Yea 2014 Shortlisted Projects 2014 pdf

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Message from Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland 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.

Michael D. Higgins Uachtarán na hÉireann President of Ireland

Contents Welcome message ........................................................................................................................................3 About ECO-UNESCO......................................................................................................................................4 About UNESCO Clubs ....................................................................................................................................5 Programme of events ....................................................................................................................................6 Floor plan ........................................................................................................................................................7 Young Citizens for Water ............................................................................................................................8-9 Shortlisted Project Summaries ................................................................................................................10-16 Biodiversity ...............................................................................................................................................17-20 Climate Change......................................................................................................................................21-22 ECO-Art and Design................................................................................................................................22-23 ECO-Community Development ............................................................................................................24-26 ECO-Enterprise .............................................................................................................................................26 Energy............................................................................................................................................................27 Transport ........................................................................................................................................................28 Waste ........................................................................................................................................................28-30 Water ........................................................................................................................................................31-32 ECO-Health and Wellbeing .........................................................................................................................33 Super Junior .............................................................................................................................................34-35 ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Funders & Sponsors ..................................................36 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................37 Mansion House Code of Conduct .............................................................................................................38

Welcome to Ireland’s Biggest Celebration of Youth ECO-Action Welcome to ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase and Ceremony 2014! This is Ireland’s biggest celebration of young people taking environmental action and we extend our 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 fifteenth year of the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards, and with it, our largest showcase to date. The programme has grown hugely from its beginnings in 1999 and through the years, 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 by encouraging others to do the same.

The Young Environmentalist Awards recognises and rewards the work of young people all across the island of Ireland. This year there were over 250 entries from thousands of young people nationwide, and today we recognise the hard work and dedication to the environment from this year’s 75 finalists. 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 this year’s Showcase and Awards Ceremony.

We are delighted to have expanded our annual showcase and this year we have 75 shortlisted projects on display at the 2014 Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase. This is a testament to the hard work, time and effort put into the projects by all the groups involved.

We would like to thank everybody who supported this year’s Young Environmentalist Awards, our sponsors, funders, prize givers and our judging panel. We greatly appreciate your time, interest and commitment to this environmental programme and we look forward to working with you again in the future. We would also like to extend a warm welcome to our special guest, Mr. Han Qunli of UNESCO, Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and the Secretary of the Man and the Biosphere Programme to our event.

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!

Mark Bennett Chairperson ECO-UNESCO

Elaine Nevin National Director ECO-UNESCO

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

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

Our Programmes: Environmental Youth Programme 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 a Peer Education Programme.

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, and a range of FETAC Accredited Courses including Introduction to Sustainable Development (FETAC L5), ECO-Community Development (FETAC L3), Peer Education (L5), Outdoor Vegetable Crop Production (L3), Growing Vegetables (L4) and Ecology and the Environment (L6).

Education Resources ECO-UNESCO produces environmental education resources including publications and posters suitable for primary and secondary school teachers, youth groups, community groups and individuals

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 allIreland environmental awards programme for young people aged 10-18. Since 1999, ECOUNESCO 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 ‘ECO-Dragons’ in the regional semi-final judging rounds, the ECO-Dens. The finalists then showcase their project at the ECOUNESCO 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

About UNESCO Clubs The World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA) aims to further the ideals, objectives and programmes of UNESCO. Club members include people of all ages and nationalities from every walk of life. Those involved with Clubs share a commitment to UNESCO’s ideals and work to translate them into reality on the ground. As such, members are well placed to present the views of civil society to decisionmakers.

The aims of UNESCO Clubs are to: • promote understanding of the aims and ideals of UNESCO and work for the success of their implementation • facilitate international understanding, cooperation and world peace • support human rights • contribute to the training in civics and democracy of their members • participate in social development conceived as the attainment of the conditions most conductive to the full development of the human personality.

Although they have features in common, Clubs for UNESCO may take many different forms; the nature of a Club is determined by its membership and by the conditions and social environment in which its called upon to operate and as such there are: Schools Clubs; Higher Education Clubs; Clubs which have a clearly recognized legal status, and their membership includes leading members of the cultural and public service circles of the community. There are also Clubs that are Centres for UNESCO, of which ECO-UNESCO is a member. These differ from the aforementioned Clubs and Associations for UNESCO because they operate on a permanent basis in premises usually open to the general public.

ECO-UNESCO and WFUCA: ECO-UNESCO has been affiliated to the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations since 1986. It is one of 22 European counties in the European and North American Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations. As an affiliate to the UNESCO Clubs, ECO-UNESCO works to implement and uphold the values and ideals of UNESCO in Ireland, and as a youth organisation, to instil and develop these values in young people, through its innovative environmental youth programmes.

About UNESCO Following the devastation of two world wars in less than a generation, UNESCO was established in 1954 as a response to the firm belief of nations that political and economic agreements are not enough to build a lasting peace. Instead, peace must be established on the basis of humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’s mission and activities. UNESCO has 195 member countries and it pursues its objectives through five major programmes; • Education • Natural sciences • Social and human sciences • Culture • Communication and information Even earlier than the foundation of UNESCO however, were UNESCO Clubs, the first of which was established in Japan in 1947.

The number of Clubs has grown hugely in the past 67 years with more than 4000 Clubs, Centre and Associations for UNESCO now operating in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Dublin and indeed lcome Mr. Han Qunli to s We are delighted to we Showcase and Award vironmentalist Awards d an al gic to this year’s Young En olo ision of Ec the Director of the Div Ceremony. Mr. Han is n and the Biosphere Ma the Secretary of the d an s ce ien Sc rth Ea overall winners Mr. Han will present the O. ESC UN at e mm Progra special address. and will also deliver a with their award today

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Young Citizens for Water @ the Young Environmentalist Awards onmentalist Awards Film Premiere at the Young Envir

ntry ng people from around the cou In November 2013, over 60 you Greenhouse in Dublin for a two gathered in ECO-UNESCO’s the ter. The initiative supported by day event, Young Citizens for Wa d provided the opportunity for the LÊargas Youth in Action fun ert range of policy makers and exp the participants to meet with a in ter issues and put action plans panellists, learn more about wa t was own local area. Part of the projec ir the in es issu ter wa kle tac to place red today hting water issues. The films premie the creation of youth films highlig ple in raising of hard work by the young peo are the result of over six months Be sure to el. on both a local and global lev awareness around water issues morning Zone to see the films during the visit the Water and Sustainability the day. out ened on the Big Screen through showcase. They will also be scre

What Happened at the National Youth Meeting?

Young people are vital stakeholders in the present and future of this planet and as such, their input and ideas need to be put forward strongly and taken into consideration. This meeting allowed young people to engage in a structured dialogue around water issues with policy makers, and had a keen focus on youthled water initiatives.

Over this two day event participants learned more about the role of water in all facets of our world; challenged and asked questions to the policy makers and experts; got creative in their presentations and left inspired to tackle water issues in their areas and informed their family and friends how they too can play their part.

Creating Awareness Through Film A key part of the National Youth Meeting was for the young people to shoot their own film highlighting water issues. Film making workshops were held for the groups in January and February where they learned

how to write, shoot and edit their very own film. Following this, the young people went back to their local communities where they recorded their own water awareness films.

Young Citizens for Water: YEA Film Premiere The films produced by the groups involved will be premiered today. You can watch the films at the Water and Sustainability Zone which forms part of this project, and they will also be shown on the Big Screen throughout the

day. These films are a great way to see what young people are doing to raise awareness, learn more about local and global water issues and to be inspired to carry out your own eco-water project!

This project has bee funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reects the views only of the author, and the commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Young Environmentalist 2014 Participants Biodiversity

Page 17-20

Senior Project Title: Transition Year Biodiversity Garden

From: Borris Vocational School, Borris, Co. Carlow Young People: Alex Doyle, Niamh Doyle, Aine Ryan, Dean Grennan, Shannon Kavanagh, Laura Hayes, Tara Kavanagh, Tara Treacy, Niamh O’Dwyer, Katie Barcoe, Eimear Byrne, Marie Doyle Leader: Ber Atkinson

Project Title: SERC Woodland Project

From: South Eastern Regional College - Bangor Campus, Bangor, Co. Down Young People: Asli Yavuz, Chelsie Gray, Andrew Long, Lauren Allen Leader: Gwyneth Wilkinson

Project Title: The Tree Musketeers

From: Loreto College, Wexford, Co. Wexford Young People: Sarah Boyle, Yvonne Power, Amy Dee, Darerca Crosbie, Katie Lacey, Niamh Bennet, Enya Byrne, Mary Cleary, Ella Kavanagh, Emily Hore, Anna Gouldson, Niamh O’Brien, Sarah Mc Kenna, Joanne Sutton, Rachel Rowe, Ruth Cowman, Ashling McCoy, Dearbhla Morgan, Emma Shannon, Lisa O’Brien, Hazel Devereux, Ava Brennan Leader: Ruth Kennedy

Project Title: Na Bí Ag Magadh Sabhail Na Beacha

From: Meanscoil Gharman, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Young People: Chloe Boland, Helen Bolton-Lee, James Busher-O’Sullivan, Seosamh Cash, Kiara Donegan, Megan Doolan, Leanne Doyle, Orlagh Kavanagh, Laura Kelly, Rachel Kelly, Georgina Lombard-Vance, Jo Murphy, Martha Crowe, Aaron O’Neill, Fergal Quinn, Katie Redmond, Bill Walsh, Shane Whitty, Mairead Doyle, Sean Ó Cathain, Hannah O’Shaughnessy Leader: Cliona Ní Mhuirí

Project Title: Planting Marram Grass – A Costal Barrier

From: Mulroy College, Milford, Co. Donegal Young People: Emma Carton, Brandon Connolly, Connor Doogan, Jack Dyke, Lauren Forrest, Aine Green, Shane Kerr, Ryan Diver, Kieran Mc Clafferty, Caolan Mc Laughlin, Ciaran Mc Laughlin, Hannah Mc Laughlin, Kiera Newbon, Jason Tease, Shannon Walshe, Kevin Groth, Pablo Giner Lopez, Shane Flood Flood Leader: Aisling Mc Ateer

Project Title: Shackleton’s Gardens

From: Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Young People: Katie Brennan, Aine Cunnigham, Megan Long, Emma Meehan, Brianna Fitzismons, Megan Spence, Shannon Clarke, Aaron Tracey, Aaron Farrell, Deeba Hashiemi, Kleo Qojsai, Casey Ronem, Rebecca Emmett, Jamie Boylan, Lauren Carey, Craig Taffee, Dylan O’Shaugnessy, Dillon Hanna, Dean Whelan, Micheal Scully, Shauna Beatty, Maire Nulty, Eimear Farrell, Hannah Pike, Chloe Hetherson, Jadine Goulding, Jordan Tusumbu, Samuel Orekya, Chelsea Byrne, Daire Kelly Leader: Pauline Moore

Project Title: Save Our Birds

From: Moate Community School, Moate, Co. Westmeath Young People: Robert Nugent, Matthew Nugent, James Rabbitte, Cathal Slevin Leader: Margaret Mandal

Project Title: There’s More to Plants Than Meets the Eye

From: Lanesboro Community College, Lanesboro, Co. Longford Young People: Nicole Bergin, Robert Berzabinds, Michael Cox, Michelle Farrell, Kevin Sorohan, Cathy O Reilly Leader: Michael Lyons

Project Title: TY Barn Owl Project

From: Scariff Community College, Scariff, Co. Clare Young People: Shane Corry, Darren Doyle, Conor Hayes, Sean Minogue, Jack Moloney, Josh Moloney, Joe Sugrue.

