02 July 2011

Lincoln academy pupils put their energy into saving the planet
Solar ovens, wind turbines and a fashion show of recycled outfits were all part of a Green Day at a Lincoln academy.

Lincoln Castle Academy held its annual day of green classes to promote sustainable living to its youngest pupils.

Children from nearby Ermine Primary School also took part making mini wind turbines and solar ovens with the older students, all of which will be added to the school's eco-garden.

The head of design and technology at the school, Rob Smith, said: "The purpose of the day is to get the students thinking about sustainable energy and the environment.

"We teach it throughout the year and this is the culmination of those lessons.

"Their generation is going to be thinking about and using these technologies far more than my own and it is important for them to learn about it.

"They can also take things back to their parents. They know this isn't an isolated lesson, it's something they can relate to different areas of their life. Our line behind the day is look after the planet and it will look after you."

The day was opened by the leader of the City of Lincoln Council, Ric Metcalfe, who told pupils how to help reduce the city's carbon footprint.

He said: "Climate change is a global problem, but with human activity being the biggest cause, everyone can do something to reduce it.

"At the city council, we're recycling more within our own buildings, promoting sustainable commuting for our staff and thinking about our services for residents, like green waste recycling and allotments.

"I'm hoping the students at Lincoln Castle Academy will learn from Green Day and be able to make changes in their own lives to help reduce the city's carbon footprint."

Activities on offer included building sustainable energy sources, creating a model rainforest in a classroom and making clothes and art out of recycled materials.

Year 7 pupil Kyle Onyon, 12, said: "I like the day and the projects because it is helping us look to the future as this is going to be really important when we are older.

"It made me realise that there will be people living on the planet in the future and they want to enjoy their lives as much as we do."

The Castle Academy pupils also enjoyed the time they got to spend with the primary school pupils.

Leanne Dewell, 12, who is in Year 8, said: "I'll definitely get my parents to start recycling and things like that.

"I think it is good we have the primary school pupils here because it is important for them to learn things they'll have to know about when they're older."

The head teacher at Lincoln Castle Academy, Rob Boothroyd, said: "The younger generation will play an important role in sustainability and is a fundamental reason we embrace opportunities such as Green Day."

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