Eco-Conference!

Hello all Cherwell Earthians!
We didn't have a meeting yesterday, because half of us went to the Eco-Schools Conference at St. Greg's. It was lots of fun, and we picked up lots of good ideas for eco-activities from other schools, especially Chipping Norton who have already achieved green flag status! Personally, I thought their 'green fairy' day was inspired, and we need to do something similar! Magdalen's 'Edge on the Veg' slogan was also intriguing, and their success in eating only locally sourced food is a feat we should admire and try to emulate. :D Possibly an idea we should try and circulate, especially as the catering contract is under discussion at the moment...?
Meanwhile, Switch-Off Fortnight is going swimmingly, and the winning swan poster from last year is on the background of all the computers, which will undoubtedly raise awareness!
See you all next week and remember, if you're not using it, switch it off! (an inspiring slogan, don't you think?)
:D

Welcome Year 12s

Hello to all the new Cherwell Earthlings that joined us yesterday! You are very welcome, and I hope you enjoyed the cake!
Yesterday was our last meeting before Switch Off Fortnight begins, and we continued to plan how to publicise and use the enistic equipment to the greatest effect.
We also prepared to stick up posters everywhere - 2 groups will be collecting the posters tomorrow and placing them on the 2 sites, ready to remind everyone on Monday to turn lights etc. off!
Our assemblies seem to be going well, and the video has made a big impact. At lunch today we are having a meeting for the energy monitors, so hopefully lots will turn up!
BREAKING NEWS! Mr Watts has just suggested we should put our video up on the school website or intranet, which would increase our visibility and remind people about the recycling scheme! I think we should try and organise that quickly to have it up for most of Switch Off Fortnight.
I shall see some of you on Friday for poster distributing, otherwise, see you next Wednesday!
:D

Hello all!
Another small meeting this week, but an efficient one nonetheless. The film only needs editing together now, and should be ready for our first assembly next Friday! Mr C will produce a powerpoint to go with it, to help us recruit lots of year 12s!
Next week we do not have a meeting at lunchtime, but instead are meeting after school with the staff who are in the new energy group.
We also arranged to have a stall at the 'One World Week' evening, with Mr C arranging a display, containing pictures of our new recycling bins, and our film playing on a laptop. Three of us will be there presenting it, and mingling with the other stalls, 'networking'.
Furthermore, we've signed up to go to a sustainability conference at St Greg's in November. It's on a Wednesday afternoon, so hopefully none of us will be missing too many lessons!
Feel free to let Mr C know if you weren't at the meeting but would like to go to/help with any of these things.
Finally, we need to start planning our Junk Art competition in detail, so we can get to work quickly after half term and publicise it lots.
:D

The film is looking amazing!

Hello!
Yesterday, we saw part one of the film, and I think we all agree - it's fabulous! Today, Ellie and I filmed some more recycling, but we couldn't find the Site Manager, so we shall try to do that early next week...
We also thought about Switch Off Fortnight, and a possible art/sculpture competition using recycled things only...
Next week, we will need to sort out assemblies and maybe think about talking to IT teachers who could put the film on the website/intranet page...
Hopefully the film shall be completely finished by half term, and we can then publicise Cherwell Earth to the year 12s, and get them to join in, so they can help us organise Switch Off Fortnight.
See you all next week!
:D

Technology fails us...:(

Unfortunately technical difficulties prevented us having a meeting last week (so don't worry to all who thought they were going to miss the great showing of the Film - you didn't).
Hopefully it will all be sorted by next week, so come along next Wednesday with your popcorn!
See you there!
:D

Hello all!

So, it is official, we have decided to stick to Wednesday meetings!

Last week was quite quiet, as we discussed possible fundraising ideas, possible tree planting schemes and possible stalls at an environmental groups' link up evening (although it sounds quite exciting when I put it like that!).

I think I speak for us all when I say we are all looking forward with wild excitement in our hearts to next week which is the Big Reveal! Hopefully the film will be finished by then, and we will be able to watch it, then plan assemblies around it. I think our main focus year groups should be year 7 and year 12, but if people want to show it to other year groups, that could be beneficial too.