Leader: Brian Crossan

Project Title: Pineapple Express/The Rainforest

From: Youthreach Blanchardstown, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Young People: Marese Sherlock, Kataryna Copiak, Darragh O Connor, Jason Durran, Shannon Matthews, Karl Maguire, Aidas Kataitis, Dylan Smith, Dylan Ó Doherty, Shurelle Doyle, Anelisa Lucky Sithelo Leader: Sandra Bagnal

Project Title: Environmentally Friendly Herbs

From: Moate Community School, Moate, Co. Westmeath Young People: Jessica McCormack, Sandra Nestor, Roisin O’Brien, Aoife Raleigh, Lisa King, Rachael Gillivan Leader: Ms Margaret Mandal

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Project Title: Going Batty For Bats

From: St Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon Young People: Alison Grehan, Roisin O’Brien, Lucy Dowling, Danielle Hyland Leader: Marie Geraghty

Project Title: Treenage Dirtbags

From: Mercy Secondary School, Mounthawk, Co. Kerry Young People: Alanah Boyle, Jamie Bourke, Shane Casey, Oisín McKeown, Ciarán Ryan, Seán Tansley, Mícheál Murphy, Jason O’Sullívan Leader: Shane Kissane

Junior

Climate Change

Page 21-22

Senior Project Title: Food For Thought

From: St Louis Secondary School , Dundalk, Co. Louth Young People: Shauna Armstrong, Natasha Byrne, Aoife McDonnell, Siobhán McKenna, Sonia Okereke, Munachi Mgba-okolo, Ishraq Bodunrin, Katie Rice, Megan Neary, Orla McBride, Nikoletta Martonosi, Habibat Ogbara, Oyinlola Olorunfunmi, Danielle Halligan Leader: Selena Reynolds

Project Title: Deforestation: It’s Not Too Late

From: Ballyclare High School, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim Young People: Emily Brannigan, Emma Brownlee, Karl Atkinson, James Fleming, Ben Claxton Leader: Jennifer McCluney

From: Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 Young People: Amy O’Reilly, Eilis O’Reilly, Ciara Redmond, Ciara Griffin, Jenny Lambe, Katie Conaty, Gwen McCarthy, Ellen Maher, Lauren Daly, Ruth Harpur, Laoise Baldrey, Eimear Collins, Kalli McClean Leader: Ann-Marie Ryan

Project Title: Susan’s Trail

Project Title: Food For Thought

Project Title: Operation Millennium Garden

From: St Colm’s High School, Draperstown, Co. Derry Young People: Ciaran Mc Closkey, Ryan Mc Ivor, Cain Kelly, Shannon Campbell, Kathryn Doyle, Eireann Mc Sorley, Saoirse Kelly, Carla Mc Guigan, Isabella McLaughlin, Mary Murphy, Aine Kelly, Louise Kerr, Cora Mc Bride, Nathan McIvor, David Mc Caffrey, Alysha Scullion, Leanne Mc Crory, Callum McGuigan, Shane McGuigan Leader: Clare Devlin

Project Title: One Tree Makes a Difference/ Heritage Irish Apple Orchard

From: Coláiste Chill Mhantain Secondary School, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow Young People: Conaill Kelly, Kyle Duffy, Katelyn Butler, Doireann Munnelly, Luke MacGowan, Mark Carter, Gavin Caffey, Christopher Davis, Adam Diaz, Ronan Pedreschi, Adrias Gurak, Matthew McNulty, Ryan Fitzgerald, James Daly, Jack Brohan, Muhammed Jaafar, Thomas Maloney, James Hayes Kavanagh, Diarmuid Jameson-Whiriskey, Ciara Dargan, Natasha Fitzgerald, Stephen McGuinness, Ross Dowling, Holly Jameson, Lukasz Sztenderski Leader: Kate Minnock

Project Title: Little Trees for Little Christmas

From: Coláiste Muire, Ennis, Co. Clare Young People: Gemma Bugler, Rhona Coghlan, Hannah Conneally, Lauren Costello, Danielle Divine, Aisling Donnelly, Catherine Feehan, Shauna Geoghegan O’Keefe, Anna Gleeson, Shona Hale, Eimhear Hodgins, Caoimhe Ingram, Mia Kavanagh, Bernadette Kelly, Hannah Kennedy, Victoria Lambo, Claire Longe, Leah Morgan, Caitriona Ni Riordain, Mia Norton, Ciara O’Brien, Niamh O’Connor, Isabel O’Halloran Dooley, Leanne O’Loughlin, Aoife McMahon, Edel Williams, Aoife Gleeson Leader: Catriona Burke

From: St Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea, Co.Galway Young People: Elizabeth Power, Cian McCarthy, Thea Flannery, Katie Blake, Charlie Mahony, Niamh Casey, Rachel Clarke, Conor Fahy, Katelyn Egan, Aoife Carroll Leader: Michelle Tierney

Project Title: Polar Bear Picnic

From: ECO-UNESCO Youth for Sustainable Development; Global Youth Leaders for Change, The Greenhouse, Dublin 2 Young People: Conor Foley, Niall O’Brien, Katie Crilly, Eileir Dunne, Nicole Irving, Niamh Turner, Kate Joyce, Amy Smith, Farrah Aly, Maisie Hourihane, Lola Hourihane, Nicole Landy, Serena Chong, Sophie Coote, Mary Hastings, Amy Colgon, Kathryn Tolster, Claudia Russell, Saoirse Ryan Leader: Gareth Conlon

Project Title: Climate Connor Saves the Day

From: Presentation College Currylea, Tuam, Co.Galway Young People: Sarah Madden, Lauren Boyle, Orla Donnellan, Kirsten Boyle, Rebecca Newell Leader: Esther Mannion

Project Title: Food Security Video

From: ECO-UNESCO Youth for Sustainable Development; Global Youth Leaders for Change, The Greenhouse, Dublin 2 Young People: Shaun McDonnell, Emmet Farrell, Claudia Russell, Mary Hastings, Leigh Brady, Kathryn Tolster, Rachel Naughton, Thomas Maguire Leader: Gareth Conlon

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ECO-Art & Design

Page 22-23

ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Senior Project Title: Metaporphorsis

From: St Josephs Secondary School, Rochefortbridge, Co. Westmeath Young People: Robbie Kelleghan, Khloe Glennon, Katie Coates, Brendan Keavaney, Jack Farrell, James Hawksworth, Glen Gately, Aaron Henry, Ciaran Culloty, Padraig Culloty, Bobbie O Neil, Sarah Corrigan, Mary Deegan, Rebecca Carney,Melissa McEwan, Michaela Brady, Aisling Moody, Megan Fleming, Eileen Doyle, Eimear Daly, Michelle Riggs, Christine McSparron, Aoife Cleary Leader: Niamh Sweeney

Project Title: Cotton Crazy

From: Presentation Secondary Schools, Sexton Street, Co. Limerick Young People: Shauna Pickford, Emily Hannifan, Grace Waters, Seana Looney, Leonie O’Sullivan, Katelyn Ryan, Emma Ahern, Donna Ahern, Rachel Constable, Shannon Cox, Chloe Duggan, Aimee Falahee, Niamh Fitzgerald, Taylor Goodwin, Chloe Hennigar, Alison Ledger, Laura Moloney, Simone Hussey, Alison Payne, Sarah Nash, Chelsey Kinnane, Zuzanna Giec, Kelsey Bennett, Amy Ryan Leader: Helen Ahern

Project Title: Fur-Nature

From: Loreto Secondary School, Navan, Co. Meath Young People: Ciara Drummond, Elma Marsden, Emily Verhulst, Isabelle McLornan, Laura Heaney Leader: Eileen Cunningham

Project Title: S.O.S Save Our Seas

From: Jesus and Mary College, Our Lady’s Grove, Dublin 14 Young People: Megan Kelly, Alannah Quinlan, Jordan Bent, Molly Ryan, Chika Adusi, Aisling Browne Leader: Niall Kelly

Project Title: Celtic Ireland

From: Presentation Secondary, Sexton Street, Co. Limerick Young People: Nuschka Babela, Naima Gabyow, Sandra Ikeh Leader: Helen Ahern

Project Title: The Great Wall of Green

From: Abbey Community College, Ferrybank, Co. Waterford Young People: Caoimhe Lowe, Rachel Elliott, Ellen Whelan, Olivia Hayden, Niamh Roche, Luke Atkins, Dal O’Neill Leader: Miss S Connery

ECO-Community Development Page 24-26 Senior Project Title: St. Aidan’s City Farm

From: St Aidan’s C.S., Tallaght, Dublin 24 Young People: Shauna Kirwan, Nathan Woods, Jordan Dempsey, Jordan Noonan, Ryan Molyneux, Amy Byrne, Danielle McLoughlin, Oyin Agboke, Dami Williams, Jessica Whelan, Jason Whelan, Matthew Clarke, Latifa Atanda, Lynsey Lawlor, Jenessa Scott, Amy Ly, Senise Dos Santos, Jake Purcell, Oppy Adesanya, Conor Murphy, Jade Dempsey, Irene Esquivel, Katie Beatty, Glenn Fitzsimons, Rebekah Coady, Chloe Cummins, Amy Duffy, Shannon Hannick, Brandon Hoban, Dean Holohan, Dean Kivlehan, Lateef Kuye, Diva Lufu, Mikey McDonagh, Elizabeth McNamee, Viktorija Petrauskaite, Kirsty Quinn, Courtney Stacey, Rinalds Vanags, Johnny Ward Leader: Elizabeth Tierney

Project Title: Roof Top Gardeners

From: ECO-UNESCO Youth for Sustainable Development; Global Youth Leaders for Change, The Greenhouse, Dublin 2 Young People: Conor O Toole, Thomas Maguire, Niamh Kelly, Tanya McLouglin, Rachel Naughton, Leigh Brady, Shaun McDonnell, Shauna Cleary, Craig Winterlich, Emmet Farrell, Ciara Lucas Leader: Gareth Conlon

Project Title: Inside Out Garden

From: St Laurence College, Loughlinstown, Dublin 18 Young People: Tori Mc Cann, Kaylee Cassidy, Niamh Plunkett, Alana Barnaville, Aislin Proctor Leader: Susan Mulholland

Project Title: The Pod

From: Rathdown School, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Young People: Olivia Hone, Sophie Nash, Issy O’Maonaigh, Sarah-Ann Kilduff, Laura Gunning, Lucia Aparicio, Celia Castaneda Leader: Horst Punzet

Project Title: The Use of Marram Grass Transplantation to Create Awareness of Coastal Protection

From: Clonakilty Community College, Clonakilty, Co. Cork Young People: Dylan Scannell, Robert Byrnes, Liam O Donovan Leader: Mr Patrick O Keeffe

Project Title: Garden Project

From: Mayfield Youth Training Centre, Co. Cork Young People: Ryan Wall Hefferman, Micheal Spillane, Darren Walsh, Ciaran Navey, Cian O’Callaghan, Steven O’Donoghue, Dylan O’Donoghue, Eugene O’Drisscoll, Aaron Hennesy Leader: Brenda Stillwell

Junior

ECO-Enterprise

Project Title: Welcoming and Making Homes For Our Native Animals

Senior

From: Dunbin Youth Group, Dundalk, Co.Louth Young People: Seán Murphy, Tadhg Corcoran Leader: Donal Murphy

Project Title: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to Create an Ecosystem and Garden in Virginia College

From: Virginia College, Virginia, Co. Cavan Young People: Conor McHugh, Colette Greene, Katie Hetheston, Darragh McHugh, Eoin Daly, Ciara Tobin, Alan O’Reilly, Josh Hannon Leader: Melanie Conlon

