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Free short courses on environmental matters

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Learn flexibly online, for free

Learn more about the natural world and explore key environmental issues like climate change and sustainability with short online courses, in-depth programs, or full postgraduate degrees. Start learning for free on desktop, laptop, or mobile.

Upgrade or buy Unlimited for extra benefits

Upgrade your course for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement. Buy Unlimited for access to hundreds of short courses in a year and the ability to keep access to courses you gain a certificate on.

Boost your career

Develop your understanding of environmental issues with experts from the world's leading organisations and universities. Network with and learn from others all over the world.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course, lots of thought-provoking topics about what we have done or are doing to our world as well as the basics of geology, rock types etc... Thanks to all at OU and FutureLearn. I'll recommend the course to my 'University of 3rd Age' Science Group, and raise some of the topics as a basis for our discussions.

It has been a fascinating, well planned, and informative journey from Pluto to Earth. The comments and links have also contributed to better understanding of our solar system. I am grateful to Professor Rothery and all those who contributed so much of their skills and knowledge to assemble and present such a quality program. Thank you Open Univerity!

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Online Environment & Biology Courses - FutureLearn

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Learn more about the natural world and explore key environmental issues like climate change and sustainability with short online courses, in-depth programs, or full postgraduate degrees. Start learning for free on desktop, laptop, or mobile. Upgrade your course for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement.

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Sat, April 21st, 2018

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This is a fun and social group dedicated to cleaning up the Royal Canal. The Royal Canal Way and towpath is a great public amenity in Dublin City, and we want to make it even better! Our aim is to get

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10 Ways to Go Green at School | Scholastic

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Projects and ideas to help your school go green, from recycling clubs to solar cookouts and more!

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Energy is the second theme of the Green-Schools programme. Following Litter & Waste, schools work on conserving energy and raising awareness of energy issues in their school and community.

What is Energy?

Science defines energy as the ability to do work.

Energy is all around us, and comes in different forms - heat (thermal), light (radiant), mechanical, electrical, chemical and nuclear energy. We use energy for everything we do, from running to catch a bus to sending astronauts into space! Although there are many forms of energy, most can be put into two categories, kinetic (motion) and potential (stored).

The sun's energy is the primary source of energy for all life on Earth. Energy changes form at each step in the chain. Humans and other organisms use energy to survive (grow, change, maintain health, move, and reproduce).

To heat our homes and schools we need an energy source. These energy sources can be categorised as renewable or non-renewable energy. Renewable energy is one that can be easily replenished while non-renewable is one that cannot. Examples of renewable energy include; solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and hydropower.

Fossil Fuels are non-renewable and include; oil, natural gas and coal. These are formed under intense pressure and heat over millions of years from the buried remains of plants and animals. Burning fossil fuels releases energy in the form of heat. In recent decades, humans have been burning more and more fossil fuels to meet the world's energy demands. Burning fossil fuels contributes to acid rain, which is implicated in the loss of wildlife in lakes and rivers, the reduction of land fertility and the destruction of trees. Furthermore, by burning fossil fuels to release heat we are releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere faster than plants can absorb it. CO2 is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect; as more fuels are burnt, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 increases, causing the average global temperature to rise.

Climate Change affects the distribution of climatic regions, sea level changes and ultimately, the planet's ability to support human communities.

The good news is, there are simple steps we can take to reduce our energy consumption at home and in school. Many of which are simple low and no-cost actions that can be carried out to increase efficient use of energy and help save you money.

Facts and Figures

1. The recommended temperature for classrooms is 18ºC. Every 1ºC increase in temperature over the above figures could add up to 10% to cost of heating bills.

2. A photocopier left switched on overnight wastes enough energy to make 1,500 A4 copies

3. Ireland has set three main targets to achieve by 2020: to increase renewables by 20%, to reduce energy consumption by 20% and to reduce greenhouse gas levels by 20%.

