14 September 2021

Young Environmentalist Award Winners are calling on future environmentalists from across Ireland to take action and apply to the 2022 Young Environmentalists Awards programme (YEAs). Young People from Loreto Secondary School in Bray are encouraging young people to follow in their footsteps to create action projects in their school, community or at home. 

 

Hosted by ECO-UNESCO, the Young Environmentalist Awards is an all-Ireland programme that recognises and rewards young people for their efforts to raise awareness of climate change and improve the environment. 

 

ECO-UNESCO visited the YEA 2021 winners from Loreto Secondary School in Bray to present their awards and launch the next year’s programme. Seedling Swap won the Overall Senior category award and Senior Biodiversity category at this year’s awards. Also, from Loreto Bray, The Rainwater Rescuers won the Senior Water Category for their eco-project. 

 

Elaine Nevin, National Director of ECO-UNESCO said “We are delighted to visit Loreto Secondary School and reward Seedling Swap and The Rainwater Rescuers for their action projects. These young people have set an incredible example of making a positive difference and we are so excited to see the creative action projects to come this year.”

 

“With the climate emergency that we are facing, it is more important now than ever that young people get involved in creating a better future for their planet. In a recent survey by ECO-UNESCO, 58% of young people in Ireland said they would like more local opportunities to get involved in climate action and the 2022 young environmentalist awards are the perfect opportunity!”

 

Erica Brierton, a young environmentalist from Seedling Swap said “Last year we set up a seed library in our school where students could bring their own seeds into school and swap with the ones in the library. This was a really great way of promoting biodiversity in our school and community. Every action counts no matter how big or small and we encourage anyone who has an interest in the environment to apply to the YEAs.”

 

The YEA programme is a fun and exciting way for young people to build awareness of environmental issues in their school and community and promote local actions and lifestyle changes to the environment.

 

Registrations are now open! To apply, please go to www.YEA.ie