Project Title: Environmental Education

From: Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Claregalway, Co. Galway Young People: Jade Sweeney, Órlaith Roe, Luke Adams, Áilidh Molloy, Amy O’Connell, Saoirse McCarthy Leader: Emma Ryan

Project Title: Love a Tree as You Would Love Yourself: Love Trees/Plant Trees/Cherish Trees From: Loreto College, Swords, Co. Dublin Young People: Niamh Anderson, Alannah Bates, Blessing Dada, Lucy Daly, Gemma Dignam, Hannah Dowling, Leah Fagan, Alannah Grogan, Emily Hannigan, Emily Harford, Victoria Hristoua, Rebecca Hughes, Tara Kenny, Kaitlyn Maughan, Megan McDermott, Vanilla Nwojo, Jessica O’Brien, Shauna O’Callaghan, Roisin O’Malley, Kate O’Reilly, Eimear Rainey, Emma Roddy, Leah Russell, Sanda Rusu, Anna Sheedy, Emma Louise Steele, Naoise Sweeney, Elenore Tallon, Jennifer Ukuta, Regina Odowu Leader: Deirdre Scully

Project Title: Connect It-A Recycle Approach

From: S.A.Y.S.W.A.A.C.C. Whitefriar Aungier Area Community Council, Dublin 2 Young People: Megan Farrell, Megan Sherlock, Louise McGrath, Tammy Mc Donald, Darren Brennan, Adam Wilder, Ryan Honer, Lisa Mc Grath, Kaylyn Lawlor, Amy Plunkett, Casey Malone, Carly Donnelly, Lauren Murray, Zoe Thompson, Aimee Cloake, Amy Taylor, Jordan Keogh, Kane Lennox, Niamh Lennox, Millie Honer, Lexi Lee , Rocco Roche, Cameron Malone Leader: Aisling O’Connor

Page 26

Project Title: Water Leak Detection System From: Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Young People: Lorcan O’Rourke, Emma Kirwan, Gavin Mooney Leader: Emma Coyne

Energy

Page27

Senior Project Title: Electricity Usage Monitor

From: Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Young People: Jack Dooley, Kate Flynn, Damian Mooney Leader: Emma Coyne

Junior Project Title: iPad Solar Charger

From: St Mary’s C.B.S., Portlaoise, Co. Laois Young People: Mark Mc Cormack, John Byrne, Nathan Hayes, Damon Cowley Leader: Clare Carroll

Project Title: Elmgy

From: Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Young People: Rebecca Greene, Anas Ouadina, Carl Maguire, Megan Lakes, Sajad Bakhshi, Barbara Geriova, Neil Macaraeg, Ion Sili, Elica Macapagal, Persida Ros, Goda Nyrkovaite, Jake Hannigan, Erika Fedulovaite, Kalvin Geraghty, Samantha Mates, Courtney Gilsenan, Abdul Quadri Maliq, Ayomide Akerele, Jason Cummins, Dionne Moran, Abbey Martin, Mark Dunne, Ajla Helac, David Mbaya, Emilio Onofrei, Jordan Maguire, Amra Kalac, Christine Sili, Chloe Donnelly O’Toole, Lauren Riordan Leader: Shauna Keys

Project Title: Power Rangers

From: St Tiernan’s Community School, Dundrum, Co. Dublin Young People: Brandon Reilly, Sophie Keating, Balaji Block, Zevilla Mazinaite, Naomi Quinn, Nitai Block, Levente Spanyik, Isabelle Nolan, Aranka Spanyik Leader: Daniel Dockery

Transport

Page 28

Senior Project Title: Move on Monday

From: Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Young People: Chelsea Byrne, Megan Long, Deeba Hashemi, Dean Whelan, Jamie Dam Boylan, Casey Ronan, Emma Jane Meehan, Aaron Farrell, Aaron Tracey, Chloe Hetherson, Shauna Beatty, Dillon Hanna, Megan Spence, Hannah Pike, Brianna Fitzsimons, Michael Scully, Jadine Goulding, Katie Brennan, Craig Taaffe, Kleontin Qosja, Shannon

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Clarke, Samuel Orekoya, Marie Nulty, Dáire Kelly, Eimear Farrell, Jordan Tsoumbou, Rebecca Emmet, Dylan O’Shaughnessy, Áine Cunningham, Lauren Carey Leader: Shauna Keyes

Project Title: Walk/Cycle to School. Reduce the Volume of Traffic Coming Up to Our School

From: St Patrick’s College, Cullies, Latt, Co. Cavan Young People: Oisín Quinn, Killian McCahill, Conor McCabe, Shane Dolan, Neil Hayden Leader: Fiona McMahon

Waste

Page 28-30

Senior Project Title: Yes We Can

From: St Louis Community School, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo Young People: Megan Leadbetter, Leah Nolan, Jessica Nolan, Leon Travers, Michaela Higgins, Tuathla Heffernan, Katie O’Toole, Adam King, Cathal McDonagh Leader: Geraldine Molloy

Project Title: The Environmental Issues Associated With the Production and Disposal of Clothes

From: Presentation College, Tuam, Co. Galway Young People: Christine Duggan, Dearbhla Gower, Shauna Connaughton, Stephanie Gilmore, Louise Madden, Emma McHugh Leader: Esther Mannion

Project Title: Raising Awareness to Reduce Litter and Waste in Our Community

From: Confey Community College, Leixlip, Co. Kildare Young People: Umayr Kundi, Michael Noonan, Michael Simmons, Aisling Coffey, Sam Bourke, Emma Farrell Leader: Bridget Gahan

Project Title: Tidy Towns

From: St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, Co. Galway Young People: Martin Boyle, Dylan Canney, Joseph Lowry, Darragh O’Shaughnessy, Edward Sweeney, Karl Tierney, Liam Moloney, Joseph Leufer, Caolan Mc Cafferty Leader: Majella Griffin

Project Title: Wear Your Waste

From: Abbey Community College, Ferrybank, Co. Waterford Young People: Oisín Buggy, Niamh Condon, Dylan Cooney, Heather Doyle, Michael Fewer Ward, Joanne Finnegan, Orlaith Freeman, Sam Grace, Margot-Rose Heffernan, Holly Irish, Mairéad Maguire, Kyle Malone, Seán Moore, Patrick O’Neill, Katia O’Rourke, Jack Ronayne, Lauren Tobin, Cameron Wells, Avril Williams, Tadhg Williams Leader: Helen O’Connor

Junior Project Title: Slam Dunk the Junk

From: Belfast Model School for Girls, Belfast, Co. Antrim Young People: Chloe Johnston, Chloe Baker Leader: Carol Chisim

Project Title: Class Trash

From: Teach na nDaoine Family Resource Centre, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan Young People: Emma Louise Gormely, Sophie Daly, Eoin Clerkin, Morgan Cawley, Caoimhe Kelly, Katie Mullhall, Linda Reilly, Oisin Murray Leader: Angie McKenna

Project Title: Litter and Waste

From: Ballinode Community College, Ballinode, Co. Sligo Young People: Josh Looby, Jamie Flynn, Aaron Carter, Sean Mullane, Diarmuid Gillen, Jordan Gorman, Shane Sweene, Bradley Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Shane Flanagan, Brandon O Neill, Robert Fallon, Koray McGowan, Leader: Michael O’Brien

Water

Page 31-32

Senior Project Title: Don’t Go With the Flo

From: Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Young People: Eva Lee, Christine O’Sullivan, Meabh Burke, Elaine Heaslip, Kevin Murphy, Ronan Carey, Adam McEllistrim Leader: Shane Kissane

Project Title: A Comparative Ecological Study of Reendonegan Lake Due To the Collapse of the Tidal Outlet Structure

From: Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, Seskin Bantry, Co Cork Young People: Aoife Wiseman, Emilie Murphy Leader: Michelle O’Shea

Project Title: Light Emitting Saving System

From: Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Young People: Aoife Woodlock, Clodagh Baker, Cian Fogarty Leader: Emma Coyne

Project Title: Athlone Flood Relief

From: St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon Young People: Ellen Naughton, Chloe McDonnell, Meghan Farrell, Edel Creha, Danielle Hyland, Patrice Kenny, Tansy Ryan.

Leader: Marie Geraghty

Project Title: Bottled Water and Bottled Information

From: Carndonagh Community School, Co. Donegal

Young People: Claire Doherty, Brendan Diver, Luke McElroy, Chelsea Stevens, Hannah McColgan, Kate Devlin, Jill Scott Leader: Peter White

Project Title: Youth Teaching Youth: A Programme Devised To Make Primary Students More Aware of Their Environment

From: Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare Young People: Ashley Garrihy, Deirdre O’Connell, Stephen O’Connell, Rowan Johnson, Joanna Kowalczyk, Shane O’Donoghue, Crebhan Hughes, Tristan O’Callaghan, Suchadar White, Tomás Cullinan, Ryan Burke Leader: John Sims

Project Title: Butt How Do We Save Water?

From: St Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Roscommon Young People: Michelle McDermott, Rachel Conroy, Caoimhe Beirne, Aoife Callinan Leader: Marie Geraghty

Junior Project Title: Where Have All the Fish Gone?

From: St Killian’s German School, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14 Young People: Sebastian Bals, Khaled Al-Sayegh, Juliette Douet, Ciara Connolly, Sasha Kelly, Joanna Harnett, Sophie Linnane, Islam Ismail, Coleen Wells, Daniel Lynch, Victoria Vallejo, Lia Schaffer, Lucy Revington, Clodagh Scott, Tom Simms Leader: Sarah Kavanagh

Project Title: Water Workers

From: Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Lucan, Co. Dublin Young People: Adam Morrissey, Eric Lupea, Mary Dawn, Arjun Vinod, Osmundo Jr N Joren, Iqra Bari, Aoife Hallahan, Eirinn Kavanagh, Gift Ndukwn, Conor Brennan, Aaron Kavanagh, Kayla, Adewunmi Sobowale, Ericka Lawsin Leader: Lis Pringle

ECO-Health & Wellbeing

Page 33

Senior Project Title: Think Well Keep Well

From: Youthreach Clara, Clara, Co. Offaly Young People: Teegan Fitzpatrick, Amber Dunne, Emma Pidgeon, Sarah Dunne, Lee Fleming, Rebecca McDonagh, Pearl Colsh, Michael Rattigan, David McDonagh, Vincent Dempsey, Ryan Fulham, Jason McDonagh, Adam Dolan, Brendan Lawless, Oliver Spollen, Darren Duignan, Nicole Niami Leader: Joe Deering

Project Title: Nip It in the Butt

From: Youthreach Carlow, Carlow, Co. Carlow Young People: Craig Mahon, Gina Gahan, Emma Hutton, Chloe Bolger, Zoey Fox, Daniel Kelly, Liam Dempsey, Patrick McCarthy, Tony Cassidy, Elizabeth Thompson Leader: Peter Cleere

Project Title: Think Farm Think Safety

From: Convent of Mercy Secondary School, Co. Roscommon Young People: Catriona Kelly, Neasa Hanly, Rachel Dolan Leader: Lisa Casey

Project Title: A Teenage Garden

From: Terence MacSwiney CC, Holyhill, Co. Cork Young People: Chloe O’Reilly, Mark Hegarty-Quinn, Jamie Condron, Chloe Byrne, Emma O’Leary, Henry Loveridge, Cian Blake, Jamie O’Driscoll, Nicola O’Connor, Shane Hendrick, Anthony Blackburn, William Kenny, Rebecca O’Shea, Paul Warrington Leader: Carol Flynn

