"The best chance we have": the Paris Agreement on climate change
US President Barack Obama described the deal reached last Saturday by the 195 nations represented at the talks as "the best chance we have to save ...
A range of factsheets and resources which gives lots of ideas on how you can help!
US President Barack Obama described the deal reached last Saturday by the 195 nations represented at the talks as "the best chance we have to save ...
Talking of single use, Dutch brewing company Heineken has today announced that it will be replacing single use plastic can toppers used on its mult...
The new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published today has made it absolutely clear that human activities are ca...
Whilst data from instruments only stretches back to 1850, data from ice cores taken from Greenland and Antarctica show that the world has not been ...
But there are now a growing number of economists and commentators who are starting to think that prosperity and growth are not infinitely linked. ...
In the Paris agreement of 2015, the world’s governments pledged to keep temperatures between 1.5C and 2C above pre-Industrial levels, so this new s...
We get many emails from young people asking us what they can do to play a greater part in the conservation movement, and so we have compiled this l...
Three of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA's) pollution monitoring devices in London showed a maximum '10' reading f...
We are delighted to announce that Andy Stanton, whose hilarious and much-loved 'Mr Gum' books have sold more than 1.25 million copies in the UK alo...
After setting off in late August, Ash has completed the first 550 miles and has arrived at his first city - Yushu, situated in Qin...
However, some of the additional weight of plastic also comes from 'food to go', like the sandwiches, cakes, crisps and fruit bought at lunch times....
Cotton buds are becoming an increasing hazard in our oceans, as they are often flushed down the loo after use and end up being washed out to sea. ...
With around 250 species of bee living here in the UK, these key pollinators make a huge impact on our lives - even if we don't always realise it! ...
This brand new suite of 6 lesson plans is aimed at Key Stage 2, but is readily adaptable for Key Stages 1 and 3. Along with a PowerPoint presentati...
Full list of the winners of the Better Energy School Awards, for download as a pdf document.
This compared well with 2013, when 15% of the continent's energy came from renewable sources. Energy from renewable sources is quite unevenly spre...
Explore the UK's rare flowers, each section gives ideas about what you can do to help to protect them.
Two-time world first record holder, British adventurer and extreme athlete, 27 year old Ash Dykes from Old Colwyn in North Wales, has reached the Y...
Ahead of the meeting, UN Secretary General António Guterres said, "In the crucial 12 months ahead, it is essential that we secure more ambitious na...
World leaders, who have gathered in Glasgow for the conference have already heard impassioned speeches from United Nations Secretary General Antoni...
Actor and presenter Cel Spellman is really enthusiastic about how young people can help to change the world, so it's brilliant to have his support!...
Yesterday, the winners of Eurostar's 'Create a Sustainable Business Dish' competition were presented with their awards at a ceremony held at the Ga...
Their letter coincides with the launch of a report from the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS), a group of 34 international central b...
CFCs like CFC-11 were used to make foams for furniture and buildings and were also used in refrigerators and aerosols, but were banned after a hole...
An assembly about climate change, exploring: The difference between weather and climate What climate change is and why it's happening The...
A video explaining how to set up the climate change experiment included in YPTE's lesson plan suite about climate change. Video created and presen...
The problem is already here In recent years, we have seen Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2013, superstorm Sandy hit New York, New Jersey ...
It's really important that you've come here, because we need lots more people to realise the scale of what we are facing and get involved in creati...
You've got here because you're interested in how you can help cut your carbon emissions and tackle climate change. There are lots of small ways th...
A simple leaflet for parents explaining climate change and providing links to further information.
It just two weeks since Typhoon Haiyan caused enormous devastation and thousands of deaths in the Philippines in the latest example of extreme weat...
The Bank of England has said that up to £16 trillion of assets could be wiped out if the current climate emergency is not tackled effectively by bu...
It is now exactly 40 years since scientists from 50 nations met in Geneva, Switzerland, for the First World Climate Conference. They agreed then t...
