Is Global Warming real?

On Tuesday,11th November, we had Dr. Rob Mckenzie from Lancaster University visiting our eco team. We got the opportunity to learn some interesting facts about global warming and climate change. Here is a brief summary of the lecture.
Our earth is an intricate system where a small effect can have a big impact. Thus the emissions from our cars when we drive to college or the electricity being used by our TV when on standby, might seem small, but they build up to add to the gruesome effects of global warming. Global Warming is the name given to the gradual warming up of the earth which has been quickened by the emission of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide. Climate change is the change in climatic conditions observed worldwide due to this global warming. Rob showed us shocking statistics which provide evidence for the inevitable threat on our planet earth. The professor also had an answer to those who dismiss these things by saying that global warming doesn't exist. They should probably ponder over the "credit crunch", who knew that it would happen , but it did.. Similarly, there is truth behind global warming and climate change... Thus instead of debating over its existence , we should work together to make our world a greener and happier place!!!!!

Curious questions from Blackpool!

Merhaba! We are very pleased to be working on this project with you and are looking forward to hearing from you and meeting you!

Here are some questions which we would like to ask you to find out more about you and the place where you live.

We are also posting a photo of our group so you can see what we look like.

Please reply to these questions, maybe as “comments” on this post.

Please send us some questions to answer!

• What is fun to do in Turkey?
  
• What type of food/national dishes are there?
  
• What type of music is there in Turkey?
  
• What sort of fruit and vegetables can be grown where you live?
  
• Do you have any famous places or landscapes?
  
• What's the sealife like? What kind of birds and animals are there where you live?
  
• How many people are there in your school and each of your classes?
  
• What subjects do you take at school?
  
• Do you have a lot of school holidays? What do you do in your holidays?
  
• Has it been sunny, cloudy, raining?
  
• What have you heard about the U.K?
  
• Do you have any environmental laws? For example about recycling, taxes on large vehicles?
  
• What does your school do to combat climate change, for example paper recycling, saving energy?
  
• What do you all do in your spare time - interests, sports, hobbies?
  

From Devon, Vikki, Alex, Gemma, Jenny, Natalie, Claire, Cheryl, Jimmy, Steven, Vikki, Chris, Anthony, Abi, Sonal, Ida, Lauren, Emily, Matia and Calvin.

Hoşça kal

Eco Code Developments!

Here is our Eco Code for the College that we made to help everyone do their part to make College more sustainable:

''We, the students and staff of The Blackpool Sixth Form College will show our respect for the environment and for the future of our world by:

1) Reducing waste of all kinds to the minimum.

2) Helping to keep the College clean and free from litter.

3) Only printing when really necessary.

4) Using the recycling facilities fully and properly.

5) Switching off lights when they are not needed.

6) Switching off computers and other devices when not in use.

7) Walking, cycling, taking public transport or car-sharing when possible.

8) Taking an interest in our local, national and global environment and helping to protect it for generations to come.''

We sent this in an email to all students in the College and they said that would try to do the actions and asked for more recycling bins around the College and clearer information so recycling would be easier. We also met with the Principal, Felicity Greeves who approved of the Code and said that she would like to spread the Code amongst the staff of the College.

Abi and Claire

Blackpool sixth form building plans.

On Tuesday we had a meeting with the Alan Lloyd (the vice principal) and Andy Martin about the colleges new building and the plans for rebuilding the rest of college in the next few years. They talked to us about what environmental improvements they plan to make to the college in the new buildings.

This is a short version of what they said and showed us on the powerpoint.

The old buildings were all outdated with high running and maintenance costs just because of how inefficient they were energy wise.

The new building that's just been completed is rated by BREEAM as being "very good" whilst is the second best award they give out. This is because it has solar shading to keep the sunlight of the windows whilst allowing light to get through (this keeps the sun from heating up the building in summer). It has large pipes in the ceilings allowing air to flow through the building to keep it cool as well as having an automated system that automatically opens the windows if the temperature gets to 22 degrees, this means that the new building only has two rooms that use air conditioning in them. This saves a lot of energy as there is less need for air conditioning.

Phase 2 of the building project will have the same energy saving technology as the new building but will also have a rainwater harvesting system (where rainwater is collected in a large tank on the roof and used for the toilets), this will reduce the amount of waste water in these buildings by a large amount.

Phases 3 and 4 will both be built to BREEAMs highest rating "excellent". This is because it will have more green space as the college plans to buy a greenfield site next door and use it as a sports pitch and a general grassy area. These buildings will use groundsource heat pumps (large 100metre deep holes in the ground which provide cool water in summer and warm water in winter) to either heat or cool the buildings depending on the season. Piping on the roofs will provide warm water as water will be pumped through the pipes and sunlight will heat the water in the pipes, this water will then be used to head the radiators in these buildings. As well as that a combined heat and power generator will be installed, this will bother power the new building and heat it as the heat given off by the generator will be sent around the new buildings through pipes to heat it during the winter.

At any point in the future new technology like solar cells can be installed onto the roofs of the new buildings.

As a result of the energy efficiency of the new buildings the college will have lower fuel and heating bills as well as lower maintenance costs and the buildings themselves will last longer than the ones we have now.

Any opinions on anything said in this post would be good.

Effects of Climate Change on Lancashire

Hi,

Here is a useful link from Lancashire County Council on the likely impacts of Climate Change on our local area.  Also on the same site are action plans for helping to prevent and lessen the effects. 

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/envpolicy/climate/lancsissues.asp

Jon