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Super Junior

Page34-35

Project Title: These Boots Are Made For Walking

From: St Ibar’s National School, Clohamon, Co. Wexford Young People: Ruairí Carton, James Mahon, Adam Hewson, Jack Ring, Tara Clarke, Emma Murphy, Leah Murphy, Amy Corrigan, Molly Ring, Hermione Murphy, Nicole Hewson, John Joe Murphy, Eamon Corrigan, Pa Mahon Leader: Aisling Whitty

Project Title: The Effects of Non-Native Forestry Plantations in Ireland

From: Scoil na nÓg, Gleann Maghair, Co. Cork Young People: Lucás Mac Tomáis, Tomás Ó Suilleabháin, Sorcha Ní Riain Puirséil, Aoife Ní Mhainín, Mia Ní Icí Leader: Pádraig Ó Daimhín

Project Title: Clean Sweep From: ASESP Teen Peer Group, Dublin 1

Young People: Alex Mc Carthy, Amber Hutch, Clarice Griffin, Abbie O’Brien, Leah Costello, Johnaton Harris, Demi Burke, Blaine Darcey, Leon Hand, Cydney Buttler, Jade Fay, Hollie Fleming, Megan Powell, Cian Kinlan, Clarice Darcy, Callum Byrne, Cian Whelan, Fayth Byrne Leader: Sandra Doody

Project Title: Operation Transformation in Newcastle, Athenry

From: St Oliver Plunkett National School, Newcastle, Athenry, Co. Galway

Young People: Tim Haverty, Jack Waldron, Callum Holly, Rachel Langan, Kathryn Shanahan, Stella De Burca, Mia Fitzgerald, Robyn Madden, Kelvin Langan, Anna Warde, Daniel McGuire, Michael Buckley, Robyn Duffy, Evan Williams, Jodie O’Regan, Ben Haverty, Danielle Collins, Jason Keane, Charlotte Buckley, Patrick Rabitte, Ruairi Collins, Conor Fahy, Jack Campbell, Patrick Connelly, Emily Harnett Leader: Catherine Magnier

Project Title: Black Pad Environmental Trail

From: Mullavilly Primary School, Tandragee, Co. Armagh Young People: Maisy Corry, Kate Segon, Rebecca Sinton, Holly Topley, Mia Crowe, Rebekah Shortt, Amber Bothwell, Jessica Greenlee, Jill Vogan Leader: Pam Lowry

Project Title: The Importance of Water Conservation

From: Moyderwell Primary School, Moyderwell, Co. Kerry Young People: Leah Canty, Oisín Spillane, Alexa Grubjesic, Padraig McCannon, Krystian Lewandowska Leader: Finbarr Mullins

Project Title: Trashformers

From: SWICN Computer Clubhouse, Dublin 8 Young People: Angel Akpotor, Alex Coulahan, Katelyn Farell, Katelyn McGlue, Nicole Fay Farrell, Sarah Moore, Abby Taylor, Chloe Macken, Melissa Kelly Leader: Ivanna Chovgan

Shortlisted Project Summaries

Biodiversity

Susan’s Trail

St. Colm’s High School, Draperstown, Co. Derry

Junior

High on this group’s agenda was both the conservation of native species and the promotion of endangered species, e.g. Irish Whitebeam, swifts and tree sparrows. To achieve this, they researched, planned and created ‘Susan’s Trail’ as a biodiversity trail which follows a path with various habitats and species information signage along the way. As the area in which Susan’s Trail has been developed links St. Colm’s High School and St. Mary’s Primary School, the group hopes that the trail will be used for biodiversity education

by St. Colm`s, local primary schools, the youth club and local community, so that everybody in the area can learn more about their local environment. The group worked with other local groups to deliver the project and developed their own planning, planting and species identification skills as a result.

Little Trees for Little Christmas Coláiste Muire, Ennis, Co. Clare

ECO-UNESCO Club -

Junior

This group wanted to promote tree planting while at the same time raise funds for two organisations; Seed Savers Ireland which works towards conserving Irish biodiversity; and UNICEF, on a project they are running to help the victims of the 2013 Philippines typhoon. The group purchased 150 trees from a local forester, decorated pots to plant the trees in and then sold them on the Ennis Farmers Market. Customers were encouraged to plant the trees on or after Christmas, and were informed about the benefit of trees to the environment.

As Seed Savers were supported, the Association in return provided the team with native Irish apple seeds. The group will plant an orchard in a community space in autumn, allowing them to research and learn new skills in tree planting, along of course with looking after the maintenance of the orchard. The presence of the orchard will also allow the community to appreciate about the important roles that tree place in our environment.

ECO-UNESCO Club

One Tree Makes a Difference/Heritage Irish Apple Orchard Coláiste Chill Mhantáin Secondary School, Wicklow Town, Co. Wicklow

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Junior

This group wanted to reduce their carbon footprint and food miles and so set about planting Irish fruit trees as they wanted a local plant that wouldn’t incur too many travel miles, and one that would provide with them some fruit! After fundraising for the trees through sponsorship cards in the local community, the group raised enough money to order the plants. They set the trees in their school grounds and have taken their first step in reducing their carbon footprint, and raised awareness in the community about food miles, the importance of trees to clean air and growing food locally.

ECO-UNESCO Club

SERC Woodland Project

South Eastern Regional College - Bangor Campus, Bangor, Co. Down

Senior

This group are all passionate about wildlife, conservation and biodiversity and through an investigative project assignment at their college, they identified a neglected area of woodland within the college grounds containing an active outlaying badger set. They researched the legal requirements for working in an area containing badger sets and felt confident that they could sensitively improve the woodland whilst adhering to these laws. Through consultation with Ulster Wildlife and the NIEA, along with carrying out tree surveys and monitoring the badgers through cameras, they created a greater biodiversity in the woodland by removing invasive non-active species of plants and introducing more native species. As a result, more wildlife was attracted to the area whilst creating a wider variety of food resources for the current inhabiting wildlife. The group are now monitoring the effects of the positive change and learning how to develop and conserve a stable ecosystem.

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Planting Marram Grass

ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Mulroy College, Milford, Co. Donegal

Senior

In September 2013 this group got together, after seeking advice from An Taisce and Donegal County Council and planted marram grass on the Kinnegar Beach in Donegal. Costal erosion has become a major problem in Donegal and the group wanted to tackle the effect it was having on their local biodiversity by planting the grass and providing a natural habitat for plants and animals to thrive in. While a storm in January undid some of the group’s good work, they got back out again shortly afterwards to plant more of the grass. They group also created awareness on the issue of costal erosion and the positive effect of marram grass by showing a DVD in their school, along with developing a poster information display and giving the First Years a geography class on costal erosion.

TY Barn Owl Project

Scariff Community College, Scariff, Co. Clare

Senior

The aim of this project was to bring the Barn Owl back into East Clare and widen the biodiversity of the area. The group organised for owl experts from Birdwatch Ireland to visit their school and help their project get off to the best possible start.

Birdwatch Ireland advised on the best areas to hang owl boxes in and the types of trees that owls would be attracted to. Later, the group began to make owl boxes in their woodwork classes and put them up in the suggested areas. The team then gave a workshop to First Year students in their school and even influenced some of them to put up owl boxes at home on their farm. The group used social media, posters and a PowerPoint to promote their project and visited a number of other schools in the area to inform them about the Barn Owl and how they could help.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Treenage Dirtbags

Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk, Tralee, Co. Kerry Senior Concerned with deforestation, this group set about creating their own short film describing how deforestation affects both earth’s people and our climate. As part of the project, the group planted trees in their school to help raise awareness, getting all of their TY group involved and along the way, helped raise awareness about the importance of trees amongst their peers. They also wanted to highlight the benefits of using wood in the building of skyscrapers and so created their very own model to highlight that it is possible to use material other than concrete in constructing these incredibly tall buildings. The group proposed that using wood would have the effect of locking in carbon dioxide but the issue of how this would impact on the environment and the issue of deforestation would have to be further examined.

Biodiversity Garden

Borris Vocational School, Borris, Co. Offaly

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Tackling the decline in butterfly numbers globally and in Ireland, this group decided to start a garden and grow plants that would encourage insect life to their school. They sought expert advice from a local horticulturist, researched how to increase insect life online and examined what plants would encourage insect life into the garden. To help fund their project, the students organised a cake sale. They spoke to their peers informing them about biodiversity to increase awareness in the locality. They also set up a school website and submitted an article to the local newspaper to raise awareness on biodiversity. The courtyard was given a makeover and specific plants were panted in the area to attract more butterflies and insects. The young people are now planning on introducing seating into the area along with bird feeders and nesting boxes.

ECO-UNESCO Club

The Tree Musketeers

Loreto Secondary School, Spawell Road, Co. Wexford

Senior

This group have been working all year creating awareness about the importance of trees. They held an activity day for all first years on National Tree Day. They got 20 schools (primary and secondary) in the Wexford area on board, all signing a pledge to grow 10 trees each year for the next 5 years in their school or community. By the end of the 5 years there will be over 1000 trees planted with this part of the project. The group also ran a poetry and photography competition, the winners of which were displayed in the County Council offices during National Tree Week.

Na Bí Ag Magadh Sabháil Na Beacha

Meanscoil Gharman, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford

Senior

`If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left’. This group was very startled by this quote from Albert Einstein and decided they wanted to safeguard the future of the bee. They decided to increase the bee population by firstly raising awareness through workshops in their school about the important role that bees play in the ecosystem and why they should be protected. But the group also wanted to create a safe space for bees to pollinate within their own school grounds. They brainstormed and came up with the idea of a bake sale to raise funds to buy plants for the school, thereby attracting more bees to pollinate safely. By selling their bee theme baked goods, the group raised enough money to not only purchase plants for the school, but also to send 3 hives to the third world via a charity organisation.

Pineapple Express/The Rainforest

Youthreach Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Senior

This group created a film to demonstrate the effect deforestation has on the animals that habitat the Amazon rainforest. The video highlights to people, through pictures and facts, just how much how much damage we do to the Amazon and how it is slowly disappearing. One of the film’s points was showing how fast food chains clear large parts of the Amazon to facilitate cattle ranches which provide cheap meat. The video, which the group showed to everybody in Youthreach Blanchardstown, encourages everybody to be more environmentally friendly and to consider how their actions, regardless how big or small, can make a difference.

Save Our Birds

Moate Community School, Moate, Co. Westmeath

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ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Through their research, this group became aware of the many endangered birds found in their local area of Moate. They designed colourful and attractive posters portraying the habitats, food sources and the risks posed to the endangered birds of the Midlands. They displayed these posters in their local library and asked visitors to complete a survey on their sightings of endangered birds with many of the public reporting sightings of Barn Owls, bats, Merli, falcon and the rare Yellow Hammer. The group then drew up a list of actions which individuals could take to look after endangered birds, conserving their numbers, and maintaining their existence for future generations. This list was displayed in the library and in Moate Community College and a huge awareness of endangered birds was raised amongst the local community.

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Shackleton’s Gardens

Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Senior This group wanted to renovate an old, derelict space in their school.

They came together as a group to plan their project and transform the space. The intended area was in bad need of a makeover and the young people involved got cleaning, clearing and painting in order to transform the area in to a garden. They planted a number of plants in order to encourage birds and insects into the area, and they now also grow their very own fruit and vegetables. The group wanted to create a real sense of community and ownership among the students, increase awareness of the environment and believe that the eco skills that they have learned will stay with them for life, allowing them to carry out similar projects at home and into the future.

