Footprint Friends

COP 15 - Our Young Reporters meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu!

Swampy — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:10:00 GMT

By Annie Pickering, Busra Kaya and Beatrice Muia Kathuku

Archbishop Desmond Tutu today praised young people for fighting for climate justice in Copenhagen. In the pic below Busra and Beatrice have a moment to ask questions:

The Archbishop, who was at the crucial summit to ensure poorer countries get a fair deal, said: "It's great to see so many young people at the summit. They are right to say 'this is our world too, you elders have made a mess of things and should get out of the way'."The 78-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner also voiced his concern that the proposed two degrees Celsius cap on the average global temperature would be catastrophic for his native Africa. "In Africa this would mean an increase of three to four degrees Celsius - and that's hell. "We used to have spring, summer, autumn and winter but now the seasons have become completely unpredictable, we are really at the mercy of the heavens.

"When you don't have food, when you don't have shelter, when you begin to suffer from disease such as malaria and cholera, those are human rights issues, especially when it is something which is caused by human action," he said. The veteran human rights campaigner had earlier listened to graphic accounts from people who had witnessed first-hand the terrible effects of Climate Change. One woman from Bangladesh was on the brink of tears as she described how her home was swept away by cyclone Sidr in 2007.

Archbishop Tutu added: "It is vital that we hear stories like these. We must listen to competing voices and act upon them."

"The disaster is already in progress, but we have it in our power to end this injustice". When asked what he does at home to combat climate change Archbishop Tutu said: "I want to be resting with my grandchildren, but I'm here! That is what I am doing."

Swampy commented;

In the Pic below Beatrice who lives in Kenya had her own story to tell and quite remarkably held an audiance at a COP side event describing what the impact of climate change has meant for her community. Even more amazing is that for Beatrice this is the first time she has ventured outside of her village - she has been a total inspiration to us all in the Plan International team with a beautiful singing voice too!!

COP 15 - Voices of the Future Engage

Swampy — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:44:00 GMT

Hello - We are getting ready for an important opportunity for young people to be heard as Leaders of Today engage in Dialogue with Leaders of Tomorrow

This afternoon our Plan International Young Reporters team the 'young leaders of tomorrow' will engage in a public dialogue with representatives from the UN and leading international NGOs. Topic of discussion is the humanitarian impact of climate change and its consequences for our world’s children and future generations.

This is exciting as today - Tuesday 15th December, children and youth representatives will engage in a dialogue with a panel of humanitarian leaders.

The panel consists of

Bekele Geleta, Secretary General, IFRC
Jet Li, One Foundation, WHO Goodwill Ambassador
John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
Mary Robinson, President, Realizing Rights
Josette Sheeran, Executive Director, WFP

The dialogue is moderated by Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Secretary General, Save the Children and Anita Bay Bundegaard, Cultural Editor, Politiken

Ulla Tørnæs, Denmark's Minister for Development Cooperation, will give an opening statement.

Place: Politiken House, Vester Voldgade 33, Porten, København V

We'll update you on the result!

Miliband chooses finance over youth!

Leo_171 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:13:36 GMT

We had arranged a private meeting with UK enegry Secretary Ed Miliband, just as we got there, we were told that he had been called to chair a meeting on Climate Finance.

Quite a let down.

Luckily, however we are working with our partners at UK Youth Climate Coalition to rearrange the meeting with Mr Miliband.

All we can do hope!

Until tomorrow!

Miliband acts bold

Leo_171 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:57:00 GMT

Environment ministers must ''get their act together'' to prepare a deal for world leaders to sign at the end of the week, UK Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said Monday.

Environment ministers from all over the world have now arrived at the ongoing UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, and Ed Miliband urged his colleagues to leave only few issues behind to be resolved by heads of state and government.

''I've always said the leaders' role in this process is incredibly important to get the final pieces of the jigsaw in place. But what we cannot do is leave a whole slew of issues to leaders,” Miliband said, according to The Telegraph.

''I think that the very clear message for negotiators and ministers is that we need to get our act together and take action to resolve some of the outstanding issues that we face… We're now getting close to midnight in this negotiation and we need to act like it.“

In an explanation of why the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will arrive two days early to Copenhagen, Miliband said: “It’s a sign that negotiations are moving too slowly. He can play a very important role in brokering and negotiating key issues but frankly it’s up to negotiators and ministers not to leave everything to the leaders.”

