National competition launched to find young environmental champion

Five young people aged 11-18 will meet with politicians from the European parliament in order to discuss sustainable travel and the environment.

Now in its second year, the Have your say on sustainability competition, organised by Eurostar and the Young People’s Trust for the Environment (YPTE), gives the next generation a chance to air their views with MEPs in Brussels.

Entrants must record a 2-3 minute video in which they relay their opinions on a particular aspect of sustainable travel or the environment.

As well as the trip to Europe, one overall winner will also receive a trip to Disneyland Paris as part of their prize.

“Last year we were blown away by the quality of entries and the strength of views that young people chose to share with us”, said Peter Bragg, head of environment and energy at Eurostar.

“We enjoyed a really memorable trip to the European parliament, and we’re proud to offer more young people the opportunity to have their say on sustainability this year.”

The vast majority of children nowadays have been taught about sustainable development and environmental issues at school.

Dr Bridget Durning, senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute of Sustainable Development (OISD), told Blue & Green Tomorrow last year that future generations “should already have this knowledge about sustainability built into their practices” from an early age.

But it was revealed recently that three US states were looking to start teaching climate change denial in schools, though this is something that the UK doesn’t have to contend with.

The five winners from the 2012 competition spoke to MEPs about such subjects as shale mining, green vehicles, palm oil, locally-sourced food and water shortages – pressing issues that often cause divides in UK society.

For more information and details on how to enter, click here.

Further reading:

Setting a sustainable example in our education system

Graduates are snubbing banks, but all banks are not the same

Students turn to film to dispel can recycling myths