An Action-Packed Eton Environment Week

Written by Thomas G. (Year 10)Eton Environment Week saw many Eton and partnership school students engaging in environmental activities. The week kicked off on Sunday, 21 May, with a community clean-up, followed by “Plogging for Wildlife”, led by Harry M., Alexander L., and Mr. Michel.  “Plogging” is a Swedish concept, involving picking up litter whilst jogging. The organisers say they want to remove the stigma around picking up litter by making it a social and competitive activity. Ploggers contributed £5 to participate, but each had a chance to win one of the £200 in prizes available to those most successful at picking litter while jogging.  All funds raised will go to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), a local environmental charity.All week long, the Eton community enjoyed an environment exhibition in Eton’s STEM Centre. Environment-inspired art installations dotted the campus and teachers introduced special Environment Week curriculum materials.  Boys were also able to enter an Environment Week Wildlife Photography contest. On Tuesday of Environment Week, students enjoyed a Model COP organised by Gagen S. and Freddie W. They planned the event “to raise awareness of the environmental problems faced by society today, whilst also inspiring and promoting solutions for the future.” Eton boys and partner school students heard guest speakers, followed by an open debate in a Model U.N. style. Eton’s Headmaster, Simon Henderson, then invited boys involved in the Environment Society, Environmental Action and Roots & Shoots at Eton to gather at the end of the school day to mark Environment Week and discuss environmental initiatives at Eton and its partner schools.  Later that evening Eton hosted a “Green Careers” event in the STEM Centre. We enjoyed a “Birds, Butterflies and Trees Walk” on Wednesday. Eton’s environment journal, The Florentina, hosted an Environment Week event on Wednesday evening. But there was still more ahead… Thursday was the day of the “BioBlitz”, in Eton’s wildlife area. A BioBlitz is an event focused on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area during a short period of time. We focused on invertebrates in the end, identifying 33 different species across 26 families, including (but not exclusively) moths, beetles, butterflies, bees, spiders and dragonflies. Highlights were Biston betularia (Peppered Moth) and Macroglossum stellatarum (Hummingbird Hawk Moth)!That evening Eton’s Environment Society hosted their annual film night, with a showing of the emotive My Octopus Teacher. Eton Environment Week was a big success, and really fun too.Boys exploring Eton's wildlife during the Bioblitz. Photo credit: Eton College