Ed Miliband stressed two important outstanding issues: “There are two outstanding issues that I think all countries face, frankly, in this, which is whether we are willing to stand behind our commitments and say that we're going to do what we promise and, secondly, the precise system of monitoring, reporting and verification to make sure people actually follow through on what they promise.''

COP15 from Annie

annie — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:47:15 GMT

Its the firts day in the cop15 Bella Centre and it is manic!

COP 15 Updates

aakash — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:15:00 GMT

So I am sitting here at COP STILL waiting for the plenery session to open up.

We were kicked out after waiting for hours

So they better have come up with a legally binding treaty in that time or they will be hearing from me a hell of a lot more

I am thinking of going on a fast - there is a big campaign for it

What do you think?

PS have another meeting with ed tonight do you guys have any questions??

COP 15 - CRISIS

Leo_171 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:14:00 GMT

I managed to only recently get into the Bella Centre where the whole COP15 is meeting, and boy is it busy!

I was informed that the talks so far have broken down; already a deal at Copenhagen has been compromised.

Tonight, however, we have the opportunity to meet Ed Miliband at his hotel for a private meeting without Press access. It should be great.

So far, COP has proven to be very exciting, busy and a big rush!

However, it is only my first day and so I remain hopeful for future events and that they will not break down!

Watch this space!!

Live from Copenhagen COP 15

Swampy — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:23:00 GMT

Monday 14th inside cop. Everywhere - there are loads of people working on laptops sharing news and information around the world it's quite crazy. Our Plan International team are now sat in one of the main pleanary areas as UN NGO observers and we've just met up with some of the UKYCC - including Hanah Thomas who was took part in our wow awards last month. See pic below...

We are waiting to hear about the country delegations view on long term emission reduction goals and the relationship to sustainable development. Big area for debate is how to ensure consistency in how targets are met. The mood in here is low, and not optimistic. The session is already late starting. Every one is wondering what the problem is.

From the people we've spoken to around us there is a sense that there is a stale mate - however in the shiver of the morning queue this morning I met someone from Scotland who said that scotish parliament has legislated for 42% emmisions reduction on 1990 levels by 2020 so that was positive! Ed miliband had just walked in to rousing cheers from the UKYCC crowd with comments like 'make a stand ed' 'speak up ed' 'do the right thing ed' we'll see .....

Update

Crisis... the talks have been suspended to resume at 1.30... we have been waiting here from 11 am after getting up at 5am to get in.

Arhhh more frustration .... after waiting until 1.30 all the NGOs have been asked to leave. Our Young reporters Annie and Aakash are very upset to have had their time wasted. But at least they got to ask Ed Miliband What is going on? To which he replied "don`t ask me I am just a minister!!!!! See pic below!!

cars

meaghan o.l.q.p eco — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:35:49 GMT

have you heard of a smart car

well if you have theres no point of reading this

but if y ou havent read this!!

its a little car for 2 and it saves the planet what could be better !!

but its still much better to walk for you and the enviroment

ideas for your foot

meaghan o.l.q.p eco — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:35:19 GMT

foot print

paint your very own foot with lots of different things yours meaghan o.l.q.pxx

e.g

.pudsey for clidren in need

.recycle

.red nose for red nose day

.trees -planets

and many more

school

meaghan o.l.q.p eco — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:51:31 GMT

hi 10 -18 yrs

why dont you start a campain in your school

like a green day or green week or even month

some ideas

. dont use lights

.bring in a expert

. or in the summer plant seeds ( for mor ideas send me a message or even a friend request!)

your meaghan o.l.q.p eco

save planet

mobiles

meaghan o.l.q.p eco — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:52:51 GMT

most people have a mobile phone

but has any one heard of envirophone.com

well its a website where you give your old phone to help the enviroment

i admit before i heard about this i threw away my phones

so mabey you can recycle your old mobiles

make a difference

Organise a Foot painting session at your school - a teachers review

richard — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:55:00 GMT

Are you a teacher looking thinking about organising a Foot painting Session to engage your pupils in climate change debate?

