[174] Climate action help (and hand holding!)for schools – with Jo Pettifer from Let’s Go Zero

A Sustainable Life with Jen Gale

This week we're talking schools and climate action!
I'm chatting to Jo Pettifer who part of a growing team of Climate Action Advisors from climate charity Let's Go Zero, which is working to help schools in the UK to take climate action, with the ambitious goal of becoming carbon zero by 2030.
Jo shares in our chat that apparently around 45% of UK household's have a school aged person within them, meaning that there's huge scope for schools to not only educate our young people about how the world around them is changing around them and why, along with inspiring them about the roles they play in transitioning to a greener, cleaner, fairer future, schools are also able to have a much wider influence on parents and carers and on their local communities.
There are a LOT of resources out there for schools wanting to start to take climate action - I've linked in the shownotes to episodes of the podcast with Eco-Schools, the Ministry of Eco Education and Energy Sparks, and that really is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to brilliant resources and initiatives providing schools with the information that they need. What I love about this new project from Let's Go Zero with the Climate Action Advisors, is that they've recognised that schools don't need more info, they need help putting that information into action in their particular setting. The Climate Action Advisors are being rolled out across the country with the aim of being able to provide much needed 1:1 support for school leaders and sustainability leads, to start to take action, from helping them to figure out where they should start through to identifying funding sources, they're hopefully going to be able to help schools move from good intentions to a clear, well-structured plan and the all important actions that then follow on!

Jo Pettifer- Climate Action Advisor at Let's Go Zero

GOOD NEWS!
In the new Good News section after the main interview, I share some of the good climate news happening (because there is some, I promise!). Here's this weeks pick:

• EU criminalises environmental damages 'comparable to ecocide' (The Guardian)
• Tax on period pants abolished in Autumn Statement (BBC)
• And even closer to home, from my e-mail inbox just this morning. In response to my NOT another Black Friday e-mail, Elspeth got in touch to say : The Eco Church group I lead here, in Hampshire, runs a Toy Bonanza three times a year & at this time of year, it is aimed at Christmas gifting. We ask for donations of toys, books, puzzles and games suitable for giving and they are taken away for free at an event tomorrow. We have been inundated with donations which is wonderful! Anything not taken is given to charity shops and books go to school libraries etc. The aim is to save stuff going to landfill and to help when people are still faced with the cost of living crisis".
  I absolutely love this Elspeth! And I hope that by sharing it here it might spark some ideas for other people too!
  

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LISTEN...

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USEFUL LINKS:

• Let's Go Zero
  - Website
  - Instagram
  - Twitter
  - Linked In
  - Climate action advisors - the form to express your interest is here
  - Sign your school up to Let's Go Zero
  - Join the Team -vacancies at Let's Go Zero
  - Let's Go Zero Schools Webinars
  - School case studies
  - Schools toolbox
  - Ovo Foundation Nature Prize **Closing date Monday 27th Nov!!**
• Jo Pettifer on Linked In
• Ashden
• Ministry of Eco Education
• Energy Sparks
• Eco Schools
• Solar for Schools
• Global Action Plan
• Department for Education - Sustainability and climate change strategy
• National Education Nature Park
• The Pod - Switch off Fortnight
• Young People's Trust for the Environment
• Innovative Finance Project
• Sustainable(ish) at School - with Edd Moore
• [098] - Eco Schools
• [117] - Transforming Education with the Ministry of Eco Education
• [130] - More Climate Education Good Stuff with Paula Malone
• [133] - Youth Climate Action with the UK Schools Sustainability Network
• Carbon Literacy training
• The Sustainable(ish) Clubhouse
• Crap-free Christmas course
  

Image credit: Joel Pett

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What do you think?
Let me know if you’re going to get in touch with your local school to flag this to them, or indeed if you’re thinking about applying for one the roles!
Do let me know in the comments!

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