Wednesday 22nd Update Happy Earth day ?
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Tuesday 21st Update c/o Jess Tipton:
- Today pm Climate of Emotions conference
- Wed to Sun Earth Optimism Summit
- Mon 27th after school Eco-Anxiety in Young People teacher training
- online eco-resources and events digest
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The Economist Education Foundation (which is an independent educational charity) has a video introduction to the climate protests round the world. This is useful for all those who don’t know the basics of global heating, or who’ve never heard of Greta Thunberg. The Foundation also has a 40 minute climate emergency workshop. This introduces students to the climate emergency enabling them discussing a range of big questions. It’s suitable for students aged 10 and over and helps to develop the skills of open-mindedness and speaking up. ∫∫∫
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Teach the Future has just begun to use the UK Student Climate Network’s (UKSCN) social media accounts. Fridays for Future International has themed the latest weekly strike around climate crisis education and gave Teach the Future the opportunity to take its message around the globe and inspire other groups to begin campaigns in their own countries. Keep a lookout for our posts and information about how to get involved more on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. ∫∫∫
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The National Youth Climate Summit 2020 will be livestreaming on Wednesday 22 April from 1200 to 1500 and invites schools, colleges and young (and not so young) activists across the UK to attend. This is a partnership between Transform Our World and the Robert Ferguson Primary School in Carlisle. For more information click here.
It’s no coincidence that this is Earth Day and there are resources on their website. ∫∫∫
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Last week’s Inside Science [BBC Radio 4 on Thursday] had an interview with George Monbiot about how we are having to cope with COVID-19 might (or might not) make it easier for the public to accept the changes that, in Monbiot’s view, will be necessary if we are to counter global heating and climate breakdown. The also a feature on a new “carbon neutral” coal mine in the Cumberland coal field. ∫∫∫
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Friends of the Earth has a Planet Protectors pack for 5 to 11-year-olds. The pack includes a variety of activities so young nature-lovers can:
- Plant wildflower seeds and watch the bees come buzzing.
- Put up their own 10 Top Tips to Save the World poster.
- Get creative with plastic-free stickers.
- Busy themselves with a fun activity handbook – perfect for indoors or out.
It’s available from FoE for a donation. ∫∫∫
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This is a link to a video made by NAEE Fellow, Dr Dan Danahar, about the efforts of butterfly conservationists in East Sussex to track down the spectacular migrant, the Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus). Although once vanishingly rare, the Long-tailed Blue is coming here now from southern Europe because of global heating and the changing climate. It goes to show that not all climate change will have negative consequences. There are more such films on Dan’s YouTube channel. ∫∫∫
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- Snakeshead fritillaries at Lower Moor Farm (5m 06s)
- The lifecycle of fritillaries (2m 31s) .
4 minutes into the first video there’s a star turn from a Red-tailed Bumblebee queen. From a different part of Wiltshire comes a virtual safari on the Longleat estate with Kate Humble. ∫∫∫
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The April GEEP News has spotlights, and announcements on global environmental education, including:
- Virtual EE Resources for Educators, Caregivers, and Sudden Home-Schoolers
- Calling All Young Champions of the Earth
- Cornell University’s Network Climate Action Course: Scaling Up Your Climate Impact
- New Resources on Climate Change, National Identity, and Wellbeing in New Zealand
- Serious Games for Coastal and Marine Conservation, Management, and Adaptation – Find a Game for Your Work
- UNESCO Report: Country Progress on Climate Change Education, Training, and Public Awareness
- How to Teach Nature Journaling
The Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) was launched by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, and North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) in 2014. ∫∫∫
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RSPB Scotland has announced its Nature of Scotland Awards. This is free to enter and there are 9 categories to choose from including the Youth and Education Award and a new Nature and Climate Action Award. The full category descriptions are here. To take part just fill in the application form and send it back to awards@rspb.org.uk by 1 June. ∫∫∫
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Disappointing news from DEFRA that the plastics ban (straws, stirrers and ear buds) planned for this month across England has been pushed back until October because of the coronavirus pandemic. There’s more detail here. ∫∫∫