4. Energy-related CO2 emissions, in Ireland, in 2013 were 20% below 2005 levels.

What You Can Do

Energy is fundamental to the way we live our life today. Electricity is an amazing resource and should be used efficiently both at home and in school. The following are just a few ideas to get you started and to help you and your school reduce your effect on the environment and help save money too!

Turn Off the Lights when no-one is in the room. Put stickers on light switches to remind everyone to turn off the lights at the end of class.

Use energy efficient light bulbs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). These bulbs use ¼ of electricity as normal light bulbs and last up to 12 times longer!

Turn Off Appliances when not in use. Remember, leaving appliances on stand-by uses energy so remember to switch them off.

Put stickers on photocopiers, computers and other appliances in school to remind everyone to turn them off.

Turn Down the Heat! Turning the thermostat down by 1°C can reduce your heating bills by 10%.

Check all windows and doors to see where draughts are coming in. If you identify draughts get your parents or teachers to seal them up or get the students to make a draught excluder using old clothes!

Turn Off the Taps! A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they're fully turned off!

Useful links:

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Energy is the second theme of the Green-Schools programme. Following Litter & Waste, schools work on conserving energy and raising awareness of energy issues in their school and community. What is Energy? Science defines energy as the ability to do work.

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100% green school in Uruguay teaches sustainable development

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Uruguay waste is piling up and materials are lacking. However, an association called Tagma decided to build a 100% sustainable school. The building is main...

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By: Chiyo

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By: Chiyo

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Below you will find many resources that support your journey through the eBook or Print copy of " A is for Action".

For more information about the book, click
These resources may be used to set the stage, prompt discussion, present a problem or generate questions. They can be serious, or quite silly. The websites are provided as a jumping board for each stage of taking action. So explore, have fun, and move forward in making a difference to and in the world! HERE.

If you want to make a Change , at the end of the day, it all starts with you.

It's important to be Knowledgeable about the topic or issue and be inclusive of all different angles.

Ask Yourself: Is new technology ALWAYS the best way to share our action? What makes you say that?

Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if
ever single person, both young and old,
shared a little of what he is good at doing.
-Quincy Jones, musician and producer

"What?" and "So what?" are good questions to ask. But as you continue there is also, " Now What?" This question will drive you on.

Celebrate your accomplishments but remember to thank others too. However, feel good; It all started with !

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Here you will find many resources that support your journey through the eBook or Print copy of "A is for Action". These resources may be used to set the stage, prompt discussion, present a problem or generate questions.

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by : Zaina

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Saving Planet Earth & Stop Climate Change   Full Documentary

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Simple things to do at home to help maintain the Earth's resources.
By: Zaina

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zaina

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By: Chiyo

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How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic

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A passionate group of transition year students from Newpark School striving to be the first single use plastic free school in Ireland.

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Plastic Out of The Park (@newparkyea) | Twitter

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The latest Tweets from Plastic Out of The Park (@newparkyea). A passionate group of transition year students from Newpark School striving to be the first single use plastic free school in Ireland. Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown

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Peat as a unique natural resource for Ireland...

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Peat as a unique natural resource for Ireland...

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Peat in Ireland | Peat Power Plants | Peat Purposes

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Peat in Ireland is used for two main purposes - to generate electricity and as a fuel for domestic heating, while there are 3 peat fuelled power plants still operational.

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Ireland has the lowest forest cover of any country...

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Ireland has the lowest forest cover of any country...

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MANY people will visit woodlands during the Easter holidays, sniffing the spring air, scenting conifers and just enjoying the trees and wildlife, writes Donal Hickey.

There's a growing appreciation of our forestry, but despite some views that parts of the country are being taken over by trees, we're still well behind our EU counterparts in that regard.

Ireland has the lowest forest cover of all European countries, according to Teagasc. Land cover here is 11% while over 40% of all land in the 33 member states is wooded. Co Wicklow has the highest forest cover and Co Meath the lowest. These forests are mostly man-made. Government policy is to bring the national forest cover to 17%. Counties Cork and Kerry have a high proportion of forestry and, importantly, great walks.

