Confronting climate change

Boys took part in a broad range of activities to mark Climate Week 2015 – including one day when computers, projectors and even electric lights were banished from Geography lessons.

Run by the Geography department with help from Sixth-Formers, the programme aimed to engage pupils and inspire them to learn more about climate change. It featured a different event on each day.

The boys particularly enjoyed eating popcorn as they watched Avatar on a special film day. The film tells the story of how mining operations threaten the existence of an indigenous tribe on the planet Pandora.

“Climate Week is the biggest climate-change campaign in the UK,” said Geography teacher Sarah Jones. “It aims to raise awareness of the issues, and to showcase practical solutions for a sustainable future.”

Each year half a million people participate in approximately 3,000 events run by schools, businesses, councils and charities.

Other events at QE included a quiz, with eight teams competing in an inter-house competition. The winning team (pictured above) was Sanjeayan Mathivannan, Rahul Patel, Pranay Pindoria and Bishoy Yassa, representing Pearce.

Questions included: ‘What cold-weather phenomenon did Scotland experience in February?’ (Arctic Weather Bomb); ‘In which South American country has the first football pitch been installed, where electricity is produced when football is played on it?’ (Brazil) and ‘By how many degrees has the planet warmed up by since 1880?’ (0.850C).

The Geoexplorers Club enjoyed a ‘climate change special’ at which they were asked to simulate a business environment where they had to decide how to make their business more environmentally friendly, whilst increasing their profits.

“Working with the Sixth-Formers to organise the events has been very rewarding,” added Dr Jones. “Special thanks go to Kischan Sivayoganathan, of Year 12, for helping put the quiz together and to Sajjad Dar and Toby Feszczur-Hatchett, also of Year 12, for helping on the day.”