World Vision Ireland is calling on Limerick teachers, parents and children to enter their Climate Change Essay Competition, which will be judged by Ryan Tubridy. The winner will get the chance to meet Ryan Tubridy in the RTE studios and will also win a €500 Smyths voucher. World Vision Ireland’s Climate Change essay competition 2020 is opened until the 31st March for children between the ages of 8 and 18.
The entries will be narrowed down to the final 10, and celebrity judge Ryan Tubridy will choose the winning essay. Teachers are encouraged to download a poster for their notice boards which they can find on the World Vision websitehttps://www.worldvision.ie/essay-competition or by clicking here
The essay entries should be sent, with the €2 application fee (€2 per essay entry) to:
Essay competition, World Vision Ireland, The Mews, Garland House, Rathmines Park, Dublin 6.
Entries should follow the below instructions:
· Write an essay entitled ‘How We Can Save Our Planet’.
· Word count is 800 words or less.
· Entry cost is €2 per essay, per child.
· Children should write their name, age and school address on the top corner of the essay, and hand it to their teacher.
· Teachers should put the essay entries, along with the entry fee, into an envelope and post the essays to: Essay competition, World Vision Ireland, The Mews, Garland House, Rathmines Park, Dublin 6.
“The climate crisis can be a challenging topic for parents to discuss – especially with younger children, as we don’t want to cause anxiety but rather set a positive example for what can be done on a day-to-day basis.” Niall McLoughlin, CEO of World Vision Ireland, said.
“Things like replacing your old lightbulbs, buying local products, walking or cycling instead of driving, shopping without buying plastic packaging, turning off appliances, reducing the thermostat , recycling and reusing can all be done while explaining why you’re doing it to your children.
“It is today’s children who will face the challenges of global warming head-on, more than any other generation before them. Discussing these small and achievable behavioural changes with our own kids can go a long way towards instilling a sense of personal interest and responsibility for the planet.”
“To tackle climate change, we need drastic action globally from every single pocket of society including governments, businesses, communities and schools. This includes educating kids across all age groups and levels of schooling to prepare them to be able to live more sustainable lives.” Fiona O’Malley, Director of Communications at World Vision Ireland, said.
“Education can play a key role in innovation and investments in environmentally-sound technologies and infrastructure, sustainable livelihoods and lifestyle choices. Schools play a pivotal role in teaching students how to be environmentally responsible.
“Today’s children are tomorrow’s business leaders, decision makers and politicians. They will be the ones shaping the future of the country, our economy, and our transport; so it’s important that they are equipped with the knowledge of the impact of global warming, and how to tackle it. We can only ever be the holders of today.
“Our children are the finders of tomorrow and it’s our job to shape and mould them to make sure that is a better tomorrow. We believe this essay competition is a great way to start the climate change conversations in schools across the country, in a positive and creative way.
“It is important for the youth to understand the astronomical damage global warming is doing to our planet, and the positive actions we need to take at a rapid rate, like planting million and millions of trees. It can be a heavy subject for children to take on but there can be positive feelings when they take active steps to be part of the solution, like tree-planting.
“If parents and teachers are lucky enough to be able to travel, consider taking the children to see places and things that you can turn into a climate discussion. Few things can teach or explain the magnitude and power of the ocean better than seeing it – and with the waters lapping against the shore, a quick discussion of sea-level rise may feel more concrete and more real.
“It’s important to balance the negative issues we face with positive actions that children can take. Children today will have to deal with the impacts of climate change – more than any previous generation. As a parent, guardian, teacher, or caregiver, we all have a responsibility to do our best to make sure they’re ready.”
For further information on how to enter the climate change essay competition go to – https://www.worldvision.ie/essay-competition
