We were runners up in the Youth Category of the Heywood Prize this year and we want to try to make our idea a reality. This is why we have launched a petition for a National Green Day on change.org: Petition · Launch a National Green Day · Change.org.
Our idea is simple – a National Green Day to raise awareness about environmental issues amongst school children. Our idea is modelled on the existing World Book Day. We propose a day every year dedicated to green issues. Events and activities would be organised by schools, business would sponsor a £1 Green Token that children would spend on green items in their stores, and Ministers at DEFRA would promote the day in the media. You can see a video explaining our idea in more detail here: National Green Day (heywoodfoundation.com).
As we look back at record breaking September temperatures in the UK, the warmest global summer on record, and the highest ocean temperatures ever recorded; climate change is today’s problem, not tomorrow’s. Those of us who are children right now are those who will be most affected by global warming. A National Green Day won’t stop climate change, but it will raise awareness amongst our generation, those of us who will be the decision makers of the future. It will be a day, a moment, for everyone to pause and think about the environment every year. Best of all, this idea shouldn’t cost the Government any money. But it does need the Government to sponsor and organise it.
We have nearly 3,000 signatures on our petition. If we can get to 10,000 signatures, the Government will need to look at our idea and reply to us. So please support our petition. The Heywood Prize is in memory of Jeremy Heywood who was open to new ideas wherever they came from. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the Government took forward an idea from UK school children?
Nicholas and Sophie Bailey (age 11 and 16)
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