Over the centuries, Ireland experienced a near-total destruction of its forests, mainly because of human activity and climate change; from an initial forest cover of around 80% to less than 1%. We are the only country in Europe where such complete destruction took place. Segments of our ancient woods remain, like the hazel woods of the Burren, yew woods in Co Galway and oak woods in Killarney National Park. Such woods are always worth a visit as they offer us a glimpse of what their predecessors were like. However, they need to be managed, in some way, to ensure conservation. In Killarney, for instance, deer fencing has been erected around some of the oak woods to allow the oaks regenerate.

Amenity woods such as Avondale, the home of Irish forestry, in Co Wicklow; Gougane Barra, West Cork, Lough Key, Co Roscommon, and Killykeen, Co Cavan, are all delightful places and visitor-magnets. Coillte continues to promote trails and forest paths.

In the years after independence, most tree-planting was carried out by governments to stop Ireland's deforestation and to replace imported timber. Most of these state forests were established on mountain land and consisted mainly of fast-growing conifers.

Since 1991, most tree planting is carried out by private individuals, usually farmers, with the assistance of grant aid. Nearly half of all forests are now in private ownership. More demanding tree species, including broadleaves, are increasingly being planted as tree planting moves from the mountains to the valleys. About half of all these forests are less than 25 years old.

A European Environment Agency report identifies habitat loss, invasive alien species, pollution and climate change as the top four challenges facing forests. Such threats, combined with economic activities such as logging, urban sprawl, or the increasing use of forests by humans for leisure, make forests more vulnerable, the report warns.

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Ireland has great woodland but has the lowest forest cover of all European countries

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MANY people will visit woodlands during the Easter holidays, sniffing the spring air, scenting conifers and just enjoying the trees and wildlife, writes Donal Hickey. There's a growing appreciation of our forestry, but despite some views that parts of the country are being taken over by trees, we're still well behind our EU counterparts in that regard.

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Digging for oil off the coast of Ireland

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Digging for oil off the coast of Ireland

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Is this a good or bad thing?

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A Dublin exploration firm has started drilling for oil off the Kerry coast

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Providence Resources thinks there could be billions of barrels of oil in the Atlantic.

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Trying to fight the problem of people littering!

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Drones to be used in crackdown on illegal dumping

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Minister Denis Naughten is to launch the new project in Galway on Monday

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Windy Ireland - Wind as an important natural resource...

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Windy Ireland - Wind as an important natural resource...

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It's windy all the time, why don't we have more wind farms, or are their plans for them?

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Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland | SEAI

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The development of renewable energy, including both offshore and onshore wind, is central to our energy policy. http://www.seai.ie/sustainable-solutions/renewable-energy/wind-energy/

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Rubbish is all over Dublin's streets!

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Faced with a mountain of illegally dumped household waste, Dublin City Council set out this year to "nab the culprits". What its inspectors found illustrates the attitude of many of those responsible - and not just in the capital but all over the country.

In the six months to April, the council's North Inner City Litter Action Group investigated 4,000 bags of illegally dumped rubbish. In addition to rotting food, used nappies and the usual household detritus, some of the bags contained litter fines.

Ultimately the council used CCTV and - controversially - published photographs of people dumping in a bid to discourage them and others. Whether or not it will have the desired effect is yet to be seen.

The scale of the problem is severe. Figures up to March this year show that 54 per cent of Dublin City Council households had not signed up to any authorised waste collection service despite a legal obligation to do so. The council said the cost of disposing of illegally dumped waste in 2015 was €640,000.

South Dublin County Council spent €1.3 million last year disposing of waste illegally dumped on roads and public spaces, according to figures supplied to Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe. The figure excludes street sweepings and litter bins.

Beautiful habitat

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said it spent €1.7million removing 2,300 tonnes of rubbish - including street-cleaning, community clean-ups, litter bins and illegally dumped waste. It was not possible to indicate what proportion of the figures related solely to illegal dumping and fly-tipping, the council said. Fingal County Council estimated it would spend €700,000 dealing with all waste this year.

Of course, the problem is not just Dublin-based. The State's recent purchase of 5,000 acres of land at Glenasmole Valley in the Dublin Mountains brought with it an unwanted cargo: hundreds of tonnes of dumped waste.

