Schools across the UK will get active today by linking exercise with climate action.
Let’s Go Zero – a campaign now supported by over 2,000 schools, colleges and nurseries in the UK teaching more than 1 million students – is supporting National Schools Action Day, which will promote a range of climate themed-challenges and activities.
The National Schools Action Day is taking place in unison with Running Out of Time’s Ben to Ben relay. Ben to Ben – a baton relay going from Ben Nevis in Scotland to Big Ben in London – will be the UK’s biggest relay of runners from all walks of life, running more than 2,500km across 50 towns and cities in just one month.
The Running Out of Time relay will pass by schools and local points of interest throughout the UK, meeting locals and giving talks as they go. The relay started on 10 June and will end in Parliament Square in London on Tuesday 11 July. Thousands of people will pass the baton to inspire the nation to take collective action towards becoming zero carbon.
On the Action Day students can get active in whatever way they want – from joining the relay, making special sustainable batons and having their own relay at school, or just dancing around the classroom.
The National Schools Action Day will also help schools all over the UK take part in #ShowYourStripes – an active and colourful way to represent the rising global temperature over the last 100+ years, and to get students thinking about climate change (the stripes for countries and cities around the world can be downloaded for free from showyourstripes.info). Schools will be sharing their human climate stripes on social media.
Many schools will form a human picture of the temperature rise year by year by wearing t-shirts of different colours from blue to red to represent the climate stripes.
Alex Green, Head of Let’s Go Zero said:
“We love the way that schools are getting involved in National Schools Action Day – some are running, but others are cycling, swimming, walking, windsurfing, kayaking, climbing – even skiing! As well as putting the action into climate action, they are also calling for the government to commit to all UK schools being zero carbon by 2030 and to announce long term and consistent policies and funding to enable this. This is the serious but really essential part of National Schools Action Day.”
Dan Thompson, Co-Founder of the Running out of Time relay said:
“National Schools Action Day is a key focal point of our Running out of Time Relay.
“Involving the next generation in a fun way, such as taking part in relays and wearing the climate stripes – while having the opportunity to explore the serious issues of climate change and the need to protect our natural world – engages them in the need to take action.”
To find out more and join the day or sign up to Let’s Go Zero, go to: https://letsgozero.org/get-active-and-inspired-on-national-schools-action-day/