Here in the UK, some 10,000 young people gathered in Parliament Square, London to demand action. Environment Secretary Michael Gove praised their ...
So whilst the talks were a partial success, they were also in part a failure. With no significant movement in countries’ agreed targets for emissi...
Renewables now account for about 17% of energy generation in the USA, but there is huge potential for renewables to replace coal and provide much c...
The Young People's Green Awards (YPGA) will enable young people to combine their interest in caring for the natural world with their natural talent...
The rubbish we throw away everyday is polluting our Earth. A lot of this rubbish comes from our gardens and kitchens and the good news is that this...
Imagine that you’re in a thick, dark forest. It’s very hot and sticky and the sweat soaks your t-shirt. You can hear the sound of wild animals all ...
A fresh look at climate change, a subject we last looked at for Conservation Education in 2006. Banner photo by Al Case.
No matter where you look these days, you're likely to spot something made of plastic. It can be shaped in all kinds of ways, it can be really thin...
The idea of building with straw has been around for a long time, but in recent years, it has been something that only ecologically-minded Britons h...
Zipped folder containing the entry brief, entry form and terms & conditions documents for participants in Eurostar's 'Create a Sustainable Busi...
This brilliant film by the Primary 1 Class at Hanover Street Primary School was chosen as the Scottish Champion of the Total Green School Awards 20...
For one week only (22-29 April 2021), YPTE has been awarded up to £10,000 in match funds by the Green Match Fund from The Big Give. Donations rece...
The ban doesn't have legal force yet. Member states still have to back the directive before it can become law, but with voting so overwhelmingly i...
Electric vehicles are becoming more popular. In this factsheet we explore why.
Mr Gove said., “We must protect our oceans and marine life from plastic waste if we are to be the first generation to leave our environment in a be...
This new rule means that England is now in line with the rest of the United Kingdom. Plastic bag use has dropped considerably in Scotland, Wales a...
Our planet is changing. We need to help it change for the better and we're asking for your help to do that!
In a separate vote, MEPs backed a resolution stating that the EU's current emissions reduction targets were 'not in line' with the 2015 Paris clima...
Passing your driving test and getting behind the wheel was once the dream of most young people - certainly that was the case when I got my licence ...
The group, who are mostly under 18, ranging from 13-26, created the Teach the Future campaign three months ago because they were unhappy about the ...
It can be difficult for farmers in poorer countries to get a fair price for the food they produce; Fairtrade exists to address this issue. These...
As consumers we can choose to buy food that has been produced ethically and sustainably. These resources comprise a set of informative teacher n...
The food we eat makes up about 30% of our carbon footprint. Knowing how far it has travelled and how it has been stored is essential if we wish to...
Around a billion people don't have enough food to eat, yet we throw away around a third of all the food produced. These resources comprise a set...
Our food is packaged in a variety of ways, all of which have impacts on the environment. These resources comprise a set of informative teacher...
What we eat not only has an impact on our health. Our choices can also cause significant environmental impacts. For example, animal agriculture pr...
Their protests are part of a worldwide campaign and there are 80 demonstrations planned in over 30 countries in the next few days. As with the s...
This kind of tremor could not be felt on the surface, but is very close to the Oil and Gas Authority's limit for a 'red alert', whereby a company i...
Eleven top plastic facts 1. 16,000 plastic bottles are made in the world EVERY SECOND! 2. 500 billion plastic bottles are made in the world E...
The CCC proposes a number of actions to reach net zero by 2050. For example, by eating less meat, by significantly increasing the use of renewable...
In the UK alone, we use about 13 billion plastic bottles per year and well under half of these are currently recycled. So if a deposit return sche...
Our top seven ideas for schools wishing to raise money for environmental causes.
Here's our guide to how you can have a very happy and environmentally-friendly Halloween.
We are delighted that YPTE is being supported by the Green Match Fund for a second year in a row. The first £5,000 donated via YPTE's Green Match ...
