This week, Sir David Attenborough, the great sage of our times, warned that 'The moment of crisis has come.' At the start of this new decade, amid great global uncertainty both politically and economically, it feels as though it is environmental issues that are of greatest importance and concern. Views on the scale of the environmental crisis are finally coalescing and momentum is building for us to make changes in order to safeguard the future.

Being completely honest, and I acknowledge the hypocrisy, I was a little disappointed that only one pupil missed school to take part in the Extinction Rebellion protests in London last year. Yes, I was relieved that the Sixth Form did not march out en masse to camp out at Piccadilly Circus, but I had hoped for just a bit more rebelliousness from highly principled and free-thinking teenagers.

 

My fears were assuaged towards the end of term. Concerns about the environment featured as a major topic in the School General Elections Hustings; it was abundantly clear that this issue matters perhaps more than any other to our students. Then the School Council delivered the coup de grace, with a brilliant assembly to the Sixth Form about the challenges we face worldwide and what we can and must do as individuals and as a community.

Our resident Habs heron

 

They pointed out that: 5,000 species become extinct every year; sea levels are rising at the fastest rate in 3,000 years; today there is more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere than at any time in history. Yet still we hesitate to make changes, either because we think this will not affect us or because we believe that nothing we can do will make a difference.

 

They called on us all to make these changes in our daily lives: to use our cars less; to cycle or use public transport; to reduce our consumption; to reuse and recycle. They highlighted the difference that a low-carbon diet based on local and seasonal produce can make to carbon dioxide levels. They called on us to plant trees, to apply pressure to businesses, to demand that the government invest in reusable energy resources and public transport, to insist our local councils collect our waste correctly and in the most effective way.

 

They then highlighted some of the changes they have driven through at Habs in the last year. Our School Eco-Council, entirely pupil-led, has done much over the last 12 months to improve our footprint; they have driven the introduction of reusable plastic cups in the Bates Dining Hall; they have insisted on double-sided printing as a default throughout the School; a 15p discount on reusable cups at Joe’s Café and much more besides. As a result of their work, the School achieved the Eco Silver Award last year, which was an amazing achievement in such a short space of time.

This year, they intend to achieve the Eco Gold Award, by improving our waste management, by increasing onsite recycling facilities, reducing the waste we produce as a school and minimising the use of single use plastics. They are planning to hold an Environment Week this year with, among other activities, guest speakers and an environmentally-themed HabsDash (of course) to raise awareness. They were pleased to hear the School taking appropriate steps too, fitting LED lights in classrooms, improving insulation, reducing wastage and using electricity across both the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools that comes from 100% renewable sources.

 

I was left reassured and proud of these superb young men. They know there is much to be done, that we as a school, as a nation and frankly, as a species, are well behind where we need to be – and must catch up fast. But they are taking steps, making progress and leading others in a better direction.

 

They ended the assembly with this video – which is well worth watching – and a very inspired and impressed audience...