In Part 1, we saw a huge mind map that pupils at Peel Hall Primary School had drawn about climate change when working with Manchester Environmental Education Network (MEEN).

Following this, the pupils declared they needed to be ambassadors for climate change in order to help change people’s behaviour and were excited at the prospect of running a ‘Carbon Classroom’ on MEEN’s stall at Andy Burnham’s 2019 Green Summit.

They practised their skills first by running a Carbon Classroom for a Year 5 class, when they taught other pupils in the school about climate change.  This session not only shared their knowledge but also built their confidence for their task at the Green Summit.

On the day of the Mayor’s Green Summit, the team enjoyed attending MEEN’s ‘Speak Out’ workshop which encouraged and supported young people in considering their concerns and communicating them – they were particularly pleased that the Mayor came to hear what they had to say.  They also enjoyed looking at the low carbon vehicles outside the conference, but most of all they thought that running the Carbon Classroom was the most useful and enjoyable part of the conference.

The team ran the stall inviting pupils from other schools and adults to engage in climate change activities and they also mixed and mingled with adult conference attendees asking them to discuss the issues.

The pupils reported back that they ‘were amazed that some of the adults at the Summit stopped and listened to them’ with the school staff pointing out that such conversations with adults highlighted how dialogue was a ‘good way to solve conflicts’.  The pupils also thought that the people willing to talk to them were probably ‘already campaigning for change’ and were keen to identify people who ‘need telling’, suggesting that they should wear badges such as ‘Oil Company’ so that they would be able to target their stall questions more effectively.

The school is intending to take more steps to protect the planet by planning to hold an ‘Earth Day’ Festival to raise awareness and have begun improving their school grounds by beginning to compost, by planting for pollinators and have attempted to stop cars from dropping off and picking up immediately outside the school gates. They are also looking into becoming an Eco School.

You can see how much electricity GMCR’s solar panels at Peel Hall Primary School have generated this week here.