Minister for State for Regional Economic Development Michael Ring, who pushed to have the lands acquired from Nama, said he was shocked by the dumping when he visited Glenasmole.

How could people destroy such a wild and beautiful habitat, he asked. The answer appears to be because it was easy.

Ian Davis, who runs the south Dublin and Wicklow-based Protecting Uplands and Rural Environments (Pure) Project said the scale of the dumping was no surprise. In 2015, Pure, which is funded by the Department of the Environment, collected 235 tonnes of illegally dumped waste, mainly from the foothills of the Dublin Mountains and Wicklow Mountains.

So far this year, the volume of waste has reached more than 150 tonnes, with Davis saying "it looks like this will be one of the busiest years for the project since we started 10 years ago".

Nearly 800 cases of littering were investigated by Kerry County Council last year. Councillors, including Michael Gleeson of the South Kerry Independent Alliance, say incidences of rubbish being dumped along the side of roads are increasing.

In Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon, research carried out by Shannonside Northern Sound found just 17 cases of littering or illegal dumping were successfully prosecuted through the courts in 2015. This was "despite the fact that there were over 1,900 complaints received by council environment sections in Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon relating to litter or waste offences", the radio station said.

In Louth bags containing domestic rubbish were dumped on Ardee's main street last July, a move which saw Louth County Council removing a number of litter bins from the town. Council officials said they had to remove bins because "all we get is household rubbish".

In Co Cavan, 265 incidents of litter or illegal dumping were reported last year. The council's director of services Ger Finn said the authority was aware of a number of "black economy" operators providing waste disposal services in the county.

Industrial dumping

Illegal operators were also blamed in Co Wicklow when an estimated 100 tonnes of waste were discovered by a member of the public at Charlesland. The county is still dealing with large-scale industrial dumping of domestic and hospital waste with a number of legal cases involving the council going through the courts.

Meanwhile, householders in Galway recently discovered their personal correspondence turned up in an illegal dump in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.

Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten said that despite high recycling rates in certain categories, illegal dumping "remains a problem affecting too many communities in Ireland".

He stressed the need for high detection rates and for penalties for non-compliance to be "sufficiently serious that non-compliance is just not worth the risk".

Naughten said the State's three new Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (Werlas) would play a pivotal role in the State's fightback against what he described as "waste crime".

Each authority will have responsibility for co-ordinating waste enforcement actions within regions. They will also have access through a national steering committee to representatives of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Garda among other authorities.

This is to ensure that when a rogue operator is targeted, attention is focused on everything to do with their business, from waste licences to PRSI payments to vehicle regulations to social welfare fraud and even illegal immigration.

Diesel laundering

Funding of €8.2 million was being provided in 2016 for the retention by local authorities of 155 specialised waste enforcement officers, critical to tackling issues such as illegal dumping in local communities, Naughten said. He said their highest priorities would include diesel laundering and end-of-life tyres.

While diesel laundering will continue to be targeted by enforcement, the Government has licensed a new entity, Repak End of Life Tyres, to oversee the issue. This unit, which will operate as a separate entity to Repak's current recycling business, will charge producers about €2.80 per tyre placed on the market and use the money to fund waste management as well as contributing to the cost of cleaning up the estimated 10 to 15 million "legacy" tyres stockpiled in illegal dumps, in warehouses and on farms across the State.

Some of the State's most successful recycling is in the area of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). Since the scheme was set up in 1996, the number of large household appliances dumped has dropped significantly. A reported 74 per cent of all washing machines placed on the market in 2015 were recycled, as were 63 per cent of fridge freezers.

European directives requiring Ireland to recycle 45 per cent of all electrical items by 2016 are being met, but the rate is to rise to 65 per cent by 2018.

However, what is not so successful is the recycling of small tools such as electric screwdrivers, with just 19 per cent being recycled. There are also challenging targets for batteries, according to chief executive of WEEE Ireland Leo Donovan, who said higher recycling and efficiency standards were having an impact.

