St.
Luke’s CEVA Primary School signs up to WWF’s Earth Hour
St. Luke’s CEVA Primary School in Newham took part in WWF’s
Earth Hour, an epic global event which took place on Saturday 28th March
2009, between 8.30-9.30pm. The initiative, which aimed to be the largest
mass global action on climate change ever, asked people, businesses
and cities around the world to switch off their lights for one hour
with the aim of sending a powerful signal to global leaders that they
must take urgent action to tackle climate change.
St. Luke’s joined 841 other schools across the UK in signing
up to WWF’s Earth Hour by helping to highlight this extraordinary
event. WWF has produced a range of resources available to schools including
a toolkit with a climate change information pack for teachers, classroom
activity ideas, Earth Hour challenges and climate change games.
St. Luke’s School organised assemblies and class sessions covering
global warming. The Eco Group organised a competition so that the school
would have its own Earth Hour poster. The winning poster has been displayed
in each class and has been delivered to each home and to local residents.
Staff, pupils and governors committed to turn their lights off during
Earth Hour.
St Luke’s pupils with their winning
poster |
Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK, said: “WWF’s
Earth Hour promised to be a fun, inspiring initiative for schools
to engage with and we are delighted that St. Luke’s supported
the event. Children have a key role to play in the fight against
climate change as they will potentially inherit the worst impacts
of it. The younger generation are a powerful voice in sending
a message to world leaders that they want action to safeguard
the future of the planet.”
Jemima Boateng who produced the school’s winning poster
displayed around the school and delivered to local residents said:
“I think it’s really important that we take global
warming seriously. If we don’t do something now while we’re
young, we won’t have a healthy planet when we’re adults.”
St Luke’s Headteacher, Theresa Aanonson added: “Our pupils
are incredibly passionate about the environment. Saving the planet is
something they take very seriously and they have shown this in so many
ways. I’m proud of their environmental work and enthusiasm.” |
Nearly 1500 towns and cities in more than 75 countries signed up for
WWF’s Earth Hour, including London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast
in the UK and hundreds of others around the world, from Cape Town, Dubai,
Hong Kong and Istanbul, to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Moscow,
Singapore, Sydney and Toronto. In the UK, 45 Local Authorities, and
49 Landmarks including Nelson’s Column, City Hall, the National
Gallery and the National Theatre in London committed to turning off
their lights. The London Eye also dimmed for the hour, in line with
civil aviation safety guidelines. Global icons taking part included
the Eiffel Tower, the Shanghai Hong Kong New World Tower, Christ the
Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney’s Opera House and Table
Mountain in Cape Town.
WWF hopes this public support will convince governments across the
world to agree to take effective action to tackle climate change, when
they meet at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, in December 2009.
People can sign up to support WWF’s Earth Hour by visiting wwf.org.uk/earthhour
or by texting Earth to 84880.
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