Act green: Borders schools for change
There was a buzz in the air at the Inspire Learning Centre in Tweedbank on Monday morning, when 33 students from seven high schools (Selkirk, Hawick, Kelso, Eyemouth, Galashiels, Earlston and Peebles were all represented) gathered to decide on a course of collective green action. The reason for the gathering was ‘ACT GREEN: Borders Schools for Change’, the next chapter in youth climate action in the Scottish Borders, and the most recent example of the young people of the region taking positive action on the climate in their communities.
The aim of the day was to have one collective campaign that all students agreed on by the end of the session, alongside identifying practical next steps that each school could take forward. Amidst excitement from the students, they were seated at tables with students from other schools and asked to share with each other what their campaign plans were (SBCAN had asked each school to come to the gathering with three to four ideas). As a table, pupils then decided which idea they wished to take forward. Each group then rotated, enabling them to read each other’s proposals and leave comments, praise, or to raise questions about how the proposal could work in practice. When the groups returned to their original table they were given time to think about how they could respond to the points raised by the other groups.
Each group’s plans were then stuck up on the wall and then all the students voted for the one they wanted to take forward. After a tight vote, it was decided to focus on food waste and composting. The aims of the campaign are to reduce the amount of food being wasted and to increase the amount of food waste being composted rather than sent to landfill. Each school came up with a plan of what they could do immediately to try and achieve their aims, whilst there was a wider discussion about other next steps such as writing to M.P.s, social media campaigns, spreading the plan around the schools and contacting other local organisations to take part or help out.
Both students and teachers were really positive about the session and the planned campaign. One student said: ‘I really enjoyed having the chance to talk about climate change, figuring out what we can do to make our school more eco friendly, and hearing other people’s ideas’. Afterwards a teacher from one of the schools let us know that ‘our S1 learners were buzzing when they returned and have already started to plan changes!’. It’s been so inspiring to see and hear the enthusiasm for implementing a programme of change. If you would like to support this campaign, please get in touch with Caitlin@sup.org.uk