Over 200 students from six schools in Galway and Mayo took part in climate change workshops as part of Science Week.
Pupils from Trinity NS in Tuam, Scoil Chroí Íosa in Galway City and Claddagh National School were among the 784 students to participate in the workshops nationally.
Developed by Junior Achievement Ireland (JAI) with the EPA, the workshops taught pupils about their carbon footprint, and they completed an energy audit of their classrooms, allowing them to evaluate the human impact of their class.
The students also learned that Irish people have amongst the highest greenhouse gas emissions levels per person in the developed world.
“The education of young people on the importance of climate action and the environmental impact of daily activities needs to be a priority,” said Niamh Hatchell of the EPA Communications Office.
“The EPA is delighted to partner with Junior Achievement Ireland during science week in order to create environmental awareness among primary school children participating in JA programmes in schools around the country.”
She said that the workshops are fun and an inventive way of engaging with these important issues at primary school level.
The EPA Climate Change and You workshop is just one of many opportunities afforded to students, thanks to the EPA’s support of JAI since 2016.
In that time 184 EPA volunteers have reached 4,603 young people through Junior Achievement (JA) programmes designed to encourage young people to remain in education and help them to develop the skills they need to succeed in a changing world.
Helen Raftery, CEO of JAI, said that the educational value of students working with role models and getting the chance to learn from them is well-established.
“Thanks to the EPA, almost 800 students had an exciting opportunity to experience environmental issues brought to life in a real and meaningful way,” she said.
“We are grateful to both our partner schools and the 23 EPA volunteers that helped us to communicate these important messages to young people all over the country.”
