Climate Change Champion 2011
2011 was always going to be an important year for me; my GCSEs completed, sixth form education started and a long eleven weeks of fun, frolic and lie-ins in between the two. If only I had a really big project to fill some time up I thought to myself...
Then, in December, having entered the contest some weeks previously, I received news that I had been selected as one of the semi-finalists of the Assembly-run Climate Change Champion 2011 competition and promptly hopped on a train to some government offices in Swansea, venue of said semi-final. After a gruelling day of interviewing, presenting and tuna sandwich eating I returned home with the aim of tackling climate change head-on whether I won the competition or not. Hoorah!
Fast forward to January and I’m in the Senedd in Cardiff. I’ve been successfully selected as one of five Champions and was being ‘launched’ to the media. Hooray! Over the weekend I meet some truly inspirational people, including the Environment Minister Jane Davidson, activist George Marshall and previous Champions, who were all very supportive. I felt at last that I understood the role fully and was ready to move forward with it - and was in the paper!
But what is a Climate Change Champion?
Well, good question. The competition first ran in 2008, when fellow Sprouter and all round good-egg Tom Williams was selected, and is aimed at Welsh teenagers with a passion for protecting the planet. I’d like to think that I’ve always been the latter, and am certainly the former, so saw the competition as a fantastic opportunity to further my own understanding whilst helping others to change their ways.
As a Champion, I am to talk at events to persuade local groups, businesses and my friends and family to be more aware of their daily impact on the Earth. So far I have attended a CHASE (Church Action on Sustaining the Environment) meeting, where I discovered the things that the Church in Wales is doing, and have discussed plans for a vegetable patch and wind turbine at school.
11 for 2011?
Yes indeed, the Government’s 11 actions for 2011. We want you to pledge to do at least three things this year to help reduce your carbon footprint, and have formed a list of eleven things we think most people can do. For example, this month we are focused on getting people to use a washing up bowl rather than running the tap when doing the dishes and to do one less clothes washing load a week, avoiding half loads. These two steps are easy enough to implement into routine and will cut water bills as well as energy usage! To pledge, please visit this ‘ere page and follow links on the site for more information.
It will be an exciting year for me and I hope that I can make a real difference in my community by showing people how easy it is to make small individual changes that will make a big difference collectively. Together we are stronger!
If you wish to contact Tom as a Champion, please email tombevan.climatechangechampion@gmail.com
We must sustain the earth, as it in turn sustains us.
Info Education Post 16 Education Sixth Form
Info Environment Conservation and Environment Climate Change
IMAGE: water supply call by - Ariful H Bhuiyan -
4 Comments – Postiwch sylw
Sprout Editor
Rhoddwyd sylw 63 mis yn ôl - 24th February 2011 - 10:03am
Congratulations tommy b, what an amazing opportunity. I hope your work inspires more young people to think green.
Jackofalltrades
Rhoddwyd sylw 63 mis yn ôl - 3rd March 2011 - 22:55pm
well done tom, i remember you saying you'd never get selected!
i'm sure you'll do a great job, cant think of a more fitting candidate!
Dan (Sub-Editor)
Rhoddwyd sylw 63 mis yn ôl - 3rd March 2011 - 23:09pm
Couldn't have gone to a better person. Congrats!! :)
EmilySprout
Rhoddwyd sylw 63 mis yn ôl - 4th March 2011 - 09:49am
Well done :)