harrow agenda 21 newsletter spring 2009

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School

Environmental

Network

Newsletter

Spring Term 2009

DONT FORGET...THINK GLOBAL...ACT LOCAL

Time for change?

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2009.As I put together this issue, the new USPresident Barack Obama is steppinginto his new role. Will this mean achange in the US attitude to climatechange policy?

Meanwhile, the UK is enforcing its re-strictions on the carbon emissions ofbus inesses through its Cl imateChange Bill. The Carbon Trust, a UKorganisation, is offering small busi-

nesses loans and grants to help themreduce their carbon footprint.

Why not incorporate the debate intoyour classes? How to balance theneeds of business and the economywith protecting the environment?Business studies students, in particular,could benefit from understanding thechallenges of running a business in the21st century.

Meanwhile, the rest of this newsletter ispacked with ideas to incorporate intoyour classroom or after school clubs.And find out more about how to get in-volved with the HA21 EducationGroup on 19 March.

We also look forward to more entriesto the Anne Swain Award 2009. Theprize money has gone up to 500.

Editor, Rupal MehtaE-mail: [email protected].

Anne Swain Aw ard 2009 - prizemoney goes up to 500

Dont forget to submit yourentries for the Anne SwainAward 2009. This year theprize money has gone up from200 to 500.

The competition invites pupilsand teachers to submit pro-

jects that have a sustainableor environmentally friendly theme. Pupils can makeindividual submissions in the form of coursework or

can work as a team, and create anything from arecycling project to pond conservation.

Budding journalists and artists may also submit ar-ticles, posters and cartoons to this newsletter.Entries may be accompanied by posters, CD-ROM,photos or video, but this is not essential.

To enter, e-mail: [email protected]: Friday 22nd May 09Pri ze: 500 for your schoo l.

LSEA Awards discontinued

Despite its popularity, the London School Environ-mental Award has been discontinued for the fore-seeable future. The decision made by LondonMayor Boris Johnson and his team is unfortunate,especially given the efforts made by Harrowsteachers to enter the competition (see the Autumn2008 newsletter).

However, the HA21 Anne Swain Award is still going

strong (see above).


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Note from Marilyn Raymond - Chair of HA21s EducationGroup .

Our autumn meeting was held at St Teresas, where teacher Margaret Atwell provided us with auseful overview on starting an Environment Club. More on this in the next newsletter.

Our Committee meetings will now become hands on for all...particularly as this way well getimmediate feedback and suggestions of your preferences. This worked well at our autumnmeeting, at which the consensus for our spring meeting was to take advantage of the longerevenings and have a guided walk over Bentley Priory Open Space. This is a site of specialscientific interest and the lake is a valuable Harrow site for your pupils. Details will follow, butmark up 4pm on Thursday 19th March in your diaries.

Finally another date for your diaries, Thursday 25th June, where following your requests, ThreeValleys Environment Centre and Waterworks will be pleased to host a follow up to ourprevious summer trip.

Best wishes for the New Year, and how about some feedback on our Newsletters. Let us publishyour fresh ideas to motivate your students in this new school year.

Marilyn Raymond0208 954 [email protected]

Diary datesMarch26 Shout about 2009Friends of the Earths activityweek is about finding solutions

to climate change in your localcommunity. A free resourcepack is available with KeyStage 3 linked resources(see our back page). Toreceive a pack, visit,www.foe.co.uk.

6-15 National Science andEngineering W eekwww.the-ba.net

22 World W ater Daywww.worldwaterday.org

23 World MeteorologicalDay www.wmo.int

AprilNational Pet Monthwww.nationalpetmonth.org.uk

7 World Health Day: Marksthe founding of the WHOwww.who.int

22Earth Daywww.earthday.org

Harrow Waste Time Capsule

Until recently we disposed of ourrubbish by burying it in theground as landfill. We have be-

come aware that we were dispos-ing of potentially useful materials.But did we ever stop to think whatbecame of the rubbish we buried?

You can investigate this with theHarrow Waste Time Capsule project for schools.

The Time Capsule is an open tray containing typical wastematerials: newspaper, supermarket plastic bag, plastic milkbottle, yoghurt pot, Royal Mail rubber band, woodenclothes peg, aluminium can, steel tin, and glass jar and lid.

The tray is an open tray of plastic-coated steel, which willbe long-lasting in the conditions it will experience.

The project uses three similar trays, all with the same ma-terials. You need a patch of ground which is not going to bedisturbed, or built on, or cultivated, and need somewherethat is accessible for two years. Two trays are buried onefoot deep, and the third tray is stored inside as the controlsample, in dry conditions, out of direct sunlight.

At the first anniversary one capsule should be dug up, andthe class or School Environment Club should examine the

contents to see how and if they have changed. At the sec-ond anniversary the second capsule is dug up, and exam-ined in the same way. Contact Marilyn Raymond for moreinformation (see above for contact details).


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The Earth P roject so far ...

The Earth Project, based on Newton Park West Allotments, Harrow, was officially opened by theCountess of Wessex in May 2007. It was developed by Harrow Council, Harrow College and theLearning Skills Council to foster and nurture the horticultural and environmental skills of young

people and the local community as the Boroughs first andonly Environmental Education Centre.

It was situated here as a seven-year project is rolled outto rebuild the estates of Rayners Lane. Those people withchildren under 5 years old will now be privy to a gardenand it is hoped that the Earth project staff and users caninspire those with a new garden to do wonderful thingswith it.

The first Earth Project BTEC (Land Based Industry)students graduated this summer, with several morecommencing their second year in September. Taster sessionshave already taken place for the new academic year intake,

with lots of interest due to the inclusion of new modules, oneof which is Care of Small Animals.

The Centre is now home to 14 rare breed chickens; Welsum-mers and Cream Leg-bars, some of whom areless than two weeks old!

Roger a beautifullop-eared rabbit has alsorecently joined the Earth Project fold and there are plansafoot to get another animal for more variety.

The Earth project has also seen Year 5 and Year 7 studentsfrom a local school visit weekly for several months as part ofa science project.

Year 5 took on three allotment plots, growing a variety of plants and vegetables. They also setup and managed an experiment whereby they grew seven different plants in 12 boxes of differ-ent media. These ranged from compost with fertiliser, to compost with just rain water or shred-ded paper. As can be imagined, some plants fared betterthan others and the experiment was a wonderful way ofhighlighting what a plant needs to grow well.

The Year 7s are a very able group and use the centre andthe 2.65 hectares of nature reserve next door to improve

their knowledge of habitats. There is much fun had ponddipping and bug hunting, then recording the results.

Our facilities allow us to cater for these and a wider varietyof users. We havea purpose builtclassroom with a kitchen as well as a male/female anddisabled toilet. There is a large poly-tunnel for thepropagation and protection of plants, which also servesas an extension to the classroom, meaning we can caterfor more than one user group at a time.

If you would like any more information, please do nothesitate to contact Sarah or Charlotte on 020 84228614, or email [email protected].


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The printing of this newsletter is supported by Prontaprint, Harrow

harrow agenda 21 newsletter spring 2009

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