One World, One Environment

8PBr (or those of them who hadn't disappeared off on holiday already anyway!) had a great end to their Environmental Issues unit this morning with a videoconference on "sustainability".

We linked up via Global-Leap in London with a lady called Mary Gower at the Centre for Alternative Technology in southern Snowdonia, and talked about resources, conflict, water, deforestation, Fairtrade, carbon footprinting, eco-footprinting and lots more. I particularly liked Mary's definition of sustainability - "treating the planet as though we intend to stay" - rather simpler than some of the others I've seen, but conveys the concept quite clearly!

The website that Mary mentioned where you can calculate your eco-footprint is here http://www.myfootprint.org/. There are lots of other eco-footprint and carbon footprint calculators online as well - this one from the WWF is quite good http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/ . I like to think that I am quite good in terms of recycling, switching off lights and appliances, using energy-saving lightbulbs, etc. BUT my eco-footprint according to the first quiz is 1.9 planets, and 2.7 planets according to the WWF one... both smaller than the UK average - but bigger than they should be!! The main reasons, I think, are driving to work, living by myself and not being vegetarian...

As for the Centre for Alternative Technology... I haven't managed to get there yet, but am quite keen to go and check it out (I've been told there's a fantastic café and bookshop there!!)... Have a look at their website by clicking on the banner below...

Work out your footprint and leave a comment to let us know what it was and how you are going to reduce it (if you need to!)... And if you've been to the C.A.T., tell us all about it!

Year 13 meet an Antarctic explorer...

If you were asked to name a famous Antarctic explorer, chances are it might be Robert Falcon Scott or Ernest Shackleton... But probably not this man!

The Yr 13 geographers though, were lucky enough to "meet" Tom Crean - sometimes referred to as the "Unsung Hero" of Polar exploration, via a videoconference with the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich last week.

Crean, who grew up near Annascaul, a small village in Co. Kerry, was part of three major South Pole expeditions - Discovery and Terra Nova with Scott, and Endurance with Shackleton. Unlike Scott and Shackleton, who both died on expeditions, however, Crean returned to Annascaul, where he married Nell and opened a pub called the South Pole Inn. He died in Annascaul in 1938, from a burst appendix...

Dubble Dubble...

My Yr8 group were very lucky today to have the opportunity to talk via video link to Louise, who works for an organisation called Trading Visions whose aim is to increase awareness and understanding of Fairtrade. Louise has been to Ghana and stayed with some of the cocoa farmers there - she told us all about where chocolate comes from and how it is produced, and explained how Fairtrade helps these farmers, and then we had an opportunity to ask some questions (which we did very well!).

Clicking on the Fairtrade logo will take you to the website of the Fairtrade Foundation where you can find out lots about Fairtrade, how it works and the Fairtrade products you can buy (it's not just chocolate, you know!)

While we're looking at the logo... What do you think it shows? I've heard lots of very interesting suggestions and ideas when I've asked groups this in the past!

Louise also talked about Dubble and Divine chocolate - both of which are produced by the Day Chocolate Company. Yr8s tasted some Divine chocolate yesterday and it's sold in Sainsbury's and other supermarkets so you can try it for yourself... Dubble is sometimes available in supermarkets, but you can definitely buy it in Oxfam shops. The Co-Op also sell loads of Fairtrade products, including their own brand Fairtrade chocolate.

Click on the pictures below to find out more about Dubble and Divine, sign up to be a Dubble Agent, and watch out for events (and chocolate tasting opportunities!) in school during Fairtrade Fortnight - between 26th February and 11th March... If you have ideas for Fairtrade activities or would like to help out, email geogtastic@yahoo.co.uk or come and see me in H5!