The following is a write up by a member of staff at the Portsmouth Girls School...

Footprint Friends at City of Portsmouth Girls’ School by Clare Rhodes

"A group of Year 10 pupils attended the ‘Women in Leadership’ conference held in at St Swithuns School in Winchester on 16th September 2009. One of the keynote speakers was Karen Ford, founder of Footprint Friends. The idea really caught our imagination and we decided that it was something we could get involved in at school. This group of pupils was tasked with leading the initiative within their year group. They designed posters and flyers to promote the idea in school and wrote a blog on the Footprint Friends website. Their job was to spread the word and organise a workable arrangement for actually painting the feet during school.

It worked really well. We allocated a morning when all year 10 pupils had a double lesson of Science and used an empty lab as the painting area. Footprint Friends were great and came laden with all the equipment we needed, we just had to provide the feet! The leadership group helped with getting all the feet painted and kept hot water and towels coming throughout the morning. They worked really hard, we had 200 girls come in groups of 25. It was great fun and there was a really nice calm atmosphere the whole time, it wasn’t hectic (as I had predicted). I think the key to the success of the venture was that it was led by the pupils, they were totally committed to making it work, were very firm with their peers about keeping to time and were on hand to answer any questions.

After every class had finished, the leadership group painted their own feet, the local newspaper came to take pictures and wrote about the campaign. We were in the Portsmouth Evening News on Monday 23rd November – Fame!

Overall it was a lot of fun with a serious message which was both topical and relevant to the girls. They will certainly be more aware of what is happening in Copenhagen in December and interested in the outcome."

Outward Bound... Cumbria!

richard — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:30:00 GMT

This week the npower Climate Cops are on their outward bound course and I am off to see them

Tomorrow we will be painting our feet and writing eco poetry with 100 young people from schools all over the country! The best poem and best foot art will win an energy monitor so that they can see exactly how much electricity they use in their home.

I hope the rain in Cumbria will not be as bad as the news has been reporting over the past couple of days and I hope all those people who have been affected by the floods recover quickly - if you have been affected by the floods reply to this blog or start a new forum post - tell us what it has been like.

See all you Climate Cops tomorrow!

Foot Friday!

SLemmon — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:23:00 GMT

Today we have combined Anti Bullying week and Footprint Friends to create Foot Friday!

Pupils and staff alike are allowed to wear their boots; the crazier, brighter and funnier the better! We are also painting our feet for the cause!

We are aiming to get the whole of our yr 10 girls' feet painted today! We are all ready half way through! It's so easy to do you just a make sure that they don't walk around with the bottoms of their feet painted!

Our Headteacher, Mrs S. Watt has had her picture taken with her Doc Martin's, Leah's and Abbie's 'footprint friends' feet and Izzy's Children In Need Pudsey! As the day proceeds the ideas are getting more crazy ! so far it's been a great day and you should definately get involved !!!

From,

The CPGS leadership team.

we're the most technically savvy, most connected and biggest generation

cterkuile — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:52:30 GMT

In less than three weeks I'll be heading over to the UN climate talks in Copenhagen that everyone is talking about. There'll be 24 of us, all from the UK, all under 25, to bring the voices of our generation to these massively important negotiations. All of us have been getting into our local newspapers, fundraising (also to make sure some of the Kenyan Youth Climate Coalition can come!), and choosing our outfits.

But - and it's a bit of big but - over the last few weeks, politicians have been trying to make us think that Copenhagen isn't so important. Because they've been so slow at reaching agreements on things like cutting carbon pollution and providing money for poor countries to adapt to a warmer climate, those politicians are now telling us that they won't reach a 'legally binding agreement'. This means essentially that they can all say lovely things, even though they won't actually have to do anything back home. Not good.

So what can we do to change this? It seems daunting doesn't it?

Well, luckily enough there's a general election in the first half of next year. And we all know that politicians are desperate to be re-elected, and that they love hearing from young people! So I would suggest that you organise a little something - perhaps you'll got to the Wave in London or Glasgow on December 5th, or maybe a film night to show the Age of Stupid - and remember to write to your local paper and MP! They will be surprised to hear what you're up to and you'll definitely make an impression if you tell them that you'll tell everyone to be voting on climate change as their top issue in the next election.

