Students aim to solve environmental issues

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Youth Environment Forum
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2010 12:41:06 +1200
From: Matt Velde

News release
09 April 2010

Students aim to solve environmental issues
Sir Peter Blake Youth Environment Forum
When: 11 - 15 April
Where: Portland Hotel, Wellington

Two students with a growing interest in environmental issues and a background in gardening will represent the Wellington region at this year’s Sir Peter Blake Youth Environment Forum.

Jessica Cross (year 12, Taita College) and Emma Calvert (year 12, Sacred Heart College) were selected by Greater Wellington Regional Council as the region’s delegates for this year’s forum. The forum is run by the Ministry for the Environment in partnership with the Sir Peter Blake Trust and in co-operation with regional councils. Forty-six students from throughout New Zealand are involved.

The forum’s main focus is the projects that the students work on. This year, the project topics are reducing emissions, managing waste, and caring for water. The students will present their project findings at a presentation ceremony at Parliament on Thursday 15 April.

Emma has a keen interest in environmental sustainability and last year researched, planted and maintained a vegetable garden at her school, produce from which was sold by the school canteen. She’s also interested in how environmental issues impact on people’s lifestyles and is currently studying the impact of climate change on Bangladesh.

“I’d really like to see what options there are for careers in the environment and sustainability fields and I’m hoping the forum will help me. But it’s also an opportunity to meet likeminded people from around the country and engage in some interesting projects.”

Jessica has also been involved in gardening, helping with the Naenae community and Rata St School gardens and also being a founding member of the Avalon Intermediate garden and she has a keen interest in water conservation – “we waste too much water in New Zealand,” she says.

“We’re planning to start up our own eco group at school to make the school, and later our local community, more environmentally friendly. I’m hoping that the forum will give me plenty of ideas to help get the group up and going.”

Jessica’s also excited about visiting parliament. “I would like to get involved in policy making around the environment so the chance to visit parliament is a great one.”

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