If the materials recovered from the recycled batteries do not achieve a high enough sale price to fund their effective disposal, the producers have to meet the shortfall. While this has the potential to increase costs, Donovan says t it also encourages manufacturers to produce goods which are more readily recyclable.

"The EU draft package on the circular economy will focus producers' minds on the design, durability, repairability, reusability as well as the recyclability of their products," he said.

Another difficulty is getting the message out. Many people may not be aware that they no longer have to buy a new electrical item, as was once the case, when they bring something back for recycling.

According to the Irish Waste Management Association, just over 1,017,688 tonnes of municipal waste were recycled in 2014, the latest year for which figures are available.

Worst option

In terms of treatment, landfill is considered the worst option available, below incineration, which allows energy in the form of heat and/or power generation.

State policy is to deter landfill through levies of about €75 per tonne. This has led to operators exporting residual waste, mainly to the Netherlands or Germany, where they pay for it to be incinerated.

In 2014, Ireland exported 537,000 tonnes of waste and incinerated 376,000 tonnes. About 595,000 tonnes were sent to landfill, a figure just 5,000 tonnes short of the capacity of the proposed Covanta incinerator in Poolbeg in Dublin.

While the waste industry says landfill capacity is rapidly running out, it has agreed with the Department of the Environment to extend the life of a number of landfills for residual waste. At the same time, cement kilns and the Indaver incinerator in Co Meath are also increasing the amount of material they will take.

However, it is clear the industry and the Government are now relying on the opening of the Poolbeg incinerator to ease the current pressure on landfill capacity.

Report illegal dumping

Are you aware of serious dumping or littering in your area? Send us details to help us highlight this problem in communities around Ireland. We will also follow up with the local authorities to ensure action is taken.
www.irishtimes.com/illegaldumping

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Illegal dumping continues to blight Irish landscape

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Faced with a mountain of illegally dumped household waste, Dublin City Council set out this year to "nab the culprits". What its inspectors found illustrates the attitude of many of those responsible - and not just in the capital but all over the country.

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GIY is an emerging global network of people who grow some of their own food.

With the rise of diet-related illness, there has never been a more urgent need for people to grow and eat healthy food. Research has shown that when people grow some of their own food, they gain a deeper understanding of food ("food empathy"), which leads to long term dietary changes and improved mental and physical wellbeing.

Founded in Ireland in 2009, the GIY movement is made up of over 50,000 food-growing people and community groups, supported by the GIY foundation (reg charity CHY 18920) which runs events and campaigns to build awareness and knowledge.

With your help, we aim to create a community of 1 million 'GIYers' in 20 countries in the next 5 years.

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GIY is an emerging global network of people who grow some of their own food. With the rise of diet-related illness, there has never been a more urgent need for people to grow and eat healthy food.

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ECO-UNESCO is Ireland's Environmental Education and Youth Organisation affiliated to the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA)

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The Worlds Biggest Lesson

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Emma Watson introduces The World’s Largest Lesson 2016 n.2

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Some possible books to look into getting from the library

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Some possible books to look into getting from the library

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Some of these books might be for younger readers but they could be a great starting point

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I want to highlight some of the books I purchased for our collection last year that have really enriched the resources we have for our curious kids. I haven't included straight informational texts in this list. Some of these may have been published before 2014.

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This week we're celebrating the positive power of stories, all kinds of stories, to bring home what we risk losing on our beautiful planet - and what we can do about it. Here authors and children's books site members share the books that made them think. We'll be feeding this blog with more recommendations all week, so please share yours - and keep checking back.
Frank Cottrell Boyce (whose latest book is the remarkably green The Astounding Broccoli Boy)
The book that made me realise that I was part of the environment was The Ladybird Book of Saints. On the cover was this brilliant image of St Francis releasing the caged birds he had he had bought in the market. For ages afterwards I would go into pet shops and zoos and itch to unlock the doors. In fact there are "freeing the animals" scenes in at least two of my books. There are so many environmental messages about how horrible humans are wrecking the planet - that's obviously true in a way but this image made me feel that I belonged in the World too and that I could cherish and love it.
David Almond, author of Skellig
The Promise by Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin. It's beautifully written, beautifully illustrated picture book. It shows a troubled darkened world being recreated by the human need for greenery, life and colour.
Louise O'Neill, author of Only Ever Yours
Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake is a speculative fiction novel that is very much concerned with the damage humans are inflicting upon the environment and the possible catastrophic results that could have. Written in 2003, many plot points now seem eerily prescient and it makes for a disturbing, powerful read. Highly recommended for older teenagers.

