Education to beat climate change.

In order to encourage the wider uptake of Green Education in schools a working group has been formed under the leadership of Liberal Democrat Cllr. Ken Howard, chairman of the Environmental Overview & Scrutiny Committee at Woking Borough Council. The committee has already agreed for WBC officers to construct a working plan to support Woking schools in delivering Green Education, hopefully with the involvement of the Council's partner organisations.

Woking can be justifiably proud of its environmental record to date. It has the first commercial fuel cell power plant in the country and the largest array of solar cells. It won he Queens Award for Enterprise for its combined heat and power programme and the country's first Climate Change Strategy. All for the benefit of the community but more importantly as a flagship to show other authorities the way forward to combat climate change, regarded as the biggest threat to our way of life in the foreseeable future.

Ken Howard says "It is now more important than ever that schools should become involved in the teaching of environmental husbandry but so far only The Oaktree School in St Johns has managed to achieve the Eco-Schools Green Flag status in Woking and only a handful have even enrolled in the scheme." He continues, "Schools should be at the heart of the "green" agenda, arming kids with knowledge and skills for life in a changing climate. The EcoSchools scheme puts the emphasis on sustainable behavior rather than classroom learning. Eventually I'd like to see every school in Woking flying a green flag."

Woking Borough Council officers are expected to report back later this year.