Writes Seántelle Quane
Congratulations to Ethel D’Alton Bateman and Éadaoin Farrell, who are both students in St. Peter’s Secondary School, Passage West, on winning both Junior Waste and overall Junior Categories in ECO UNESCO Young Environmentalists Awards.
Over lockdown, Éadaoin and Ethel have noticed the effects of littering on the local commuter routes to Ringnaskiddy. They decided to do something about it and collected rubbish from the roadsides during their free time. On their litter picking trips, they not only found rubbish they found illegal dumping sites. When rubbish is left on roadsides it is too dirty to recycle.
Their main aim is to raise awareness and action to improve the Cork Harbour area. As part of their project, they recorded a video that is available on Youtube titled Our Environment – Your Litter. Not only that they got in contact with local industries in Ringnaskiddy and with Tidy Towns representatives to get more insight to the problem.
On reaching the semi-finals Ethel Éadaoin had to present to a panel of judges their findings. They worked so hard on this presentation, and it was compared by the judges to that of college standard.
Guests of honour at the Virtual Awards Showcase were President Michael D. Higgins and former President Mary Robinson.
President Higgins praised students involved in the YEA and said that they inspire, educate and empower young people so they may play their part in our “greatest societal challenge. That of Climate Change”.
Mary Robinson quoted Kofi Annan in her speech saying.
“You are never too young to lead and never to old to learn”.
Which certainly rings true for these Eco Warriors!