Summary of Coventry Students Desired Actions on Climate Change
This is a 16 minute summary of Coventry student requests to Coventry City Council for action on Climate Change. It was recorded at Climate Emergency Forum held in Coventry Council House on 15 March 2019 organised by United Nations Association Coventry Branch.
There is an annotated video of the whole event here.
A list of the main points is given below the video.
Contents of this page
Eco-Teams
Every school should have an environmental council or eco-team.
Aims of Eco-Teams
- Harness the energy and passion of students and others who want to take action on climate change.
- Work with their School Council to promote carbon emission reduction.
- Help Coventry become carbon neutral.
- Help change students’ attitudes to climate change.
- Encourage students to talk and take action about the environment and climate change.
Cllr Roger Bailey suggested involving Ward Councillors in eco-teams in schools.
Examples of what eco-teams could do
- Make sure there are recycling bins around school site.
- Encourage school canteens to stop using disposable cups, plates and utensils.
Eco-Committee
Coventry City Council should form an Eco-Committee consisting of representatives from each Eco-Team, city councillors and others. The Eco-Committee would meet in the Council House.
Aims of Eco-Committee
To share ideas and best practice and to coordinate action on recycling, reduction of carbon emissions and environmental protection between schools, the city council and other bodies and organisations within the city.
Stigma
There is a massive stigma about being different. If you voice your passion about the climate you are suddenly an outsider. You are not socially acceptable. You should not be listened to but ridiculed.
Forming eco-teams to work with school councils we can start to break down this stigma and get people to voice their true opinions.
How to change attitudes
University lecturers could go into schools, run assemblies and explain the facts about climate change.
Climate Emergency Declaration
The City Council should follow the many other councils which have declared a Climate Emergency and set a target date to be carbon neutral. People and others students would then take the matter more seriously.