Green Vision started in 2009 when Jane Talbot of environmental organisation Resource Futures and Tom Youngman, leader of the Environmental Action Group at King Edward’s School, Bath had a simultaneous brainwave - to start a regular meeting between environmental groups in Bath schools. Tom sent out letters to Bath schools suggesting this, which Jane found out about, and they were put in touch. The group’s first meeting was organised at the Bath Young People’s Climate Conference, which Resource Futures organise, and took place soon after, with pupils from Ralph Allen School, St Greg’s and King Edward’s attending. This was a follow-up to the conference, and laid down the groundwork to the first official meeting, held in October 2009.
This meeting resulted in the group’s name and mission statement, and forged new links between the parties involved. Over the next months we met several times, frequency of meeting increasing each time, discussing actions within schools, gaining confidence and many ideas. The difference made within schools in already visible as groups from different schools influence and help one another.
Outside of schools, the group acquisition of an allotment further strengthened the group’s ties and enabled us to learn more about sustainability in food production. Visits from the council’s waste officer and members of local environmental organisation Transition Bath gave us greater insight into the local situation and allowed us to step up actions outside of schools. Our presence at local events such as Transition Bath’s ‘Big Event’ and the annual Bath Cycling Summit have allowed our presence to be known locally and opened doors to waves of local action which will hopefully unfold during Summer and Autumn 2010.
If you’re involved in environmental initiatives at a secondary school or sixth form in Bath & North East Somerset, contact us through the ‘Contact’ page to get involved. Even if you do not have an established environmental group at school and are just an interested individual, you are very welcome to get involved.