Environmentally Friendly Herbs

Moate Community School, Moate, Co. Westmeath

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

A guest speaker, Prof. Michael Hayes from University of Limerick stimulated this group to make their own biochar and use it to enrich the soil to grow seedlings. Bio char is made from burning vegetation in reduced oxygen. It has huge benefits to the environment acting as a carbon sink for carbon dioxide, thus helping reduce the greenhouse effect. The group are now growing a variety of herbs in the school and their home-made biochar is having a positive effect on their growth.

Going Batty For Bats

St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Athlone, Co. Roscommon

Senior

This group wanted to cover almost every aspect of bat life. They studied and researched the following: 1.) The importance of bats in the environment. 2.)

The life cycle of a bat. 3.) The habitat and diet of a bat. 4.) The reasons and effects of the decreasing bat population. 5.) Bat facts. 6.) Awareness about the importance of bats. 7.) Environment comparison. 8.) How to protect the bats. Following their research, the group wanted to attract more bats to their area and so they got active by making bat boxes and created posters which they hung up around school to inform their peers about the importance of bats.

Operation Millenium Garden Ballyclare High School, Antrim

Junior

The aim of this project was to increase the biodiversity of Ballyclare High School’s Millennium Garden. The group had to wait quite a while to begin their project as they waited for building work to be completed and the opportunity to clear all the rubble from their intended site. Once the school’s building work was completed, the group decided that they wanted to try and encourage butterflies to visit the garden and this was reflected in the group’s species choice as well as some art work they produced from recycled aluminium drink cans. Their garden is now up and running and attracting a number of insects to the garden. The group now plan on building a gazebo which will be used as an outdoor classroom so that the group can raise awareness of biodiversity in their school and the importance of protecting the environment.

There’s More to Plants Than Meets The Eye Lanesboro Community College, Co.Longford

ECO-UNESCO Club

Alupro Ireland

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

This group wanted to collect a whole wealth of information on the medical, veterinary and culinary uses of plants in their local area. They carried out plant surveys, found old hand written books from the 1930s that contained a host of information not found online, researched on the internet and conducted interviews with local people. They then put all of the findings together and produced a document which outlined the natural uses and remedies of local plants. They raised awareness of their project through their school website and partnered with Lanesboro Tidy Towns biodiversity group who will be using the information collected to make a large display which will be placed in a prominent position in the area. They also highlighted their project in the local library and during the summer their work will be showcased at the Lough Ree Environmental Summer School which attracts visitors from all over Ireland.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Climate Change Food for Thought

St. Louis Secondary School, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Senior

This group feel that food miles are an underrated issue in the fight against climate change and something that very few people take into consideration when purchasing food. The project aimed to make their peers much more aware of food miles and their carbon footprint. They set up a Facebook and Twitter page which supplied information on food miles, local food producers and seasonal produce, and they even had a food miles calculator! They also developed a poster and PowerPoint campaign providing information on how to cut down on food miles and the importance of doing so. To raise funds for an orchard, they held a bake sale in the local market, where produce made from all locally sourced ingredients was sold to the public. With their €300 fund, the group planted 8 fruit trees which now not only supplying the school with fresh produce, but also absorb carbon dioxide and thus help to combat climate change.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Polar Bear Picnic

ECO-UNESCO’s Youth for Sustainable Development, Global Youth Leaders for Change, Dublin 2 Senior This project raised awareness on the Arctic, and in particular on the drilling carried out for oil and the negative effects that this is having on the environment. The group held an eco-event and invited secondary schools from around Dublin to attend with approximately 40 young people attending on the day. Workshops, games and debates were used by Polar Bear Picnic to teach their peers about the drilling problem in the Arctic. The group also filled two petitions which they hope will help express young people’s feelings on this drilling to those responsible.

Deforestation: It’s Not Too Late

Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Inspired both by the documentary “The Charcoal People”, which exposes the scandal of deforestation in the Brazilian rainforest, and their own work placement experience in offices where they saw a lot of paper being wasted; this group set out to raise awareness of deforestation and encourage students and staff in their school to reduce their use of paper.

They accomplished this via a social media campaign and by composing their own song entitled “It’s not too late”. They created a music video to their song, setting it in St. Stephen’s Green, a park that is densely populated with different species of trees. The music video was shown at assemblies to each year group in the school to raise awareness and understanding on the effects of deforestation. Posters were made from recycled materials and displayed next to the student photocopier in the library and photocopiers in the staff room to encourage users to think before they waste paper.

Food Security Video

ECO-UNESCO’s Youth for Sustainable Development, Global Youth Leaders for Change, Dublin 2 Senior Wanting to share with their peers and other young people some of their understanding and awareness of the local to global interactions in relation to food security and hunger, this group produced a short stop animation film to highlight the issue and encourage others to take action. Using their own knowledge of sustainable development along with their film, editing and writing skills, they created the film which explores some of the reasons why hunger is still happening today, the links between over consumption and waste, under consumption and want, the rights of every human being to food and the environmental impact of over consumption. The group posted their film on Youtube and showed it to friends, families and peers in an effort to make people realise, and take their own action on food security and climate change issues. The film also premiered at the One World Film Festival in Prague in March, having taken first prize in Concern’s ‘Food Right Now’ film festival.

ECO-UNESCO Club

21

Food for Thought

ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

St. Brigid’s Vocational School, Loughrea, Co. Galway

Senior

This group wanted to raise awareness on climate change to as many people as possible. Following initial research they discovered that the food their canteen purchases, produces 903kilos of carbon dioxide.

Food for Thought decided to tackle this issue head on and combat it by raising awareness on food miles and also reducing the canteen’s food miles. To raise awareness they ran a poster competition with second years, set up an ECO-Club, composed and performed a song on food miles, created an animation, designed a website and set up social media pages. To reduce their canteen’s food miles, they decided to purchase a polytunnel and grow their own produce. Now, they have not only reduced the school’s dependence on food that previously incurred a lot of food miles, but their whole school is more aware of the benefits of buying local produce or growing their own!

Climate Connor Saves the Day

Presentation College Currylea, Tuam, Co. Galway

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Involving children in tackling global warming was this group’s main aim. They achieved this though creating a comic book with puzzles and games to be distributed in primary schools. To create the comic book they each had to research and gain greater knowledge on climate change and then make the information accessible for children. To get children involved on a very practical level, the comic also contained a list of actions for children to carry out in their own homes. The group feel that by educating children on environmental issues now, and getting them involved in a fun way via a comic book with activities and puzzles, they will pick up on good eco-habits, understand the significance of global warming and help fight against it.

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-Art & Design Celtic Ireland

Presentation Secondary School, Sexton Street, Limerick City

Senior

A Celtic inspired outfit highlighting composting and recycled waste.

This group used hundreds of nettle fibres which were stripped from the plant, dried and then weaved into rope to create the main material for the dress. The nettle rope is shaped to represent the stone outside New Grange. The head piece is made from old cans in the shape of the Children of Lir while the skirt is made from wood shavings, ivy and was sprayed with gold. The shoes are also decorated with nettle rope. The group succeeded in showing that renewable resources and waste materials can be used to create something very unique.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Metaporphorsis

St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochefortbridge, Co. Westmeath

Senior

Wanting to tackle the issue of waste management in their school and community in a creative way, this group took to art, design, song and sculpture to get their message across. They created leaflets and posters about waste and how to reduce it, created a sculpture from waste materials and ran an eco-sculpture trail. They then composed a song on waste which they performed at their local primary school.

The group also held an ECO-week in their school where they further highlighted how to tackle and reduce waste. Already they have noticed an increase in recycling and a decrease in littering in both their school and local community and hope to grow their project even more by linking in with other community groups in the future!

Alupro Ireland

SOS: Save Our Seas

Jesus and Mary College, Our Lady’s Grove, Goatstown Road, Dublin 14 Senior Taking over their school’s green bin disposal and joining forces with the school’s Green Council, this group wanted to clean up the school grounds, tackle and raise awareness of littering and have a knock on effect on sea pollution. To creatively highlight their project they created a shark from all of the materials that were put into the green bin in each class, along with unwanted materials from their school’s art room. After creating their giant shark sculpture, the group then went out into the local Montessori and primary school and spoke to them about littering and sea pollution, encouraging them to be responsible with their waste and to respect the environment.

Alupro Ireland

Cotton Crazy

Presentation Secondary School, Sexton Street, Limerick City.

Senior

Linking their science and environment classes, this group investigated the amount of waste in the fashion industry. They researched the amount of cotton produced and how it was harvested, and obtained facts about the disposal of fabric in Ireland and how much of it is recycled. They then looked into the true cost of cotton to the environment and society and wanted to do something to raise awareness on it. There was a stigma in their school about buying and wearing second hand clothes, and the group wanted to get their peers to think outside the box on this. They visited second hand stores, picked up clothes and created new outfits from them to wear in the school’s fashion show. At the show, Cotton Crazy highlighted to their fellow students the benefits to both the consumer and the environment of wearing second hand clothes and not just letting them go to waste.

The Great Wall of Green

Abbey Community College, Ferrybank, Co. Waterford

Loreto Secondary School, Navan, Co. Meath

ECO-UNESCO Club

Alupro Ireland

ECO-UNESCO Club

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ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

These Green Wallers wanted to create an eco-project in their school that would be both unique and have a big impact on their fellow students.

They decided to create their ‘Great Wall of Green’ to raise awareness amongst their peers of being environmentally friendly. They built their wall by using old chalk boards and created the decorations for the wall; two large eco-slogans, by using recyclable materials collected from around the school premises. Once the materials were collected, the group came together with all of their art and design skills and created two eye catching slogans for their wall which read ‘Litter and Water’ and ‘The Energy’.

The idea of the wall and its message is to remind people in a simple, yet effective way to respect the environment and to play their part in doing so.

Fur-nature

Alupro Ireland

Senior

By re-using materials such as cardboard, bottle caps and buttons, this group want to show how everyday items can by re-used to create furniture, such as tables, lamps and picture frames. They also took old furniture no longer in use and upcycled them to create more modern, stylish pieces. Fur-nature wanted to show everybody in their school and community what could be achieved through recycling and so they not only used their own creations as proof of it, but they created PowerPoints, posters and displays and showcased them in their school.

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

ECO-Community Development Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to Create an Ecosystem and Garden in Virginia College Virgina College, Virginia, Co. Cavan

Junior

This group wanted to develop an eco-system and garden that truly reflected the green surrounds of their school. They noticed that their school was littered by plastic bottles and they wanted to not only clean up the grounds, but put the bottles collected to good use. They decided to build a greenhouse, using the bottles as their main material. They got the whole school involved and interviewed many heads of the school’s departments for input on what to plant and grow. As their project involved a lot of input from different subjects, they were better able to communicate and create awareness about litter and pollution in their school. Their greenhouse now serves many functions; it provides food for home economics, plants for science experiments, and vegetable patches for agricultural science, while at the same time creating a very eco-friendly environment for all the young people in the school.

Connect It-A Recycle Approach; SAYSWACC

Whitefriar Aungier Area Community Council, Whitefriars, Aungier Street, Dublin 2 Junior This group tackled a whole host of environmental issues through their project. They tackled the issue of food waste by growing their own vegetables and collaborating with Food Cloud, an organisation that aims to reduce poverty and the amount of food wasted by businesses by re-distributing unused food to those in need. They also looked at the level of biodiversity within the city centre and enhanced it by building a pond and creating an insect hotel. The group saved seeds and learned new skills by re-using scrap and waste materials to create patchwork clothes; fused old bottles together and even created wooden boxes and a willow arch. Compost bins, paper bins and wormeries are now part of the group’s daily routine as is conversation about how waste can help their fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers in their community gardens to grow. The group also collaborated with DIT and Westbury on environmental projects.