For people who were unable to attend the meeting, would anyone be interested in helping out on the Thursday evening of half term at our very exciting Cherwell Earth stall? Leave comments below or talk to Mr Cappleman!

I hope you all have happy and eco-friendly weeks!

:D

We're back!

Hello everyone!
I hope you have all had lovely summers - recycling lots of course, and just generally helping to save the planet!
Our first meeting is this Wednesday, and we will need to discuss a possible change of day (bring timetables!) and how to get Year 12s involved, as well as The Film...
I hope you can all come, and bring eco-warrior friends along, as well as your lunch!
See you in room 19 on Wednesday!
:D

Our last meeting of term!

Hello!
So Wednesday was our last meeting of term (very sad I know) and on Friday we started the film making process! Below are the notes that Mr Cappleman made in our last meeting :

Aims of the video:

1. To raise awareness amoungst all year groups of the new recycling system and specifically what can go in each bin.
2. To positively & humorously encourage students to use the new bins to increase our whole school recycling rates.
3. To positively & humorously encourage students to engage with the broader reasons for recycling as opposed to sending rubbish to landfill.

Possible Scenes:

1. Interviews with:

• The Head Cleaner or/& Site Manager to hear about their jobs in relation to recycling, what makes life difficult & what would make it easier;
• Someone external about what happens to our waste
• The Headteacher (can't remember why, maybe about why recycling is important). Although it might make the video look too official...
• Mr Cappleman (reserve)
  

Could you interview any students on their thoughts about why recycling is important?

2. Stop animation of a coke can that is thrown onto the floor that cries when it sees a passing plane and says something like 'I could have been a plane like cousin Trev if only I was recycled!' I'd love to see a foot then squashing the can for comedy value (like those old Monty Python animations - have you seen them?).

3. A meeting of Cherwell Earth debating how bad it is that we throw 78% to landfill (well that's the old statistic now thankfully). There was a dream sequence after that I didn't quite catch. I wonder if that might tell them the history of the bins, the doughnut sale (happy students eating Krispy Kremes?) & how they were installed (fast motion someone installing a couple of bins) around the school?

4. Stop animation of what goes where, that focuses particularly on the sorts of rubbish the students have in the classrooms & canteens. Look at this hyperlink to the Oxford chart detailing what can be placed in the bins.

http://www.oxford.gov.uk/PageRender/decER/Whatgoesintoeachcontainer.htm

Good music put over some scenes? Any suggestions?

Will people meet up again before the end of term to work on the film? Feel free to use the comments below to arrange it. We should probably also start thinking about how to get the new year 12s involved next year... any ideas?

Have a nice summer and remember to keep recycling!

:D

Hello Fellow Cherwell Earthians!
Sorry this is so late, I've been extremely busy!
So last week, we discussed our film in more detail, and decided on our main aims.
Firstly, to persuade people that they should use our brilliant new recycling system, and secondly, to teach them how.
We decided that we would need to find a song to put in the background, and also that it would be more successful if students didn't feel patronised by the film. Key points of discussion were whether it should be a 'music video' or a video accompanied by a song.
The Film group were planning on meeting up to get started - any suggestions for when people are available?
See you all on Wednesday (which may well be our last meeting this term, as it is Activities Day next Wednesday, so lots of people might be out of school)!
:D

We're Back!

Hi everyone!
So, Cherwell Earth is back and full of ideas for both the end of this year and the start of next!
For people who weren't at our meeting, we discussed ideas for a film that we are planning on making, which will teach new year 7s (and anyone else who needs it) how to use our new exciting recycling system.
We also thought about Switch-Off Fortnight and how we can make it even bigger and better this year. Possible thoughts included recording energy used before, during and after, and a 'turn your rubbish into art' competition.
I think we should also plan how to get more new year 12s involved next year, and think further about the involvement of the rest of the school...
Feel free to comment below with any other ideas/things I missed out.
See you all next Wednesday!
:D