eduCCate Global says that UK State-Funded Schools in the United Kingdom can apply for funding to take part in its environmentally-focused school projects. Eligible schools could receive funding of up to £4,375, funding the eduCCate Global Bronze and Silver Awards as well as allotting funding towards Supply Teachers or additional resourcing. Schools will be assigned to a Cluster of no more than 8 Schools, 4 in the United Kingdom and 4 from a “less economically developed country” [LEDC] to work collaboratively in delivering climate change education. Successful Applicants will receive the following for the duration of their project. To be eligible for this you must:
- represent a State Funded School in the United Kingdom that provides either Full-Time General, Vocational, Technical, Special Needs Education or Alternative Provision
- be a Point of Contact for your School
- agree to Complete the eduCCate Global Program and to Delivering Climate Change & Sustainability Education within your School
- agree to Complete a Climate Change/Sustainability Project within your School
- partner with 3 UK Schools and 4 LEDC Schools (“the Cluster Group”) – We Will Co-Ordinate This for You
- register with eduCCate Global by the Deadline and Complete the Full Application
To register your interest please contact support@eduCCateGlobal.org with the Subject ‘School Funding Enquiry’ or call 01462 379 379. §§§
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A literature review published in the British Ecological Society Journal People and Nature by Louise Chawla, Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado, finds that children are happier and more likely to protect the natural world when they have a greater connection to it, but this connection is complex and can also generate negative emotions linked to issues like climate change.
“There is strong evidence that children are happier, healthier, function better, know more about the environment, and are more likely to take action to protect the natural world when they spend time in nature.” said Chawla. But she added: “We need to keep in mind that children are inheriting an unravelling biosphere, and many of them know it. Research shows that when adolescents react with despair, they are unlikely to take action to address challenges.”
You can read the article here (it’s freely available), and here is a link to a BES page setting the scene. NAEE thinks that this article ought to be read by everyone who is involved in helping adolescents learn about the biosphere and our dependence on it. §§§
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The 31st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Environmental Education will be held from August 21st to 23rd. An English Session (Round Table and Oral Presentation) is scheduled on 22nd and 23rd August. Detailed information can be found here. You must pre-register to listen to presentations (deadline 17 August). There is no charge for this. §§§
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Rewilding News reports that, in 2016, a herd of 323 wild tundra reindeer in Norway’s remote Hardangervidda plateau were killed in a freak lightning storm. Rather than removing the carcasses, local authorities and scientists left them on site to rot, and began a multi-year study on the effects of carrion on functional ecosystems. What ensued is a good example of what happens when you allow dead animals to return to nature, and the tremendous benefits this holds. You can read more about this here in the Guardian. §§§
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Rewilding News also reports that a Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) has been seen roosting in the Peak District National Park. Birders in the area have said it is only the second time the species has been confirmed in the UK. The birds are typically found in the Alps or Pyrenees and its thought the bird arrived in the UK after being caught in bad weather. There’s more here from the vulture conservation foundation. §§§
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It’s wonderful news that the large blue butterfly has been a common sight this year in Gloucestershire, having vanished from the UK in 1979. It’s all thanks to red ants – and a lot of human effort. §§§
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OECD have developed a new framework, Learning Compass 2030, that sets out a vision for the future of education. It provides “points of orientation” towards the future we want: individual and collective well-being. OECD says that the idea of the learning compass was adopted to emphasise the need for students to learn to navigate by themselves through unfamiliar contexts. UNESCO, which was a contributor to the framework, will continue to work with OECD on the initiative. Meanwhile, UNESCO has published its latest ESD newsletter. §§§
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Ireland is to limit greenhouse gas emissions by cattle. A new climate change bill proposes incentives for farmers to reduce their cattle herds and limit emissions, most of which come from enteric fermentation by cows. They cannot digest grass without the help of microbes in their stomachs and this process produces methane gas that is then burped into the atmosphere. Farming accounts for about a third of Ireland’s greenhouse emissions — and the country’s roughly seven million cattle are blamed for more than half of that. Farmers will be encouraged to grow diversified crops, plant more trees and adopt alternative farming methods. §§§
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Last week’s Economist had a feature on the link between the cleanliness of societies and their economic development over time. It takes us back to a period before germ theory was widely accepted (and even the Economist and Times scoffed at the idea). It is sobering reading during a pandemic, and might just make you want to wash your hands more frequently. §§§
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The same edition of the Economist had a feature on the evolving car battery with the tantalising prospect of a battery that might last for a million miles of travel (though not on one charge). This – which probably means solid electrolytes – would mean that the battery would outlive the car instead of the other way round. §§§