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ClimateNE & Climate Change Schools Project support the move to a low-carbon, resilient economy and help businesses avoid risk and realise commercial opportunities. Posts by Jen Atkinson, Krista McKinzey and Harriet Thew » Posted by Jen
I've had the privilege of working on an initiative called the Boardroom v Classroom Challenge this year.
Working with Krista and Harriet, from the Climate Change Schools Project, we hooked up three businesses with students to get them to look at ways to develop commercially viable ideas relating to the low-carbon and climate resilient economy.
There were four projects in total:
• Battlesteads Hotel challenged pupils at Dr. Thomlinson Church of England Middle School in Rothbury to explore different and new varieties of crops that can withstand colder winters, are suitable for use in the kitchen, and attractive to guests and diners.
• Design and manufacturing company C2MUK Ltd worked with Newcastle College on two projects. The first team used a decommissioned NASA space shuttle heat shield to recover energy, rather than losing it; and they also worked with a second team to identify alternative flood defence systems for the exterior of houses.
• Envirohomes teamed up with Framwellgate School Durham to look at sustainable ways to camp in luxury, also known as 'glamping', and design ways to incorporate cooking and bathroom facilities.
The Challenge was not only a fun and exciting initiative, but proved invaluable to those individual businesses taking part. One of the business participants, Gary Thompson Managing Director at C2MUK Ltd, told me that he thought the Challenge had been an immensely valuable chance to explore and develop commercial opportunities relating to climate change that he wouldn't necessarily have the time or resources to do so otherwise.
He also pointed out that it was great to work with the students and tapping into their ideas and enthusiasm was inspiring and practically very useful.
The reality is that if a low-carbon economy is to become a reality then it's clear that young people have a crucial role to play. So, with this in mind we're now planning to a second round for 2012.
Find out more about this year's Challenge at http://www.climatenortheast.com/manageContent.aspx?object.id=15776
And if you'd like to find out more email me at Jennifer.atkinson@northeastcouncils.gov.uk or Krista at krista.mckinzey@durham.ac.uk
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