Remember - we're the most technically savvy, most connected and biggest generation (over 50% of the world is made up of young people!), so don't be shy.

Let's go make Copenhagen a success!

Casper

Eco friendly is cool

eco warrior — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:50:43 GMT

Taja Sevelle, the American singer/songwriter and R& B recording artist, who set up a project called Urban Farming across the USA which has won a 2009 award. She has just been in touch today and said she would like to be a sponsor for our new eco garden. http://www.urbanfarming.org/

Seven large trees have been planted over the last few days to landscape the site before we start on planning where to put the raised beds, pond, seating areas, polytunnel, composting areas and wildlife features. If anyone else would like to sponsor us or help please contact the college on 01642 808285 and ask for David Saddington.

do you learn about climate change at school?

green kid — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:56:04 GMT

At my school we are learning all about climate change i was just wondering if other schools learn this too, because i think it is very important to learn and understand what is happening with climate change and global warming.

i would love to hear about if you are learning this at your school.

kids speak up at environment 09

Swampy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:53:00 GMT

Monday 9th November 2009 children from Christ Church School in Camden joined the Environment Agency and Footprint Friends to have their say on climate change

25 children aged 10 to 11 attended environment 09, the Environment Agency's annual conference in London to take part in Footprint Friends' One Million Feet to Copenhagen campaign.

[YouTube:sCw83XPYzqQ]

As you guys are aware (please take part also) Footprint Friends is aiming to take one million photographs of painted feet to Copenhagen to highlight the views of future generations to decision makers at the crucial climate summit. It's a tall order! So come on team get painting!!

The children were joined by Julian Feasby, Head of Internal Environmental Management at the Environment Agency.

This is the first time the Environment Agency's annual conference has involved young people in recognition of the impact that climate change has on future generations.

Julian Feasby, Head of Internal Environmental Management at the Environment Agency, said "Climate change is one of the biggest issues facing future generations. Young people are the policy makers, business leaders, scientists and engineers of the future. For the first time we're giving younger generations the opportunity to contribute to one of the most important environmental events in the lead up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit. This should lead to a lively and informative debate which has the potential to influence the views of leaders going to Copenhagen."

Photo caption: Julian Feasby, Head of Internal Environmental Management at the Environment Agency and Karen Ford, Founder of Footprint Friends, with children from Christ Church School in Camden at the Environment Agency's annual conference. Footprint Friends is aiming to take one million photographs of painted feet to Copenhagen to highlight the views of future generations to decision makers at the crucial climate summit.

City Girls' Are In!

SLemmon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:39:00 GMT

The City of Portsmouth Girls’ School have decided to join this worthy cause. We’re a large group of Yr 10’s who have been specially chosen, because of our dedication, leadership skills and our ability to organise an event like this, to take up this challenge.

“We’re really looking forward to getting our whole year involved in this project that will affect our future.

It’s nice to have a say about our later life!”

Ameenah

“Why should the older generations get to decide what happens in our future even though they won’t be part of it, however harsh it sounds!”

Jazz, Ella, Becky ,Jemma and leah.

We all feel that it’s not the ‘older generation’s’ decision to make about our future!

We’re the one’s who’ll have to live in it not them!

In the famous quote of Lee Evans

“Our generation had a chance to change it, we messed it up, now it’s your turn to try!”

Sophie

its WOW day!

richard — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:38:00 GMT

So all the preparation has taken place, many of the WOW finalists are already in London and are rehearsing their pitch for our green dragons...

People have been setting up since the early hours (5pm) and everything is in place.

There is a REAL BUZZ in the air and I am really looking forward to watching the pitches - if you are reading this and want to watch check out the LIVE STREAMING!!!!

mobile phones - the environmental impact...

richard — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:59:00 GMT

I Hope www.sayiamgreen.com dont mind but I just had to copy their blog because it is just unbelievable and I wanted our VIPs to see it...

below is taken from this blog on www.sayiamgreen.com

What does this make you think about your NEXT mobile phone?

Will it influence the next phone you get?