Average global CO2 levels in 2017 were 405.5 parts per million - almost 50% higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution. WMO Secretary ...
In the year to 31 March 2012 alone, our three Education Officers have delivered over 980 talks in schools to audiences totalling over 40,000 young ...
Produced in partnership with the Royal Meteorological Society, this pack of four lessons aims to develop young people's understanding of heatwaves,...
The Anglo-Saxon word for enclosure was ‘haeg’ or gehaeg’ and this is were we get the word ‘hedge’.
A film about the Great Pacific Garbage patch, made by students from Huish Episcopi Academy with help from the team at Explorium. This is the first...
Find out how to make a bird feeder using an old plastic bottle and a skewer.
Some instructions for making your very own bug hotel!
A great way of maximising limited garden space or creating a garden using a blank patch of outdoor wall is to use recycled plastic bottles to creat...
Find out about how to create your own wildflower meadow, which will in time become a haven for all kinds of insects and other wildlife and loom bea...
Instructions for making beautiful elephants from plastic milk bottles.
Learn about the birds in your garden with this great home learning pack. Includes designs for making bird feeders from recycled materials, researc...
Packed with great ideas for reducing your impacts and activities to help you recycle and re-use things, including making recycled paper, a recycled...
Film on how electricty is made. Take a look at how we generate electricity using coal, oil and gas, hydroelectric power and nuclear energy. See a...
Better Planet Schools is an online environmental education programme, created by the Young People's Trust for the Environment to engage children an...
Charlotte is a Young Trustee of YPTE. In this video clip, she explains what being a Young Trustee has meant for her. If you are aged between 16 an...
The school talks service is available in person for schools within a 30-mile radius of our office in Yeovil OR on Zoom, Teams etc. for schools anyw...
For Episode 1, YPTE President Cel Spellman talked about his love for the planet, his biggest hopes for the future and why he thinks young people ha...
Teach the Future, a campaign made up of young people aged 13 to 26 released their draft of the Climate Emergency Education Act. The campaign is jo...
Join George as he shows you how to make a milk bottle elephant. Created in collaboration with Explorium, Lights On® Jam.
Noah had a go at making some bioplastic. Find out how he got on in this video that he produced for YPTE, created in collaboration with Explorium, L...
Here's Ellayna, talking about why she's a Young Trustee of YPTE.
Here's Amy, who was a Young Trustee of YPTE a couple of years ago explaining what being a Young Trustee meant to her and what she has been doing si...
In the UK, children will be walking out of classes to join the protests and hundreds of thousands of workers will be joining them. Climate strikes...
The NIC has said that a decade ago, it seemed unlikely that renewables could be a major part of energy generation in the UK, as they were quite sim...
Much of her speech to launch the plan concentrated on the issue of plastic pollution, which has come into much greater focus in recent months. The...
No matter where you look these days, you're likely to spot something made of plastic. Plastic can be shaped and moulded in all kinds of ways, it c...
Jen wrote her book when she was just 15. Find out about why she wrote it and her hopes for the future. You can listen by clicking here.
Create a Sustainable Business Premier Dish is supported by Eurostar, working in partnership with the Young People's Trust for the Environment in th...
Use our new guide to find out how you can make your Halloween a greener one. You dan download it here: https://ypte.org.uk/downloads/green-hallow...
‘Premature obsolescence’, where manufacturers build short lifespans into their products so that consumers need to buy replacements sooner should be...
A new auction scheme announced yesterday (2 March 2020) will enable onshore wind energy schemes to compete for subsidies alongside solar and floati...
Fears have been raised about whether the National Grid, which manages the nation's electricity supplies, would cope with a massive increase in elec...
The National Grid has been looking at the future of the UK's energy needs. It has concluded that the number of plug-in cars and vans could reach 9 ...
In this video, she talks about what that has meant to her. If you are aged between 16 and 24, are passionate about environmental issues and want...
The two new short films, made by YPTE are on 'How electricity is made' and 'Renewable energy'. Please take a look!
