A club run at Fitzharrys School has seen students researching their school’s carbon footprint and how they can reduce it.

 

In September 2021, Dr Severine Ouvry set up a club at Fitzharrys school with the aim of finding out how much carbon dioxide the school was emitting. Over the past year students have collected data and done research to investigate the ways in which the school produces carbon dioxide. The students started by doing research on what a carbon footprint is and ways in which it negatively impacts the environment.

Speaking with Dr Ouvry she first heard about the project “From a teacher from another school who had talked about IRIS. I have previously done research and I wanted to give that opportunity to my students”. IRIS is the institution for research in schools where some students went and presented their research findings at a conference in London in collaboration with IRIS. 

Students researched waste produce, students and staff commute and the buildings energy usage. From the data that they collected they then went on to analyse. Dr Ouvry responded to the results by saying “I was happily surprised so many students walked or cycled. And I was surprised that even though 2/3 of our students walk or cycle, the carbon emission over the year for the remaining students was high. However, I was surprised at the large amounts of staff driving.”

After presenting at numerous conferences and presentations the club is not stopping here with their research. “We would like to push for new bike sheds and a both bin option around the site” is a main goal for the coming months for the students Dr Ouvry said. The club hopes to continue its research and hopefully see change in the carbon dioxide production in the coming years. The school is also hoping to produce a claim to have an electron microscope in school to do research into other areas.