Three Rivers students champion environment and sustainability at Youth Council

Students from nine schools convened on 26 June to showcase their projects that spotlight the environment and sustainability. They were then able to vote for a winning school.

Before that, youth and eco-council members from Little Green Junior School introduced each presentation and speaker. Rilla Paterson, an author and musician, kicked off the event by speaking about Jonathon Porritt’s book, "Where on Earth Are We Going?" And captivating the audience about the importance of environmental stewardship with stories from her musical play “Child of the Future”. Rilla also encouraged students to engage in small-scale sustainability practices like recycling, reducing meat consumption, and choosing products with minimal packaging.

Representatives from Sustainable Three Rivers then engaged the children with thought-provoking questions about the origins and travel distances of their food. They illustrated the concept of food miles by lining up nine food items from most to least miles travelled, advocating for the purchase of locally grown produce.

Each school highlighted various and important aspects of climate change, the environment and sustainability; ranging from recycling, reusing clothes, conducting litter picks, how to minimise waste, planting trees and wildflowers, and more.

However, it was Maple Cross School who were voted as the winner for organising an assembly on energy saving, conducting community litter picks, and winning the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award with distinction. Their Earth Day activities significantly reduced energy usage, cutting it by half in one day. They placed visual reminders around the school to encourage energy conservation and organised a litter pick that collected 11 bags of rubbish.

Katherine Simpson, Committee and Electoral Services Manager, said:  "The projects presented today reflect the commitment of our young people to a sustainable future. Their enthusiasm and innovative ideas inspire us all to take meaningful action."

The schools in attendance were:

Russell School

Rickmansworth Park JMI School

Yorke Meade

Malvern Way

Shepherds Primary School

Christ Church School

Maple Cross School

Arnett Hills School

Little Green Junior School