In April, The Pinnacle Learning Trust hosted its first-ever Trust Student and Pupil Eco Conference at Hathershaw College. The event brought together student eco groups, councils and committees from all Trust academies to share sustainability ideas, plant trees, and participate in mindfulness activities.

Hathershaw Principal Mark Giles opened the day with an inspiring speech, setting a positive tone for the event. Students demonstrated a strong passion for environmental stewardship and were eager to create meaningful change. Oldham Sixth Form Pupil and Eco-Ambassador Katie Smith led the signing of an eco pledge, underscoring the collective impact they can achieve as a Trust.

Churchills Cleaning Services and SSE Energy supported the event, with Sharon Taylor from Churchills engaging students in a waste reduction quiz. The conference concluded with a collaborative litter pick and tree planting session in the school's peace garden, thanks to a generous donation from The Woodland Trust.

Chief Financial Officer and Trust Sustainability Group Chair, Stewart Ash, said: "We really enjoyed seeing our students across all age groups, working together so enthusiastically and passionately on a range of sustainability activities. The event was a great success and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year. Thanks to all who played their part, both on the day and in the planning stages, to deliver and facilitate such an engaging and inspiring conference".

Overall, the Eco Conference was a significant step forward in promoting sustainability within the Pinnacle Learning Trust community.

Hathershaw College’s Eco Committee is actively working towards achieving the prestigious Green Flag Award through several impactful initiatives. Their 'No Idling Campaign' encourages parents to switch off engines while waiting to collect students, reducing emissions around the school. Additionally, students have participated in a litter pick within the local community, promoting cleanliness and environmental responsibility. To support global sustainability efforts, Hathershaw has also organised a fundraiser for WaterAid, aiming to provide clean water to those in need. These actions reflect the school's dedication to fostering a greener, more sustainable future for everyone.

We are thrilled to announce that Hathershaw College has been shortlisted for the prestigious Outstanding Conservation School category in the Chester Zoo National Conservation Education Awards. This recognition highlights our dedication to environmental education and conservation efforts of our college Eco Committee.

To celebrate this achievement, we have been invited to the awards ceremony on Thursday 11th July 2024, at The Square, Chester Zoo. This event will bring together schools and educators from across the region to honour excellence in conservation education and celebrate those inspiring the next generation of conservationists.

Hathershaw College in Oldham proudly completed its third annual Sustainability Week from June 3rd to June 7th, celebrating World Environment Day. Organized by the Eco Committee, the week featured various activities aimed at raising climate change awareness and promoting sustainable practices.

Highlights included Meat Free Monday, a ‘No Idling’ campaign to reduce air pollution, a Waste Mountain exhibit to highlight waste management, and the ‘Which Bin?’ recycling competition. The Water Aid Fundraiser Bake Sale raised funds for clean water initiatives, while an Eco Committee-led litter pick improved the school and surrounding areas. A digital Sustainability Pledge to all staff and students encouraged personal commitments to sustainability.

Each subject incorporated sustainability themes into lessons, and the school community was encouraged to adopt sustainable commuting practices. "Sustainability Week is a highlight of our school year, crucial for educating future generations on environmental responsibility," said Lisa Lott, Sustainability Lead. Hathershaw looks forward to next year's event and ongoing eco-friendly initiatives.

The article explains that using the internet, like sending emails, streaming videos, and searching online, affects the environment. Every online action uses energy, leading to carbon dioxide emissions. With over half the world's population online, these emissions add up. The internet and its supporting systems create about 3.7% of global greenhouse gases, similar to the airline industry.

People in rich countries usually have a larger carbon footprint from internet use. To reduce this, we can send fewer emails, avoid large attachments, unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters, and use more eco-friendly messaging options like SMS.

Data centres, which store internet data, use a lot of energy. Although some use renewable energy, many still rely on fossil fuels. To help, we should upgrade our devices less often, as making and shipping new gadgets produces a lot of emissions.

Streaming videos, especially popular ones, uses a lot of energy. Watching on Wi-Fi instead of mobile networks, turning off auto play, and reducing video quality can help. Both individuals and companies need to work together to make the internet more eco-friendly. Companies must switch to renewable energy to significantly cut emissions and create a sustainable future.

This article explains how the way we use water in our daily activities, like doing laundry, washing dishes, and showering, has a significant impact on the environment.

Jackie Lambert, who lives in a caravan with her husband, is very conscious of her water use. They have to manually collect water and use a portable washing machine, which makes them aware of their consumption.

Domestic water use accounts for 6% of the UK’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Heating water, especially, contributes to these emissions. For example, washing machines and dishwashers in the US release a large amount of CO2.

There are ways to reduce water-related emissions. Using a dishwasher instead of hand washing can save energy and water. Lowering the temperature of your laundry wash and air-drying clothes also help. For instance, washing clothes at 30°C instead of 60°C and air-drying can significantly cut CO2 emissions.

In addition, simple changes like using a bowl for washing dishes or a bucket to wash cars can save a lot of water. Switching to efficient front-loading washing machines and installing water-saving shower heads can further reduce emissions.

By making small changes in our daily routines, we can significantly reduce our water-related carbon footprint and help the environment.

We now have Hathershaw Sustainability accounts and pages on Facebook, X and Instagram so please follow us if you can, either as individuals or with your faculty accounts.