Will it affect what you will do with your old phone?

Did you know any of this?

I'm back

Funkylemonhead — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:22:00 GMT

Sorry everyone! I've been so busy I havent had chance to be on here for MONTHS, so, here I am.

As you probably know, Wymondham didn't win the Npower competition, but our topic was SOS litter, and the school really has stayed mostly litter free. Woop we're good! The seagulls are still there, but you can't have everyhting. If I was a seagull, i'd be sick of leftover wotsits and flapjack by now...

Anyways,, thankyou Chocoholic_gerbil for embarrassing me on the internet (see her blog, for my embarrasment in front of 100s) but, thanks for not naming!

A youth message to Copenhagen

eco warrior — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:20:00 GMT

Hi guys,

Once again I and some Global Teen Leaders from around the world are in the process of furthering my campaign to get climate change onto the school curriculum worldwide and calling for the UN to address this at the Copenhagen climate change conference in December.

If any Footprint Friends VIP's or supporters would like me to add their name to support the project, would you please let me know through comments on this blog.

Together we can make a change,

David

Footprint Friends joins Ed Miliband at Copenhagen-rally in Shoreditch

Swampy — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:04:00 GMT

Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, hosted a public rally on Thursday 22 October in Shoreditch, East London, to give an update, and take questions, on the current state of negotiations in the lead to Copenhagen. We took a team to get involved and learn more about the plans for Copenhagen.

Ed opened with his view that actions now will be felt in 20-30 years time and that we need a double strategy for adaptation and prevention. He suggested that a positive outcome at Copenhagen and an effective strategy is doable.

A big question... how do we respond to the truths of climate change when 90% of emissions have come from developed countries. This is about us folks – but do we really understand what this means and are we ready to take action?

We then watched a live link up to understand the view of people in Kenya. In the global south Climate Change is a matter of life and death. In Kenya drought used to happen every 11 years now it is every 2 years and as a result 80% of their livestock have been wiped out.

The plea which was felt by the audience was that this is a global issue and we, in developed countries, must accept our responsibilities and help save the lives of the people who are threatened. The biggest message for me was the very simple statement – For you all we ask is a lifestyle change, for us this is life or death.

Ed was asked why the government did not get fully behind 10:10 and why more radical actions have not been proposed to date – it was commented that the government should stop treating the British public like children and that more information and leadership is needed. Parallels were made to times of war. The Q&A session considered carbon rationing and the lessons learned from the Second World War; The idea that the only way to enforce change and preserve resources is to limit what we use per person. Churchill had once said “it's not that we have to do our best but we have to do what is necessary.”

With all that we know about the risks of climate change do you feel that we are currently doing what is necessary – for me I’m not so sure that we are.

Ed felt that china will announce very soon a big plan to show that they want to be part of the solution. Why? Well Ed suggested that China is scared of the problems of climate change and the impacts that are already being felt in China. In the news recently I noted that the Pearl River delta is earmarked as one of China's most vulnerable areas to a changing climate. Parts of it regularly face both droughts and typhoons in the same year.

The delta - home to tens of millions of people - is very low-lying, so it's also vulnerable to sea level rise - especially as ground water has been over-extracted in a way that's made the land sink further.

Farmers are making the problem even worse by drilling more than 100m for precious sweet water. That in turn is sucking salty water from the sea bed, and starting a slow destruction of the farmland.

"Climate change is a big worry for China's politicians," says Zhou Yong Zhang, environment professor at Sun-Yat Sen University in nearby Guangzhou. "In south China, we worry about sea level rise because it will have a big impact on us. We also worry about the extreme weather.

Back to Shoreditch, personally I was surprised that the venue was not bursting at the seams – why was the event under attended? Are people aware of what is happening? Do so few people care about the decisions that will be made in Copenhagen?

It was important for us to be there – and I am glad that Footprint Friends is trying to help get young people more aware of the challenges – it was great be on Ed’s radar and tell him that children need more information about these critical issues – BUT I also told the DECC team they need to help initiatives like Footprint Friends more – they keep asking for people to champion and lead but offer very little help to those who stand up and do. Ed if you read this – please help me and my amazing volunteers make more of a difference.