A Focus on Nature

A Focus on Nature is a network of young conservationists which sets out to inform wider nature conservation debates by offering a new perspective on environmental issues, providing young nature conservationists with access to opportunities, and promoting nature conservation and natural history to young people.  They will be speaking at the forthcoming CLOtC conference on the 24th of November.…

How can local empowerment transform communities?

How can local empowerment transform communities? Think Global is running two workshops to bring together NGOs and social economy initiatives – including Locality, Social Enterprise UK and Islamic Relief – to find new ways of empowering communities, creating sustainable livelihoods and sharing best practice. Think Global Programme Manager, Faaria Ahmad said: “The Europe-wide, EC funded…

Manchester’s environment; Manchester’s heritage

The Countryside Classroom September newsletter has a feature on a project from the Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN) which focuses on the industrial revolution’s heritage in the local area. Using the project, called ‘Our environment, our heritage’, two East Manchester primary schools learned about activities in the past that had caused soil, air and water pollution in their local…

Up-cycling or?

We are grateful to Max McMurdo for these up-cycling tips: Jam jars – these make great display storage Old lampshades – remove fabric to reveal a beautiful wire structure Coat hangers – these can be used to make amazing lampshades as seen on the latest Channel 4 series of ‘Fill your house for free’ Chipped…

The Sustainable Schools Framework – and those doorways

This article was first published in NAEE‘s Summer 2015 journal Environmental Education (Vol 109), as our ‘President’s Column’.  The views are Bill Scott’s own, not NAEE’s. The Sustainable Schools Framework – and those doorways Much of the work of the Sustainable Schools Alliance [ SSA ] is focused around the Sustainable Schools Framework which was something the Blair government set up. It had 8…

Climate Change by Numbers

This (slightly up-dated) article was first published in NAEE‘s Spring 2015 journal Environmental Education (Vol 108), as our ‘President’s Column’.  The views are Bill Scott’s own, not NAEE’s. Climate Change by Numbers Did you watch BBC FOUR’s Climate Change by Numbers back in March? Unusually for a BBC science programme on TV, it was presented by three mathematicians. Unsurprisingly then,…

Some SEEd myth-busting

The SEEd website has a feature, written by Natural England’s Principal Advisor for Outdoor Learning, Jim Burt, busting 4 myths on outdoor learning in schools.  These are: Myth 1: In order to get outdoor learning into schools we need to change the national curriculum Myth 2: Outdoor learning is just for extra-curricular activity Myth 3: Outdoor…