Shirley Halse, 15, from Chippenham, won through the national competition to become the new Young Climate Change Champion for the South West. Shirley successfully demonstrated how she would encourage behavioural change and tackle climate change in the South West.
The following is the script from the Low Carbon Hierarchy YouTube video:-
Hi, I’m Shirley, the 2008 South West Young Climate Change Champion. I want to encourage you to reduce your carbon footprint. Climate change is an important issue and we need to take action now!
The best way to take effective action is by using the low carbon hierarchy in our everyday lives, whether at home, school or at work. Together we can all play our part to act on CO2.
Let me explain what the low carbon hierarchy is. It has three simple steps.
STEP 1. REDUCE
The first, easiest and most cost effective of the 3 steps is to REDUCE. We should avoid wasting energy by not using it when we don’t need to.
This includes turning off unnecessary lights, turning the heating down to a sensible level – put on a jumper if you are feeling cold, don’t turn the heating up! Or walking or cycling for short journeys rather than taking the car.
It also means using energy more efficiently. For example use low energy light bulbs and choose equipment and appliances with low CO2 ratings. These both save money and reduce your CO2 emissions.
STEP 2. REPLACE
After reducing your CO2 emissions, the next step is REPLACE. This means replacing fossil fuels where ever possible with renewable sources of energy such as the energy created by the wind turbine that you can see behind me. Or if you still need to use fossil fuels, use the most energy efficient systems that you can. For example, upgrading your boiler.
STEP 3. NEUTRALISE (but only after taking action on steps 1 and 2)
The next and final step is to NEUTRALISE your remaining unavoidable CO2 emissions. You can do this by supporting projects that reduce CO2 emissions or by planting trees. As trees grow, they absorb CO2 from the air and they improve the environment for supporting wildlife.
So there you have it. It’s easy. Just remember:
1. Reduce
2. Replace, and
3. Neutralise.
And do your bit to help protect our amazing planet – for everyone’s sake, just do it!
The new Climate Change Champions had an action packed, fact finding expedition in the Netherlands immediately after their appointment. The trip enabled the nine young ambassadors to witness the impacts of climate change on a low lying country and see the adaptation techniques used in the Netherlands first hand. During the visit the Climate Change Champions:
• Completed a fact-finding hunt across Amsterdam;
• Met Frans Timmermans, Dutch Minister for Europe and the British Ambassador in a Climate Change special reception;
• Saw a high-tech solar powered car and heard how it was developed;
• Visited Madurodam, a miniature Holland complete with dams, dykes and examples of water management;
• Sailed to Q7 Wind Park to see wind turbines in action on the North Sea;
• Heard how landscapes shaped by industrial development can be revitalised and used again;
• Toured a specially designed Energy Park and Gewoonboot which enables inhabitants to be zero carbon and sustainable.
Shirley said: "Our trip was inspirational. The Netherlands have proved that sustainable living can be achieved and now we need to take action. It has given me new optimism and lots of ideas which I hope to use to spread my message in the year ahead.'
Lucy Stansfield joins the other young climate change champions to see the impacts of climate change on a Swiss glacier, July 2006
Lucy Stansfield pictured with glaciologist Dr Michael Zemp looking at the Gurschen Glacier.
The Gurschen glacier, nearly 3,000m (10,000 feet) above sea level, is melting like many others across the world, with the worst damage taking place in the summer. The glacier has sunk 20m (66 feet) over the past 15 years, making Andermatt's ski slopes very inaccessible.
Researchers say that 70 per cent of Switzerland's glaciers will disappear in the next 30 years, due to the effects of global warming. In a bid to stop the glacier retreating further, scientists have put a thin protective layer of foil covering an area of around 3-4,00 square metres (about 43,000 sq ft).
Before leaving for Switzerland Lucy said, "The Swiss trip will be a great experience for all of us champions. I am so excited to learn new information on climate change and see some of the effects for myself. I hope to learn and tell people that just because we can't necessarily see the effects of
climate change in England, we are not damaging the planet. The trip I'm sure will be an eye-opener for everyone and it will make all the champions more aware of the dangers of climate change than we are already. I will be taking photos - visual evidence will be a great help so kids my age can see the effects that not turning off the light has!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lucy Stansfield addresses major climate change summit in London
Lucy spoke on 13 July 2006 alongside Environment Minister Mr Ian Pearson at a major youth climate change four-day summit, at the Natural History Museum, London. Lucy also met Chinese environment ambassadors attending the summit.
Speaking at the summit, Lucy said that unless action was taken now, the world would look a very different place. She said that too many young people felt that climate change was still years away or that it was happening elsewhere and would only mean melting ice caps and hotter summers.
"I am here to tell you that it does matter. If we don't act now, this glorious world will not exist as we know it. Instead, low-lying
land will disappear under the rising sea and fertile land will turn into desert. Our homes contribute 30 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions - so we are all responsible."
"But it is surprisingly easy to make a difference and often its just a case of common sense.
My challenge to you is simple - it is to not only talk about climate change but to do something about it - so that you can prove that young people of the UK are working together to tackle climate change," she added.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This is Lucy's report on her reaction to being appointed as the South West's Young Climate Change Champion:-
Lucy Stansfield (previous South West Champion) meeting David Miliband, Secretary of State for Environment
When I went to London, the whole time was amazing. I never even imagined I’d get this far! When I went for the interview, I was so nervous; it felt like my tummy was doing flips!
I got to where they were holding the interview and they announced that they were running early, so before I knew it, I was in there talking to them about why I felt strongly for climate change.
Anyway, after that I got informed that I had won the competition. I was so thrilled and it has just about hit me, but only just.
When I went to London I could hardly believe that in a couple of hours I would be meeting all these VIPs.
We got to the Defra headquarters (Nobel House) where we were rushed into a room, where we met Ian Pearson (the Minister of Climate Change) and were handed our certificate. That was all too good and we were all blown away by the whole experience. We then WALKED to Number 10 where we met Sir David King who represents the government on climate change.
We all had questions to ask him and mine was: ' 50,000 people die every year due to climate change, how can we significantly reduce this figure?' He replied, '”Everyone can do their bit to try and stop climate change, it's not just down to factories like most people think but at the end of the day the whole world is going to be
affected by the devastation of climate change.'”
We then were all showed into the gardens, where we met David Milliband, who is the new Secretary of State for the Environment. He was very nice and genuine, he really made you feel like he really cared for the environment. Then to our surprise who came out of the house but, Tony Blair!
He talked to us about what we feel about climate change and what we did to win this competition, he shook our hands and we walked around the gardens, he even talked to the boys about which football team they support! After that he had individual photos taken with the champion and their parent. When that had finished we went outside to answer
to the media. We went on TV and talked to newspapers etc.
When we got back to the hotel, the people at Defra got a call telling us that Tony Blair was so impressed that he wanted us to go back and do a live report for the live lunchtime news on ITV! We didn't think it could get any better than that and never wanted it to end, but this is only the beginning!
I am so privileged to have this role and I am not going to waste it. I want Britain to do something about climate change. That could mean not using your cars when you could walk - that is good all-round, you won't be polluting and you will burn off that pizza you had for lunch! Turn lights off, wear a jumper and turn down the heating. Ooh, and not
forgetting, turn off the taps while brushing your teeth!!!
