Pupils go green on Earth Day and beyond

Earth Day is every day and can be anywhere that you are – something the Foundation of Light is keen to highlight the importance of.

The Foundation works with hundreds of primary and secondary school pupils delivering workshops focussing on environmental issues, including saving energy, plastic pollution and food waste.

Youngsters take part in activities including looking at how to reduce waste at home and school, making pledges, looking at new vocabulary and having group discussions as well as being tasked with make their own campaign to help improve environmental issues.

These sessions are carried out partnership with Premier League Communities and Primary Stars resources.

Pupils from schools across County Durham have been putting into practise what they have been taught during these sessions and actioned throughout their school days.

The Foundation team visited Bloemfontein, Edmondsley, Stanley Burnside Primary and Lanchester EP to deliver special environment themed days, Pupils created posters with recipes using leftover food for children to take home and share with parents and eco-clubs were also formed, where each week used plastic was collected and made it into pencil pots that could be used around school.

Lewis Graham, a teacher from Lanchester EP, told us how pupils had become a lot more vigilant during lunch breaks: “At dinner time I saw a few of the children ask the dinner staff not to put as much food on their plates because they were concerned about the waste. That was quite nice to see.”

See a full photo gallery of the pupils' efforts on the Foundation of Light's official Facebook page.  The first Earth Day was 50 years ago, urging people to protect the environment. Today, that message echoes louder than ever.