We are looking to redesign our website for 2024. Please download a copy of our briefing document, which outlines the tender process for contractor...
The idea for the competition came from Jemma and Amy, two of YPTE's Young Trustees. They were certain that the competition would appeal to a lot o...
If we used a time machine to fast forward ourselves 500 years into the future, what would the archeologists of the future be finding out about us? ...
The petrol they can produce is purer than the product refined from oil and it can be used in an ordinary car engine. This means that our existing ...
This downloadable zipped folder contains a suite of lesson plans, for Key Stage 2 and above. The lesson plans look at the problems caused by plast...
This presentation accompanies the Plastic Pollution lesson plans for Key Stage 2 and above looks at the problems caused by plastic and covers the f...
Speaking in Kenya yesterday, Mrs May said “I want to leave a greener, healthier environment for future generations, but with plastic in the sea sti...
New research published by Orb Media has revealed that 83% of tap water samples, taken from various sites around the world, were contaminated with m...
This set of lesson plans looks at rainforests, with particular focus on the Amazon. Lesson plans are brought to life by the stunning images in the...
An assembly presentation complete with presenter's notes.
Other recommendations include protection for peatland and measures to ensure that no food waste goes to landfill by 2025. From a climate change ...
YPTE would really like to hear about what young people around the UK are doing to help look after our world. Your actions could inspire other young...
Find out about renewable energy, including wind turbines, tidal turbines, solar power (photovoltaics, solar heating and solar power stations) and w...
The levels of microplastic found were roughly double that found in tap water by a previous study. Bottles tested originated from the US, Mexico, B...
Rudi (ages 8) and Harry (age 10) learned about eco homes as part of their work with 'Explorium Lights On', with a presentation on the topic from YP...
If someone told you they were climbing to the top of Mount Everest, right here in Dorset, you’d probably think they were a bit mad. Well, guess wh...
Last week I was able to attend the SOS-UK 2023 summit in Lincoln with Cambridge Climate Society. SOS-UK (Students Organising for Sustainability)...
While tweaking the enzyme to find out how it had evolved, the scientists found that the changes they had made enabled the enzyme to break down PET ...
The public consultation attracted more than 65,000 responses, with 99% of replies originating from areas targeted by the fracking industry opposed ...
A charge of 5p per bag has been charged by shops in Scotland since 20 October 2014 and in that time, stores have handed out 650 million fewer bags ...
2018 has been a year for campaigning against single-use plastics, with the EU planning to bring in a ban on single-use plastics from 2021 and with ...
I remember back in 2002, YPTE’s entire staff team having been trained as inland waterways helmsmen, took a group of 30 ten year olds for a week-lon...
The late Polly Higgins, Lawyer for the Earth, calls for a change to the law to criminalise Ecocide.
Battery storage is set to make a difference to the future of solar power too. A new 10 MegaWatt (MW) solar farm, capable of powering about 2,500-3...
All such goods will be sold for a set price - 10p each. Best before dates are provided by manufacturers and give a date up to which they are guara...
Waitrose has announced that it will stop using disposable coffee cups in its stores by this autumn. From then on, members of its MyWaitrose loyalt...
There are now 98 biomethane plants in the UK, which produce methane gas using food leftovers and waste from farms, including manure and grass silag...
The government’s commitment to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel powered cars by 2040 means that we motorists will at some point in the future ...
A suite of four lessons on sustainable development, covering: What does sustainable development mean? Pollution Over-use of natural resou...
This suite of 5 lessons looks at human impacts on our planet, current attempts to be more sustainable and the changes we will need to make in order...
Find out about the Primary Awards for Green Education in Schools and how your school can take part!
So, if you’re aged between 5 and 17 and feel you’re doing something that helps the environment, please tell us about it. Examples might include: ...
We just wanted to say thank you to the Eco Team at Claremont High School Academy in Kenton for their second donation to YPTE this year. So far, yo...