Environmental Education

Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, Claregalway, Co. Galway

Junior

This group wanted to educate children in primary school about environmental issues such as climate change, littering, recycling and water conservation. After a lot of research, time and dedication, the group developed a presentation that would be suitable to deliver in primary schools. Having secured the permission of two schools in their local area, they delivered a workshop to sixth class students via a PowerPoint presentation with relevant video clips. They also developed their very own eco-focused computer game for the students to help get their message across in a more fun and engaging way. While visiting the schools, the group conducted a survey on the students to see what they do at home and at school to recycle, and compiled their findings to create a picture of Claregalway’s recycling habits.

Love a Tree As You Would Love Yourself’: Love Trees/ Plant Trees/Cherish Trees Loreto College, Swords, Co. Dublin

Junior

This group worked all year to create awareness about the importance of trees. Their own research along with a visit to the Botanical Gardens highlighted the best native trees to deal with pollution and they decided that they wanted to purchase and plant such trees themselves. They held a fundraiser, bought 75 trees and encouraged the parents of students in their school to purchase and plant them at home, along with setting some of the trees on the school grounds.

The group also ran a poetry and photography competition based

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on trees and the winners were displayed in the County Council offices during National Tree Week. They also raised awareness of the importance of trees through a PowerPoint and a stage drama. The group are now hoping to secure some free trees from Fingal County Council to plant opposite the school in an area where trees had been previously knocked.

Welcoming and Making Homes for Our Native Animals, Dunbin Youth Group Dundalk, Co. Louth

Junior

The Dunbin Youth Group identified a small wooded area in Inniskeen Co. Louth. They decided that they wanted to try increase the biodiversity of the area and so in order to attract native animals and insects, the wood was cleared of rubbish and planted with wildflower seeds. Shelters for bees and hedgehogs were placed in suitable areas and bird houses attached to the trees. Now that trees have been planted from seed it is hoped that the project will attract some endangered wildlife to the area. The group highlighted their project to local people in Dunbin and are hoping that others will get involved in environmental conservation as a result of their efforts.

Marram Grass

Clonakilty Community College, Clonakilty, Co. Cork

Senior

Over the years the headland of Virgin Mary Point in Clonakilty has suffered erosion and has proved difficult to access. After organising a Costal Education Day and speaking to an expert, the group found out about a plan to improve and conserve Virgin Mary Point and they decided to get involved with the project. They undertook, along with a larger team from the community, to transplant native marram grass from established island sand dunes on to the headland to help prevent coastal erosion. The group are now monitoring the progress of the grasses to ascertain if the transplantation is successful. They are also raising awareness about the potential of marram grass and hope that this will help other costal communities in their fight against erosion.

Garden Project

Mayfield Youth Training Centre, Mayfield, Co. Cork

Senior

This project started off with the group working with a local gardening project on a skills exchange basis. This then progressed to the team creating their own small garden to produce fruit and vegetables. The group used their woodwork skills to create a raised bed area and the produce was used in meals made at the centre. One of the main aim’s of the project was to introduce the group to self-sufficiency and to try new foods that they grew themselves, teaching them about food files, and the environmental benefit of growing your own food.

St. Aidan’s City Farm

St. Aidan’s Community School, Brookfield, Tallaght, Dublin 24

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

This group had never much thought about where their food comes from but they wanted to learn, and show others and cut down on food miles by growing their own produce. They started off their urban farm with some hens they had rescued from a battery farm. They then used the manure from their hens to cultivate a vegetable plot. They also contacted a farmer in Tallaght to ask his expertise on growing and they even received a grant from South Dublin County Council to extend the farm. To educate the whole community and the school about sustainable living, they invited students and parents to the farm, to show them how they too could grow their own food and live sustainably. The group received a grant from SDCC to help extend the farm and they are now also working with other groups in to area to host a daily breakfast club using the produce from the farm.

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ECO-UNESCO Club

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Rooftop Gardeners

ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

ECO-UNESCO’s Youth for Sustainable Development, Global Youth Leaders for Change, Dublin 2 Senior Last year this group created a rooftop garden in Dublin’s city centre to deal with waste-management and up-cycling. This year they wanted to enhance their garden and focus on the theme of water. They wanted to develop their garden by adding a rain water harvester to conserve water in their garden instead of wasting tap water. For this the group collected materials from Dublin City Composting, constructed the harvester and made their eco-garden, even more eco-friendly!

Inside Out Garden

St. Laurence College Loughlinstown, Dublin

Senior

This Inside Out Garden was an attempt to improve the grounds of the school, and to have an area of calm where students could ‘switch off’. They wanted to bring their inner energy, outside to their Zen garden. They set about digging up spring bulbs and replanting them around the school, weeding the space, laying down weed mats and digging for shrubs and trees. They also laid down gravel and then planted their carefully selected shrubs which they had chosen for a variety of reasons; such as a winter flowery cherry blossom to remember a recently deceased student and a shrub with a strong scent for a student with an unusual impairment. Their redeveloped garden is the group’s small step in reducing their carbon footprint. They have also cleared another garden at the school and aim to complete it in September.

The Pod

Rathdown School, Rathdown, Co. Dublin

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Taking inspiration from the tree on their school crest, this group wanted to link in with the environmental ethos of their school and decided to tackle a number of issues such as food miles and global warming and so took an unused area in their school, turning it into a school garden. They designed and built the garden themselves, getting everybody in the group involved with various tasks. They then grew their own vegetables and cultivated them throughout the year and these will now be consumed by the students in the school. To raise awareness of their project the group linked in with the local council and they also used social media to highlight the project to their peers and encourage others to consider growing their food and thus reducing their food miles.

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-Enterprise Water Leak Detection System

Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Senior

Wanting to reduce the amount of water lost due to leakage in the agricultural, domestic and industrial sector, this group developed a prototype of a ‘Leak Detection System’. The system notes when a leak occurs with the user automatically notified that there is a leak somewhere in the system. The second prototype that the group developed to combat water waste is a Leak Detection and Location System, which not only notifies the user of the leak, but also pinpoints the exact location of it, with all of the information being sent by SMS to the owner. The group also carried out awareness raising on their water conservation project.

Energy Elmgy

Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Junior

This group wanted to save energy and help the environment. They carried out an energy audit looking at sustainable and unsustainable energy sources and following this they sprang into action to reduce energy use in their school. They made energy packs including draught excluders, stickers, badges etc and held an awareness campaign on energy reduction. Wanting to spread their eco-efficiency, they also duplicated their energy packs, and included cross curricular links to tie in with the syllabus and send these to other schools to help them reduce their energy use. Elmgy also held a meeting with the co-ordinator of Energy in Education. The organisation came to view their pack and is hoping to use it on the Energy in Education website as a case study. Elmgy also applied for funding to further expand their project and are now awaiting their response.

Power Rangers

St. Tiernan’s Community School, Dundrum, Dublin 14

Junior

Power Rangers want to do two things, solve the heating problem in their school and raise awareness about the amount of energy that young people in society waste on a daily basis. The group tackled the heating problem in their school by analysing the different ways in which energy was being wasted. They also made a report on the energy efficiency regarding the lighting, heating and electrical appliances. This study allowed them to apply solutions to help the school retain its heat. To raise awareness on energy conservation, Power Rangers also started a Facebook page and created posters to raise awareness in their community and school about how to save energy and the benefits of doing so.

Transforming Your Energy

St. Mary’s C.B.S., Portlaoise, Co. Laois

Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

ECO-UNESCO Club

Junior

Figuring out a way to use renewable energy to power their IPads, this group created a case that uses solar energy to charge the Ipad by 7% per hour, eliminating the need to plug in the charger and waste energy. The group are now planning on developing a prototype and selling it to their fellow students so that they can rely on solar power for charging, instead of using non-renewable sources of energy. The group also hope to develop a similar case for phones and laptops.

Electricity Usage Monitor

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

This project is a device that monitors electricity usage by taking a picture of an electricity meter every hour and sending that picture back to a designated album on a USB. When a user wants to view their electricity usage, they simply insert the USB into their computer and can access a record of usage since their system was installed.

The group engaged with a lot of promotion to raise awareness about their project and to encourage people to think about how they use energy. They distributed leaflets in schools, were featured in their local newspaper and did a lot of work online to promote their project also.

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Transport Walk/Cycle to School

St. Patrick’s College, Cavan

Senior

Concerned with the issue of traffic and air pollution at their school, this group wanted to reduce the amount of cars and buses coming to St. Patrick’s College. They wondered if more students could walk to school and if they could encourage more students to walk or cycle.

They decided to conduct a survey among students to see if there were enough buses and if there were students taking a lift who could walk instead. Based on the results of their survey, they organised a Walk to School Day. They went around the classes telling students about this event; put posters up around the school; and posted it online. Students who would normally get a lift, walked to school on the 14th of February. The group have also sent a letter to Cavan County Council to see if they will provide a school with a bike rack.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Move on Monday

Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Senior

This group wanted to explore sustainable transport and carried out a lot of different activities to raise awareness on sustainable and unsustainable transport. When the group surveyed their fellow students, they discovered that 88% of themusually walked to school. The teachers’ record however was not as fantastic, and so they began an awareness campaign called Move on Monday, encouraging the teachers, and others to carpool or walk to school where possible. The group also created sustainable cars in metalwork class and raced them, proving that you don’t need to use fossil fuels to power vehicles. To raise overall awareness about their campaign they printed off t-shirts with their own design on them, and held a Funky Feet Day where staff and students were encouraged to design their own shoes in an effort to making walking more fun for everybody!

ECO-UNESCO Club

Waste / ECO Art & Design Class Trash

Teach Na nDaoine, Family Resource Centre, Monaghan Town, Co. Monaghan

Junior

This project focused on cleaning up the Mullaghmatt area of Monaghan Town and to raise awareness of recycling. After an initial planning meeting, a 10 week plan of action commenced. Litter picks were organised and flyers and posters made from recycled materials were produced inviting locals to the launch of their art structure which they made from completely recycled materials.

Over their 10 week campaign of cleaning up Mullaghmatt, raising awareness amongst their community and creating their art sculpture, they filmed each of their activities and made a short film.

This film was produced to raise environmental awareness in the area and to highlight to their community what can be achieved for the environment and the local area by working together.

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Waste Slam Dunk The Junk

Belfast Model School for Girls, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Junior

This project addressed the issue of litter in both Belfast Model School for Girls and in the local community. The group wanted to encourage students to take responsibility for their own waste by making waste disposal fun and competitive. The group first carried out research on waste on a national and international level. They then raised awareness by playing videos highlighting the need for action on waste, along with composing their own song, ‘Slam Dunk da Junk’. The group introduced basketball nets around the school which people could shoot their waste through leading to a cleaner school environment. The group also spent time gathering community litter to raise their status in the neighbourhood. The group were delighted with their project as they now have a much cleaner school and have made pupils think carefully about their actions and the long terms impact it may have.

Litter and Waste

Ballinode Community College, Ballinode, Co. Sligo

ECO-UNESCO Club

Junior

This group’s project began in 2009 and since this time the school has installed recycling bins for plastic and paper and even has a baler to bale all of the school’s cardboard. This year the group set up a rota where they have “bin day” on Mondays and Thursdays. Downstairs is recycled on Mondays and upstairs on Thursdays. Since 2011-2012, 90% of their paper, plastic and cardboard is recycled and collected once a week. Now, instead of weekly collections, skips only go to the landfill every 5-6 weeks, and the group are working to further reduce this.

