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Archived press release

Young people take action on climate change

8 November 2005

Sixty per cent of young people, aged 8-14, are concerned that the world will suffer the effects of climate change when they are adults and more than seventy per cent of them already take action at home or school to save energy, a new survey reveals today. The results are published as part of Friends of the Earth's activity week for schools `Shout about climate change', which runs from 7-11 November 2005.

Climate change is again high on the international agenda, as world leaders prepare for talks in Montreal, Canada at the end of November 2005. This will be their first meeting since the Kyoto Protocol became law in February 2005.

The TNS survey, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, asked if young people ever did any of the following and found that:

• 73% walk or cycle instead of getting a lift
• 74% make sure the TV, computer, DVD or stereo is off and not on stand-by
• 82% make sure they switch the lights off when they leave a room
• Pupils around the country will be taking part in activities ranging from:
• designing posters on the theme `What can we do about climate change?'
• taking part in climate change quizzes
• designing eco-cars
• running energy audits on schools and homes
• taking part in energy saving days
• organising walk to school days or travel surveys
• holding debates about climate change
• performing plays
• making videos about climate change

Friends of the Earth's education co-ordinator, Vicki Felgate, said:

"With so much enthusiasm being shown throughout the schools, both teachers and students are certainly demonstrating that they are not only concerned about climate change but are ready to do something about it. And as our survey shows, many young people are already taking action by saving energy at home and at school."

"Over one thousand five hundred teachers have requested our shout about pack and we've already had some great entries for our climate change poster competition."

Notes

• The TNS survey, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, interviewed 1002 children aged 8-14 via the internet from 5-12 October 2005.
• The `Shout about climate change' pack, published by Friends of the Earth, is a free resource for teachers and contains key facts, ideas for lesson plans, assemblies and activities such as how to design an eco car, a climate quiz or role play.
• The pack, which links in with the National Curriculum, also has details of a free DVD with visual resources and a poster design competition. Topics can be studied as a series of lessons for teachers of Citizenship, PSHE, Geography, Science, Maths, English and Art.
• Teachers and youth workers can sign up for a free pack on www.foe.co.uk/learning/educators/ or call Friends of the Earth on 020 7490 1555.
• Around 1,500 schools have requested Friends of the Earth's 'Shout about climate change' pack and hundreds have signed up to take part in the `Shout about climate change' poster design competition.
• In May 2005 Friends of the Earth launched a new multi-media climate change campaign, The Big Ask www.thebigask.com. The Big Ask cinema ad, which features children aged 3-11 speaking about climate change, is running in dozens of cinemas.

If you are a journalist seeking press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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