Yet Henderson Island, the largest of four islands in the Pitcairn Island group, has a human population of zero! Almost 18 tonnes of plastic, broke...
So, we take the train, we take the bus, or we take the car. We know that taking public transport reduces our carbon footprint, so in many cases it’...
Here are our ideas for some great ways of making your Christmas a greener one.
This suite of lessons and activities for Key Stage 2 looks at the following issues: What were the earliest types of transport? Why do so...
However, the ban only applies to takeaways. It does not have any impact on single use items provided by supermarkets or shops. Whilst the ban is ...
Taking its inspiration from hugely successful 5p charge introduced on plastic carrier bags in England in October 2015, a charge on disposable cups...
Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, aged 16, was among a group of young cimate cmapaigners speaking at the start of the second week of the C...
Here's a review of what YPTE has achieved in 2019.
Over the next eight weeks, magazines with 'pointless plastic' on their covers will be removed from the supermarket's shelves. The ban will not app...
If there's an environmental issue that's really worrying you and you'd like something done about it, pick up a pen and take action. You can write ...
Here's a fab video from our friends at Explorium showing how wave energy gets converted into power we can use every day!
An analysis of these monster sewer-stoppers by Water UK, the membership body for water providers, found that the 'fatbergs' were in reality more li...
Ending deforestation Over 100 nations, including Brazil (home to a large proportion of the Amazon rainforest) and Russia (with over 20% of the wor...
Whilst there won't be any sunlight at the North Pole until early March, a heatwave in the Artic is actually the cause of the extreme wintry weather...
Short film on plastic, its uses, its history and why it is now presenting us with such a major environmental problem. Presented by YPTE Director Pe...
Schools that have begun to develop their grounds often report that this has led to beneficial changes in relationships and attitudes and to the at...
Share your garden with wildlife by creating habitats that help different species to thrive.
The awards ceremony also recognises the brilliant work being done in classrooms to educate, empower and inspire the next generation of environmenta...
It's probably easier to go car free if you live in a city than it is if you live in the countryside. But wherever you live, why not have a go...
Is there an environmental issue that really concerns you? Do you want the people in power to take action? Then write to your local MP, explain yo...
The first issue of YPTE Green News, our new newsletter for schools.
Enjoy the Summer Term edition of YPTE's newsletter for schools.
YPTE recognises and understands the challenge that sustainable development poses to today's forward thinking companies. Our non-confrontational and...
The new store, which has created 18 jobs for local people, opened on Monday (8 June), and is now open seven days a week from 6am-11pm. The Southern...
This week, YPTE officially launched its new website at a Reception held at the House of Commons on 27 January. YPTE Presidents Steve Backshall, Je...
YPTE's Director was interviewed by Mike Aylen of the National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) about the work of YPTE. You can watch the i...
Phew! That was a close one! I just managed to avoid getting caught by one of those great big fishing nets. I hear the British people like eating fi...
Visitors to the Minster will be able to see how much energy the panels have produced and the amount of carbon emissions they have prevented via a d...
Entrants have to devise a dish using sustainable, locally-sourced seasonal ingredients that can be served on Business Premier, Eurostar's highest l...
When he was 24, Ash traversed the 1,500-mile length of Mongolia, with 18 stone survival trailer, solo and unsupported, in just 78 days. Then at 26...
Their school strike has been inspired by 16 year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden, who began a solo protest about climate change outside her country'...
Striking and memorable slogans were painted on placards grasped by students across the world. Wherever they were protesting, they were united in t...
The Mock COP26 Treaty outlines 18 policies young people have developed over the course of two weeks through speeches and negotiations, and covers ...
Zephan has been making his garden more nature-friendly. Find out how in his fantastic video that he produced for YPTE, created in collaboration wi...
There has been a significant rise renewable energy, which in 2009 was producing only about 2% of our energy needs. Now, renewables are producing 2...
The Committee's report finds that the population is at real risk, because crisis preparations are being run ‘like Dad’s Army’ and funding has been ...