!
Butt Out; What Effect Does Tobacco Have on Living Things? St. Thomas the Apostle National School, Rosegreen, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
Examining the effect of smoking on living things, this group conducted research into the history of tobacco smoking, what tobacco and nicotine actually are, smoking legislation around the world and the cost of smoking. They carried out a number of experiments along the way and conducted a smoking survey on 114 people aged 10-60 years old. From their work they discovered that smoking adversely affects all living things, especially humans with 34% of the people surveyed being smokers. The group produced a short animated film to demonstrate their results and communicated their message to their local and online community through word of mouth, local newspapers, the local radio station, a leaflet and a website. One of their main messages was; ‘if you don’t smoke- don’t start. If you do start, do whatever you can to stop as soon as possible.”
Cheap and Efficient Domestic Lighting
Moyderwell Primary School, Moyderwell, Co. Kerry In 2012 this group carried out a project that focused on carbon pollution and the different ways individuals and schools can reduce their carbon footprint. With the whole theme of energy efficiency in mind, the group decided to further develop their ideas from last year and chose light as their central theme for 2013. The group identified various types of lighting that were used in homes throughout their community. They used an electrical usage monitor to measure the amount of electricity used by the different types of bulbs. Once the most efficient bulb had been identified, they set about designing lamps that they could use at home and that would fit this bulb. By doing this, they aimed to reduce the electrical usage in all homes, thus providing a more energy efficient and environmentally aware source of lighting.
Save the Bees
St Mary’s Primary School, Lurgan, Co. Armagh Focusing on bees and their declining numbers, this group invited a local bee keeper to their school who explained the life cycle of the bee, how honey is produced and the wide range of plants that bee populations depend on. They also worked closely with the staff from Oxford Island Nature Reserve who focused on the life of local bees. Having learned about the important role of bees in the ecosystem and their declining numbers, the group have worked hard to improve the biodiversity of their school grounds and their gardens. They made bee boxes to provide nesting for winter bees, planted bulbs, created a herb wheel and now aim to plant a range of bee friendly shrubs in the near future. They have published their work by making posters, putting an article in the newspaper and distributing an information leaflet to parents. They are now keen to educate people about the need to protect all the bees!
Christmas Leftovers
Scoil Naomh Therese, Bishopstown, Co. Cork Collecting materials (at no cost) to create a sculpture highlighting environmental issues was a key aim of this group. They researched and promoted reducing waste, recycling and reusing at home, in the local community and in their school. The Christmas Leftovers group then created a sculpture from all the materials gathered and they then presented their work of art to the adjoining special school with the aim of helping other pupils’ imaginations and creativity grow and develop. The project has achieved a positive growth of recycling within the school and an even better attitude to accompany it. As an added bonus, the children gained an opportunity to raise funds for a local hospice as a result of their project. True dedication was shown by the pupils throughout the entire project!
Save Energy, Save Our Planet
The Central School, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan This group examined their school’s energy bills to determine how much energy had been used in the past. They then identified areas in the school where energy was saved and excess energy used. Posters were put up in the school and in their local Toyota garage reminding people to be energy efficient. They also set up a squad to monitor the amount of electricity and oil used in the school, created an energy song, conducted a survey which identified measures that would reduce each family’s energy consumption and made key rings with energy saving tips on them. The pupils also decided to address the issue of food miles and how they affect the environment; and so they developed a fruit and vegetable garden at the school and a selection of home grown vegetables were given each family to encourage them to buy local!
WasteMatchers
ECO-UNESCO Club
29
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013
Gold Funders The Department of Children and Youth Affairs focuses on harmonising policy issues that affect children in areas such as early childhood care and education, youth justice, child welfare and protection, children and young people’s participation, research on children and young people, youth work and cross-cutting initiatives for children.
The National Development Plan (NDP) invests billions of funds to improve Ireland’s economic and social infrastructure, foster balanced regional development, promote social inclusion and sustain national economic and employment growth.
The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government promotes sustainable development and improvement of the quality of life in Ireland through protection of the environment and heritage, infrastructure provision, balanced regional development and good local government.
Silver Funders
Register for ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards 2014!
Environmental Protection Agency, protecting the Irish environment through licensing, enforcement and monitoring activities.
Bronze Sponsors
ECO-Den Sponsors Cork City Council Limerick City Council Craigavon Borough Council Limerick County Council Kerry County Council Meath County Council
Roscommonn County Council
For more information contact: ECO-UNESCO, The Greenhouse 17 St Andrew Street, Dublin 2
Prize Sponsors & Other Supporters Other Sponsors: Fairtrade Ireland IEN (Biodiversity Zone) Léargas (EU Presidency Zone)
Venue Sponsors: Dublin City Council (The Round Room) Claregalway Hotel Cork City Council (The Lifetime Lab) Craigavon Borough Council (Lough Neagh Discovery Centre)
Prize Sponsors: Delphi Adventure Centre Delta Force Paintballing Purchase.ie Gate Multiplex Cork Rainforest Adventure Golf
Tel: +353 (0) 1 662 5491 Fax: +353 (0) 1 662 5493 Email: yea@ecounesco.ie Web: www.ecounesco.ie
Join us online for latest news, photos, videos and more!
31
Support our work... become a member... make a difference!
ECO-UNESCO, The Greenhouse 17 St Andrew Street, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 (0) 1 662 5491 Fax: +353 (01) 1 6625493 Email: info@ecounesco.ie Web: www.ecounesco.ie
Join us online for the latest news, photos, videos and more!
ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2013 is supported by: Gold Funders:
Silver Funders:
Bronze Sponsors: