HELPING TO CLEAN UP OUR COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE
This weekend, I was out litter picking again spending a couple of hours on North Hill where there was plenty of food and drink litter along with spent fireworks in various locations but all in parking areas. I also found various empty firework selection boxes and plastic rocket launchers. All this must have been terrifying for the resident Exmoor Ponies and other wildlife on the hill. On Sunday, after a morning in the garden, I went down to Blue Anchor and walked along to Dunster Beach where I started my beach clean on the walk back. Not a large quantity but what I did collect was mostly small pieces of plastic, especially shards of plastic cups which I found every few steps. This is so time consuming to collect so I for one will be pleased when plastic cups and cutlery are banned which was announced a couple of days ago.
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After a very busy week at school with the children learning lots about the environment, it was rewarding to have an article in this week's West Somerset Free Press about what we've been up to. Yesterday, I received my 'Coastal Champion Award' in the post from Somerset Wildlife Trust. I have also received an invitation from Somerset County Council as I have been nominated for the 'Chair Award for Service to the Community' which takes place later this month.
While world leaders are meeting in Glasgow talking about what can be done to help our planet's future, myself and many others are continuing to try and make a difference to our environment. While promises are being made to reduce carbon emissions, in reality, a change of government can instantly break those promises as we have seen before.
We all need to encourage others to join the fight for our planet and our children's future. This weekend, I have been busy out on the beach again and this evening was at Bossington Beach in Porlock Bay where I collected plenty of plastic bottles, a plastic chemical container and a large piece of thermal insulation all washed up on the tide. I had to stop as the daylight had gone and I couldn't see what was there anymore! This week, I will be talking to the children at school about Climate Change including saving energy as part of 'Switch Off Fortnight' which starts tomorrow. My lesson will begin with each child having a piece of A4 paper and guessing how many times it will fold which I'm sure most of you know is 7. I will then ask them to guess how many times (if it were possible) would you need to fold it to equal the diameter of the earth. The answer is 37. This will take me nicely into my subject about our planet and see if they know if and why it is talked about in the news at present. I took a photo of the school's electric meter last Monday so will take them to the meter tomorrow to take a new reading. We will go back to class and work out the difference of how much electricity has been used and explain that we need to encourage everyone in school to save energy and see how much we can reduce it by next Monday and again the Monday after that. It is also important for them to know why it's important to explain how this helps our planet. I'll ask them to find out how many folds of paper it takes to reach the moon etc., by next Monday! Another thing I'm doing in my volunteering role at school is a new woodland project. The Steam Coast Trail is a path/cycle route near the school which is fairly new but lacks trees. As part of our Woodland Trust and Eco-Schools education, I have ordered enough trees for every child to plant a tree which will be numbered and recorded in a book with their name alongside. In years to come as these trees mature, they will create a green canopy and the children will grow up and be able to tell their children and grandchildren how they planted them in the autumn of 2021! With lots of other ideas lined up, I hope it will all help to make a difference to everyone's future. |
AuthorBorn in West Somerset, I have always been proud of where I live and want everyone else to enjoy it too! Archives
September 2022
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