Environment and Sustainability Day
The cornerstone of our engagement with schools is our annual Environment and Sustainability Day, organised in collaboration with the University’s widening participation team.
The ESI prides itself in its work with schools and colleges across Cornwall. Children of Cornwall were VIPs at the opening of the Institute and the ESI is host to an annual Environment and Sustainability Day for students from across the county. During these Environment and Sustainability Days, researchers in the ESI work with groups of students using a variety of inter-disciplinary approaches to tackle global challenges.
In 2017, we focused on “Energy Matters”, in 2018 the theme was “Wasting our World Away” which focused on plastics, pollution and waste, and in 2019 we looked at "Sustainable Fashion: From the Catwalk to Catastrophe" which examined the affect of the fashion industry on the environment.
In 2020 we focused on 'Sustainable Futures for Cornwall'. Bringing together experts from across Mining, English, Biology, Geography, History, Maths and Renewable Energy, pupils explored problems and possible solutions to creating a more sustainable future for the county in terms of pollution, landscape, industry, creativity and communities. They also got the chance to design their ideal future Cornwall.
In 2021, due to Covid restrictions, we moved our Envivonment and Sustainability activities online. Students were able to access a selection of tasks with guidance from ESI researchers to create a piece of work focused on giving their region a more sustainable future.
