TY talk: Brian White (Lions Club)

This morning our Transition Year students met with Brian White from the local Carrick-on-Suir Lions Club. He spoke to the group about the causes and impact of climate change and the measures people can take in their daily lives to combat it and protect the environment from pollution. The measures range from ways you can save energy and reduce waste to using cleaner transport, heating, and making more environmentally friendly consumer choices. He also discussed the biodiversity crisis and actions we can take to protect our flora and fauna at a local level. Brian White has a deep passion for the environment and wildlife. Each student received an educational booklet about climate change, it also detailed the simple actions we can take in our daily lives to counteract it. He mentioned how Ireland is very insulated from the harsh effects of global warming. However, there has been huge population declines in Suir river species like salmon & eel. The freshwater crayfish has been wiped out a few years ago and the freshwater pear mussel is almost completely gone. Mr White hopes the Little Green Booklet will inspire people to take measures to combat climate change and protect the environment around them. In the coming months the group will take part in a Climate Change webinar for TY Students focusing on the effects of climate change and the steps being taken to reduce its impact. On a more local level the group with partake in the National Spring Clean initiative where they will carry out a litter pick from Kilsheelan to Carrick-on-Suir along the Blueway for the second year running. Thanks again to Brian for taking the time to visit our school and share some of his knowledge of the area.