Wear Your Waste

Abbey Community College, Ferrybank, Co. Waterford

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

This group wanted to draw attention to the possibilities of an extended life for our waste and develop this around two themes, charity and creativity.

For charity, the group organised an old shoe collection with over 200 pairs of shoes collected for the charity ‘Sean Bróga’ and prevented from going to landfill. For the creative aspect of their project, the students designed and crafted outfits made entirely from school waste, held a fashion show to highlight their creations and made students see ‘waste’ in a different light. They used social media and the school website to raise awareness of their project and they also featured in their local newspaper, encouraging the wider community to think about waste and its impact.

Raising Awareness to Reduce Litter and Waste in Our Community Confey Community College, Leixlip, Co. Kildare

Alupro Ireland

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

This group focused on waste and recycling awareness in their school.

They conducted waste surveys on the student population and carried out direct observation on areas in their school where litter accumulated. After analyzing the results, the group decided to focus on the lack of awareness in the school about the location of both the litter and the recycling bins. To achieve this, the group designed eye-catching templates for the school bins. They then presented a lesson plan about the value of respecting and caring for our environment to first years and the importance of recycling and putting the correct rubbish in the correct bin. Now, Confey Community College is a lot cleaner with an ongoing effort by the students to make sure that they keep the school grounds tidy and they recycle as much as possible.

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Tidy Towns

ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

St. Jarlath’s College, Tuam, Co. Galway

Senior

This group got involved with the Tidy Towns competition in their local area, and wanted to get as many people involved as possible. To engage the local community they created posters and hung them up in local shops. They also got the local primary school involved by visiting them and explaining their project to them. Having identified the areas in the town that they wanted to improve, they approached their local Credit Union and secured sponsorship for their from their Tidy Towns initiative. Using the money for cleaning, painting and planting activities, the group spent numerous days In Tuam cleaning and even setting much needed flowers and shrubs. The group felt their eco action project was a great way to link in with their community, brought young and old together and helped make Tuam a more attractive place to live and visit.

Yes We Can

St. Louis Community School, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo

Senior

This group’s aim is to ensure that all of the used aluminium cans in Kiltimagh are recycled as they wanted to reduce the amount going into landfills. They set up a recycling centre for aluminium cans in their school and publicised it in the local community. They set themselves a target for the school year to recycle 1000kg of cans. Three months into their campaign in 2013, they had collected over 500kg of aluminium cans for recycling and are well on track towards their target of 1000kg for the school year. They have raised awareness of aluminium can recycling and the benefits of it to the environment – saving energy, natural resources and habitats, lowering CO2 emissions and reducing global warming and climate change. The group also established a website providing all the information required to assist other schools and communities to set up recycling centres themselves.

The Environmental Issues Associated With the Production and Disposal of Clothes Presentation College Currlyea, Tuam, Co. Galway

Senior

This group wanted to highlight the environmental issues associated with clothing and textiles. They held a stall at a local Christmas market where they sold unwanted clothes and provided information to local people on their project and the environmental impact of the clothing industry.

They also gave a Power Point presentation to first year students describing their project and helped students become more conscious of the environment around them. They fashioned old hats found at charity shops into newly designed hats. These were modelled at a Transition Year fashion show to highlight to people that it is possible to create something fashionable from unwanted clothing items. Hundreds of empty plastic water bottles were collected to make a 3D t-shirt model to show that it takes up to 2,700 litres of water to make a single cotton t-shirt.

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ECO-UNESCO Club

Water Where Have All The Fish Gone?

St. Killian’s German School, Clonskeagh, Co. Dublin

Junior

This group sought to carry out a number of actions which would shine the spotlight on the issue of overfishing. They conducted research, ran a survey campaign amongst parents and teachers, held an information stand and spoke to members of the general public at the annual Christmas fair in the school. Students also wrote articles on overfishing, created eye-catching posters and developed a short stop- motion film all with the aim of encouraging students, teachers, parents and anyone else willing to listen, to buy sustainable seafood and help protect our oceans.

Water Workers

Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Lucan, Co. Dublin

Junior

The Green Schools committee of Water Workers from Coláiste Pobail Setanta have been focusing in on water conservation for the past year. Their Water Workers meet once a week to discuss how people waste water both at home and at school, and come up with ideas on how they as a group can counteract this. They decided to do something to combat the huge volumes of water that we all waste everyday and so they held a water awareness week, created posters and PowerPoints and had a Digital Detox Day to raise awareness. In all, Water Workers feel that they, and their fellow students have learned a lot about the simple ways in which we can reduce water use.

Bottled Water and Bottled Information

Carndonagh Community School, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal Senior These seven Transition Year students got together to raise awareness about the amount of natural resources wasted in producing and shipping bottled water around the world. Over the course of a month, they planned, filmed and created their very own water eco-action project.

They handed out surveys, interviewed teachers and students about their water buying habits and water usage, collected information on the issues of bottled water and put up posters in their school to raise awareness. Their campaign encouraged people to refrain from buying bottled water unless necessary and overall, to consider and reduce their water consumption.

Don’t Go With The Flo

Mercy Secondary School, Tralee, Co. Kerry

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ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Don’t Go with the Flo were shocked to discover the negative effects that fluoridating our water has on human health. Their project is two fold; the short term aim is to raise awareness about the dangers of fluoride; their long term aim is to rid Irish water of fluoride. The group began their awareness campaign by surveying the public to assess their knowledge on fluoride.

They then gave talks in their local community on the dangers of fluoride, held public taste tests on fluoridated and unflouridated water, handed out information leaflets and held a bake sale to help raise funds to continue their project. Their main action plan is to make a series of videos which will appeal to the public and highlight the problem. They also hope to encourage local businesses to go fluoride free by purchasing reverse osmosis filter.

A Comparative Ecological Study of Reendonegan Lake Due to the Collapse of the Tidal Outlet Structure Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, Bantry, Co. Cork

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

In 2011 the tidal outlet structure of Reendonegan Lake in Cork collapsed, and the lake underwent a drastic change from a freshwater lake to a tidal saltwater lake. This group investigated the ecological changes that occurred after the collapse and compared what the lake is now like, to a typical freshwater lake and a typical saltwater lake. They carried out six weeks of tests on air and water temperature, water pH and density, oxygen content, salinity, water clarity and a seaweed survey. They also contacted local fishermen and the

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

VCC Zoology coordinator to find out about the fish present in the lake. They then contacted many university professors to seek their advice. All of their findings showed that Reendonegan changed dramatically. Their results showed it is now more like a typical saltwater lake although some similarities to the freshwater remain.

Youth Teaching Youth

Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare Senior These young people devised a 4 hour education programme to help make primary school pupils more aware of local environmental issues. For first and second class pupils, the topic covered was litter. For fifth and sixth class, the focus was on groundwater and the protection of groundwater. The Mary Immaculate students went to six schools in the North Clare area and delivered their environmental workshop to students in two, 2 hour timeslots. They also developed a number of games and other teaching aids to help with the delivery of the workshop and to really help make the children more aware of the environmental issues that affect them. In time, the group hope to deliver even more workshops to schools in their region.

Light Emitting Saving System

Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Concerned with the amount of water being wasted each day by showering, this group did some research and found out that approximately 150 litres are wasted in an average shower. These young people wanted to reduce the amount of waste water and raise people’s awareness on this issue. They developed a workshop which they delivered to both local primary schools and to the junior classes in Tullamore College on water conservation and waste water. The group also used social media to help them get their water conservation message across and have impacted on the way a number of their peers, and those even younger, now respect and use water.

Athlone Flood Relief

St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Westmeath

Senior

Athlone has experienced severe flooding in the last few years and is an ongoing issue in Ireland and especially in Athlone which is situated on the banks of the River Shannon. In 2012 100,000s of acres of land on the banks of the Shannon were flooded.

This group wanted to help those who have been affected by flooding by holding fundraisers. The group is also making a short movie about their project and the flooding situation in Athlone which they hope will raise awareness on the issue.

Butt, How Do We Save Water?

St. Joseph’s College, Summerhill, Co. Westmeath

Senior

This group wanted to tackle the issue of waste water in their school. They launched a poster campaign with information for staff and students on how to conserve water; but they also wanted to significantly reduce water waste in the school itself. They held a cake sale to fundraise for a water butt which they now use to collect waste rain water. With the funds left over they were also able to buy Hippo Bags to place into toilets in their school, helping to save up to 3 litres of water every time a toilet is flushed in St. Joseph’s.

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-Health & Wellbeing Nip it in the Butt

Youthreach Carlow, Tullow, Co. Carlow

Senior

Youthreach Carlow wanted to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and the impact that it has on environment, particularly in terms of litter. They created an art piece, a scrapbook, carried out surveys, created charts, carried out a litter pick and raised awareness of the area’s litter problem amongst the community. They also served- to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking to overall health and wellbeing and encouraged people who smoked to give up, and those who do not, to never start.

Think Well Keep Well

Youthreach Clara, River Street, Clara, Co. Offaly

Senior

This group wanted to keep healthy, stay well as a group and contribute to the environment. They took an all encompassing approach with music, art, dance, sport gardening, cooking, baking bread, running a charity shop, building a chicken run, making bird boxes, growing vegetables, planting flowers around the town, entertaining older people, coaching primary school kids to carry out nature surveys, generating spaces for mental wellbeing and overall working together with their community to boost positivity.

They took a sustainable approach to all of their activities and helped raise awareness in the local area about the environment, not only through the above activities but also by, participating in the local Tidy Towns group.

Think Farm Safety

Convent of Mercy Secondary School, Co. Roscommon

Senior

From their research, this group discovered that the farm death rates have risen by 14% since 2010 and they wanted to find out what the farmers were doing that was going wrong or if they were following the wrong guidelines.

Using their interest in farming, the group carried out an eco-action project to raise awareness regarding the gases that build up in slurry storages and the safety precautions and guidelines that should be adhered to around them. The group made posters and flyers which they put up in marts, shops and schools and they also delivered a PowerPoint to the local community and farmers to help raise awareness about the dangers of these gases.

A Teenage Garden

Terence MacSwiney Community College, Holyhill, Co. Cork

ECO-UNESCO Club

ECO-UNESCO Club

Senior

Class Bandon in Terence MacSwiney Community College found an abandoned courtyard in the school when planting vegetables. After finding the space, they began to envisage it as a cool hang out area within the school. They began working on the courtyard in September 2013, developing it as a teenage garden. They used paint to get rid of the graffiti, completely transformed a section of weeds, built raised bed and created stepping stones from old slate. With the help of two artists they learned how to make mosaics and used stencils to design and decorate the space. They also recycled jars, tins, toilets and tyres to make flower pots. After all their hard work, the young people of MacSwiney Community College now have a pleasant garden to sit in, play in and enjoy nature in.

ECO-UNESCO Club

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Super Junior Black Pad Environmental Trail Mullavilly Primary School, Mullavilly, Co. Armagh Mullavilly Primary School Eco Club worked together with their local Community Association to develop an area known locally as the “Black Pad”. This was a large neglected strip of land which ran alongside the school. In 2012 the school and local community organised clean up sessions, planted native trees and wildflowers, built a mini-beast hotel and painted a mural. Later, the group worked on developing a trail leaflet and a Geocache.

The Geocache was hidden along the path to encourage users from near and far to visit the trail and find out about its flora and fauna. In December 2013, the group received a fund to further enhance the trail with information panels, seating, bird and bat boxes, a sightings notice board and the production of curricular worksheets. The group feels that the Black Pad Environmental Trail has greatly enhanced their local area and provided a safe environment for outdoor learning and environmental awareness.

