RiverXchange is a year-long programme that connects students around the world to learn about water resources. Its goals are [i] to help students and teachers understand and appreciate their local water resources so that they will take action to protect them, and[ii] to reinforce this understanding through communication with pen-pals in other states or countries. It…
This year 1,582 parks and green spaces were awarded the international Green Flag Award. You can find your nearest winning parks at greenflagaward.org Because we all know how much parks mean to people, the annual People’s Choice award is now open – giving you a chance to vote for your favourite. The vote will close at noon on…
The killing of the lion, Cecil, last month by an American game-hunting dentist, sparked a wave of both anger and revulsion across some parts of the world, and spawned more than a few simplistic ideas about the rights and wrongs of (trophy) game hunting – and not just in Africa. Of course, it was always…
A report on the Quartz website, says that it’s estimated (by water.org) that up to 358 million people in sub-Saharan Africa do not have reliable access to clean drinking water, but researchers have devised a book on water safety whose pages can be used as a filter. Trials done in 25 contaminated water sites in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya,…
North Pennines Geopark has just opened an exhibition celebrating insect species that live within its confines. It is part of a five year project to promote education, research and knowledge about invertebrates – ‘Cold Blooded and Spineless’ – supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project launched with a spring bio-hunt, which saw volunteers and…
Do you know the difference between re-cycling and down-cycling? If not, this blog in the Guardian about textiles may leave you better informed. And this is a current story about H&M, which is launching an effort to promote recycling, cut its environmental impact, boost its ethical credentials, and address looming shortages of raw materials. As population pressure mounts,…
The Department for Education [DfE] is consultating on the draft new A level Environmental Science criteria, and there is an Ofqual consultation regarding the proposed assessment objectives. Both consultations are open until 24 September 2015. This is the link to the DfE consultation, and this is the link to the Ofqual one.
Last month saw the launch of #GeoparkHour on Twitter. Every Tuesday at 1300 UTC, Global Geoparks worldwide and their local partners are encouraged to share the best examples of their work promoting geological heritage and supporting sustainable economic development through eco-tourism. The initiative was launched by the coordinating team behind the 7th International Conference on Geoparks that is due to take…
If not, then Plantlife’s new identification sheets for seaweeds might be just what you want. They are available here, along with numerous other ones as well.
Matova Paul, central regional co-ordinator of the I.D.E.A.S for Uganda initiative, discusses its work at Makerere University in Kampala. Background Intellectual Decisions on Environmental Awareness Solutions (I.D.E.A.S) for Uganda is among the fastest growing youth-led voluntary environmental organizations in East Africa. With chapters in primary, secondary schools and universities, the movement is progressively creating environmental awareness among…
Thinking Allowed on Schooling is crammed with down-to-earth common sense observations and advice, formed from exhaustive research and vast experience of all levels in the education system. As a Cumbrian colleague, I could be accused of bias in my comments about this book, but Mick Water’s track record speaks volumes. He started as a primary…
Outdoor environmental education cultivates curiosity and discovery in children, which are the fundamental building blocks of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), and it encourages students to make science a part of their everyday lives – so says a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, (and the Children and Nature Network). The report says: “Consider that engineering,…