St Mary's students attend secondary school Eco-Committee event

Why did the St Mary's Eco Committee attend this event?  

We were one of the nine schools invited to attend this event; this conference aimed to have representatives from all secondary schools in Cambridge. It was a great opportunity to network with other schools and organisations, learn what they were doing about sustainability in their schools and share our ideas and knowledge.  

Why was it important for us to attend?  

This experience was highly valuable and important for our students, as it provided a space for them to interact with others who care about the environment and see how others are making a difference to protect it. The experience offered the students a chance to feel proud of the work they have done. In addition to this they came away with ideas about things they want to try and implement to help the school be greener in the future. The student's personal takeaway does not digress from the conference's overall aim to link up schools to tackle sustainability in schools across Cambridge.  

What did the students do throughout the day?  

To begin the students attended a series of workshops and then a series of talks from a variety of different organisations, the topics included: switching to renewable energy, reducing the use of plastic, reversing species decline, and reducing the negative impact of food. Following on from this, each school was invited to get involved and put forward motions to be presented and discussed with everyone from the other schools. One of our students Tuppence, J-K.  in Year 10 spoke in front of the 150 students and adults about our proposal that all schools should aim to have one area of roof space made into a green, living roof.  

What is the main takeaway from this event?  

The students are excited to explore the possibility of solar panels as inspired by one of the workshops they went to. There are also plans to meet with the other sustainability leads from other schools about the next steps forward as schools across Cambridge work together to improve sustainability in our schools.