The Effects of Non-Native Forestry Plantations in Ireland Scoil na nÓg, Co. Cork Scoil na nÓg is surrounded by beautiful trees so this group thought it would be great if there were more native forests and woodlands for people to enjoy. From their research they discovered that non-native trees are taking over the Irish landscape and that these can cause serious damage to ecosystems and have a negative knock-on effect in biodiversity and water. The group set out to raise awareness on this issue by making a presentation to their school, using social media, setting up a stand in the local SuperValu and speaking to hundreds of people about their project. They managed to secure saplings from the National Tree Council which they planted during National Tree Week and they also wrote to Coillte asking them to improve the ratio of native to non-native trees planted in Ireland.

The Importance of Water Conservation Moyderwell Primary School, Co. Kerry This group conducted a survey on water and used the results to create an information campaign on water. They collated tips for reducing water usage and created posters, leaflets and flyers with the information they collected. They then distributed their water saving information around Moyderwell Primary School and in the local community. They further promoted their project in the local newspaper, on the radio and a website.

These Boots are Made for Walking St. Ibar’s National School, Bunclody, Co. Wexford This project uses song, art, music, scratch computer programming and website design to get out a vital message; that the earth needs you to make green choices, the earth needs you to walk. This group created an aluminium boot by recycling old cans and use it as a reminder to everybody to get out there and stride, and to use as much green transport as possible.

The group also set up a website where they uploaded the video of their green themed song along with useful tips on how to stay eco-friendly. They promoted their project in the parish newsletter, their website, social media, in the school newsletter and in the parish hall. Their project has really caught the imagination of their whole community and everyone in St. Ibar’s now makes an effort to travel as sustainably as possible.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Alupro Ireland

Trashformers SWICN Computer Clubhouse, Rainsford Street, Dublin 8 This group embarked on this project to bring awareness to their community about recycling and reusing waste in a creative and useful way. In this day and age when new and shiny is readily available, to reuse recycled materials for everyday life is not an option, or even a consideration for many people. After some research the young people in the SWICN Computer Clubhouse realised they feel very strongly about so much waste increasing in the world. So they decided to use recycled materials like tins, egg cartons, glass jars, old fabric and transform them into objects. They recorded their efforts and produced an e-book showing others how they can follow their steps in reusing ‘waste’ material.

Alupro Ireland

ECO-UNESCO Club

Clean Sweep ASESP Teen Peer Group (Crinan St.), Sheriff Street, Dublin 1 Clean Sweep wanted to assist the ongoing concerns and issues that were affecting their community and bring awareness of the out of control dog fouling and the damages weekly fires have on their environment in order to create a more visible clean community. This group cleaned up the area around their streets in a very hands-on way. They tackled the issue of dog fouling through posters and leaflets delivered directly to their neighbours’ doors and brightened up their community by painting the walls and giving them a new lease of life. They made pictures before and after their project to evidence how their environment had improved and they also wrote letters to the Council and Community Association to inform them of the work they were doing.

ECO-UNESCO Club

Operation Transformation St. Oliver Plunkett National School, Athenry, Co. Galway For many years, the back of St. Oliver Plunkett’s was a no go area, full of dark conifers and rubble. After a school extension, the conifers were cut and a patch of grass remained. The group decided to develop a school garden with the idea of improving the biodiversity of their school environment. Through their project the group created eight vegetable boxes, three fruit boxes, an outdoor classroom, a willow arbour, a bug hotel, a sensory garden, a chicken coop and have planted one hundred wild fruit hedging trees. As a result of their actions, awareness of biodiversity has hugely increased. They have made habitats for different creatures. The group now love planting, weeding, watering, mulching, composting, feeding the hens, checking for eggs, looking into the bug hotel and using the outdoor classroom. Their garden project has really taught them how nature works and how much it is to be respected.

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

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

Environmental Protection Agency, protecting the Irish environment through licensing, enforcement and monitoring activities.

Bronze Sponsors

ECO-Den Sponsors Donegal County Council Monaghan County Council Cookstown District Council Cragiavon Borough Council Galway City Council Mayo County Council

Clare County Council Limerick City Council Waterford City Council Cork County Council Cork City Council

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Fingal County Council Kildare County Council Longford County Council

Prize Sponsors & Other Supporters Other Sponsors: Léargas (Water & Sustainability Zone) IEN (Biodiversity Zone)

Venue Sponsors: Dublin City Council (The Round Room) Lord Mayor of Dublin (Oak Room) Cork City Council (The Lifetime Lab) Craigavon Borough Council (Lough Neagh Discovery Centre)

Prize Sponsors: Patagonia Delta Force Paintballing Dingle Ocean World Atlantic Sea Kayaking Movies@Dundrum Marine Tours Powerscourt Gardens The Good Snack Company Recreate Ireland Cornucopia

Acknowledgements ECO-UNESCO would like to thank all of the participants, teachers and youth leaders who took part in this year’s ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards, We would also like to thank our volunteers and those involved in promoting and supporting our work over the last year including:

ECO-UNESCO Board, Staff & Interns Board: Mark Bennett (Chairperson), Liz Carroll (Treasurer), Anne Marie Kilshaw (Secretary), Jamie Cudden, Karen Furlong

Staff: Elaine Nevin (National Director), Gareth Conlon, Niamh Hand, Ann Kinsella, Niamh Kirwan, Elena Klottschen, Nora Ide McAuliffe, Catherine McGuinness, Lucy O’ Neill, Feidhlim Ó Seasnáin

Interns: Cathy Gibson, Lea Sander, Eda Ozel, Laura Gentile Garafola, Alba Cabrera, Derek Mahon, Nathalie Markiefka, Joke Dufourmont, Michela Di Berardino and all of our interns who have helped throughout the year.

Volunteers: Maiara Cardoso, Daniel Murray, Beatriz Quevedo, Ana Elisa Medeiros Bezerra, Conor Neiland, Laoise Kelly, Stanislav Zamyatin, Ciara Dean, ECO-UNESCO Peer Educators, ECO-UNESCO Green Teens, Corporate volunteers from ACCENTURE Dublin under the guidance of Margaret Keohane and all of our volunteers who have helped throughout the year.

Special thanks to: ECO-Den Judging Panel: Elaine Nevin (ECO-UNESCO Director) Nial O’Connor (Monaghan County Council); Joan Shine (SEELB); Liz Wallace (WELB Curriculum & Advisory Support Services); Feidhlim Ó Seasnáin (ECO-UNESCO); Kevin Ryan (Cork City Council); Michael Ó’Coileán (Kerry County Council); Sinead McDonnell (Limerick City Council); Sharon Cameron (Mayo County Council); Joan Tarney (Clare County Council); Louise Ryan (Galway & Roscommon ETB); Dean Eaton (Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council); Gary Brady (Longford County Council); Karen Mahon (Alupro Ireland); Aisling Crowley (Dun Laoghaire VEC); Dara Wyer (Kildare County Council); Mary Cunningham (National Youth Council of Ireland Director); Stella McKervey (Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government); Linda Deegan (Environmental Protection Agency); Brian Healy (CDYSB) Showcase Judging Panel: David Richardson (Cookstown District Council), Stella McKervey (Dept of Environment, Community and Local Government), Karen Mahon (Alurpo Ireland), Mark Bennett (Chairperson ECO-UNESCO), Tim Duggan (Enrich), Andy Griggs (Craigavon Borough Council), Dean Eaton (Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council), Edwina Dunford (Fingal County Council), Gary Brady (Longford County Council), Nial O’Connor (Monaghan County Council), Mary Cunningham (National Youth Council of Ireland), Peter Brady (Meath County Council), Aisling Crowley (Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB), Louise Ryan (Galway and Roscommon ETB), Clive Byrne (National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals), Linda Deegan (Environmental Protection Agency), Declan Glynn (Assistant General Secretary TUI) Ceremony Award Presenters: Mr. Han Quinli (Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and the Secretary of the Man and the Biosphere Programme UNESCO), Stella McKervey (Dept of Environment, Community and Local Government) , Karen Mahon (Director, Alupro Ireland), Mark Bennett (Chairperson, ECOUNESCO), Tim Duggan (Managing Director, Enrich), Mary Cunningham (Director, National Youth Council of Ireland), Linda Deegan (Environmental Protection Agency), Nial O’Connor (Monaghan County Council), Elaine Nevin (Director, ECO-UNESCO), Dean Eaton (Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council), Ian Carey (Irish Environmental Network), Michael Kennedy (Irish Aid) Entertainment: Stephen Byrne (RTÉ Presenter), Barefoot Theatre Company Others Supporters: Michael D. Higgins (President of Ireland), Mr. Han Qunli, (Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and the Secretary of the Man and the Biosphere Programme UNESCO), Oisín Quinn (Lord Mayor of Dublin).

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014

Map to Venue Round Room adjacent to the Mansion House, Dawson St., Dublin 2, Ireland

X Marks the spot!

Accessibility: The Round Room is wheelchair accessible – please feel free to contact us if you require any specific arrangements

Code of Conduct The ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014 is being held once again in the prestigious Round Room and the Oak Room of the Mansion House, Dublin. We would like your group to gain as much from the experience as possible and for this, full cooperation and good behaviour will be expected from group members at all times. Please make note of the following rules, regulations and procedures and contact us if you have any queries or require any assistance. We look forward to a highly enjoyable event.

Project Displays • The Round Room will be open for set up at 8.30am – all displays must be completed by 9.30am sharp • Display materials are to be prepared in advance adhering to strict criteria (see details attached) • NB: You MAY NOT attached anything to the walls by any means; tape, blue tack, drawing pins, etc • Selected projects will form a public showcase at ECO-UNESCO’s Dublin headquarters (the Greenhouse) and at the European Commission’s European Public Space after the awards, for this purpose, all projects are to be left in the Round Room after the event • NOTE: DISPLAYS CANNOT BE RETURNED TO GROUPS Showcase • 2 team members must be present at displays at all times • Group representatives must be prepared to talk to visitors & judges about their project. All displays will be visited by judges during the showcase Lunch • Each group is responsible for organising their own lunch between 1.15pm – 2.15pm • The Mansion House will not permit participants to eat in the venue. The Mansion House is in close proximity to Stephens

Green and Grafton Street, which can be used as a possible lunch alternative. The only food permitted in the venue will be light refreshments provided by ECO-UNESCO. Award Ceremony • All group members must return to the venue before 2.15pm and be seated by 2.25pm • An individual representative from each award-winning group may be asked to say a few words about their experience during the awards ceremony (ca. 1 minute only). We would advise that you prepare for this in advance and nominate a suitable representative from your group.

• ECO-UNESCO reserves the right to eliminate and/or combine categories where there is a low number of entries or where entries are deemed not to have reached the required standard. In this situation, there may not be an award made in each category. A number of high commendations may also be made General Terms & Conditions • All participating Group Members must commit to attending the entire event (8.30am – 5.30pm) • Leaders and Teachers are responsible for the conduct of their individual groups • A Refuse & Recycling Zone will be present and must be utilised to by all participants • Neither ECO-UNESCO nor the Venue take responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged goods during the event • As per the details signed in your original YEA Registration Form, please be reminded that images and/or video footage may be utilised by ECO-UNESCO for promotional usage in print and online publications; educational resources; publicity; advertising; web content; and other ECO-UNESCO media.

ECO-UNESCO may use these images/video clips with or without names

Register for ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards 2014!

For more information contact: ECO-UNESCO, The Greenhouse 17 St Andrew Street, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 (0) 1 662 5491 Fax: +353 (0) 1 662 5493 Email: yea@ecounesco.ie Web: www.ecounesco.ie

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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

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ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2014 is supported by: Gold Funders:

Silver Funder:

Bronze Sponsors: