School Strike for the Planet

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 15 March 2019 > In the News

A quiet revolution is building momentum around the world as school pupils strike and march to try to get their elders to take serious measures to limit climate change. It started with one Swedish 15-year-old missing school to go and be a one-person picket line in front of a government ministry in September 2018. She … Continue reading “School Strike for the Planet”

Word of the Year: Single-Use

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 12 December 2018 > In the News

Language is constantly changing and every year British dictionary publishers Collins likes to look back and see which words have dominated the national conversation. Not necessarily new words, but ones that have come to the fore. The Word of the Year 2018 is… “single-use”. It’s been in the news as more and more campaigners have … Continue reading “Word of the Year: Single-Use”

Running Dry

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 06 December 2018 > In the News

Australian water activist Mina Guli has undertaken a gruelling physical challenge to draw attention to the growing global water crisis. From November till February she is attempting to run 100 marathons in 100 days. The United Nations estimates that there will be a 40% shortfall between demand and supply for water globally by 2030. Increasing … Continue reading “Running Dry”

Ocean Cleanup Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 20 September 2018 > Webpicks

The Ocean Cleanup non-profit organisation is hoping to remove vast quantities of plastic pollution from the oceans. Here are some articles and videos you could use to introduce your pupils to this topic. To set the scene, and with lower-level pupils, there is an article provided at A1+, A2 and B1 levels about Ocean Cleanup … Continue reading “Ocean Cleanup Webpicks”

Cleaning Plastic From the Oceans

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 20 September 2018 > In the News

Plastic pollution, particularly in the oceans, has been in the news a lot recently, with governments, institutions and big business calling and pledging to reduce the use of disposable, single-use plastics. But a young Dutchman has been fighting for eight years to tackle the other end of the problem: removing existing plastic from the sea. … Continue reading “Cleaning Plastic From the Oceans”

The Queen Goes Green

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 24 April 2018 > In the News

Britain’s Prince Charles has long been recognised for his involvement in ecology. Now the Queen is turning to conservation, protecting forests all over the Commonwealth, from a tiny 2.5 hectare site in Antigua and Barbuda to the 6.4 million hectares of the Great Bear Rainforest in Canada. The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy originated in an idea … Continue reading “The Queen Goes Green”

Free Ecology Poster

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 20 April 2018 > Celebrate

The theme for this year’s Earth Day, 22 April, is “End Plastic Pollution”. This poster from the U.S. Department of State puts the focus on ecological problems caused by plastic waste in our oceans, and the dangers it presents for marine creatures. The poster is a great starting point for a class on plastic in … Continue reading “Free Ecology Poster”