Carl Hiaasen's Hoot is true to its name in that it's a supremely funny YA novel, and one that tends to be overlooked. There's a real environmental streak running through all of Hiaasen's works and Hoot is no exception, it deals with a Florida teen who bands together with a couple of new friends to stop the destruction of a burrowing owl colony. It's a lot of fun with a solid conservationist message at its core and an abundance of charm to boot."
Candy Gourlay, author of Shine
Long ago I wrote a short story called How to Build the Perfect Sandcastle for Under the Weather, the climate change anthology edited by Tony Bradman. About a white sand beach losing its sand because the sea is heating up ... the same hot oceans that later whipped up the murderous monster that was Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

Perhaps the all too real climate change disaster in the Philippines has made me partial to flood stories. My favorite is Not the End of the World, the lyrical resetting of Noah's Ark as a Tsunami survival story by Geraldine McCaughrean.
Lottie Longshanks, site member
The wild series by Piers Torday. So far I have read The Last Wild and The Dark Wild. Kester has the unusual gift of communicating with animals and it is his mission to save the animals from red eye the disease that is slowly killing them. It is a really exciting story and you soon guess who the villains are Selwyn Stone and his lackeys who want to dictate the way that everyone lives. The amazing rubbish dump in the second book in the series really makes you think about the damage that we are doing to our planet. I can't wait to read the third book in the series, The Wild Beyond.

White Dolphin by Gill Lewis Set in the south West of England the exciting story tells of children who take on the might of a powerful fishing business to stop dredging in the harbour because of the damage it does to marine life. I also love Moon Bear by Gill Lewis. This incredibly moving story shows how deforestation leads to misery for the animals whose habitat was the forest. And finally here is a recommendation for small children I read it to my cousin who lives in Oman when he comes to visit us. Dear Greenpeace by Simon James. Emily writes to Greenpeace to find out how to care for the whale that she thinks she has seen in her pond. Emily's letters and the lovely replies she receives from Greenpeace will give little children a lot of information about whales. (Also see Lottie Longshank's poem Our Precious world)
SF Said, author of Varjak Paw
I recommend Exodus by Julie Bertagna: a brilliantly prescient YA novel about climate change, set in a drowned future world. It's full of unforgettable visions and characters, and it will stay with you forever!

ItWasLovelyReadingYou, site member
My book would be Breathe by Sarah Crossan. It made me think about how we take so many things for granted, such as oxygen. You can't see it, we use it every day, without it we would not survive; yet many people do not really sit down and feel a sense of gratitude for these types of things, becuase we assume we deserve them, we see them as something that will never go away, we just accept it without question. Breathe really made me feel a sense of 'imagine if we didn't have oxygen, or we had limited supplies of it-", it made me question my unconscious detachment from what keeps us alive, and really feel privelidged to have all of these necessities.
Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers
Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Cosmic is a book that makes the world look like something worth protecting. It's hilariously funny, and also wise - it makes its readers want desperately to go into space, but also to take care of the world while we're on it. The Earth is, as one of the astronauts says, "some kind of lovely." The Last Wild series by Piers Torday - these three spectacular books are about a world decimated by humans, and the possibility of that loss feels very real and urgent and frightening - and they're also fantastic adventure stories, about bravery and animals and human capacity to do huge good as well as harm. And there's a bossy talking cockroach.

Site Brahmachari, author of Kite Spirit and Artichoke Hearts
For me it has to be The Ring of Bright Water Trilogy by Gavin Maxwell. I fell in love with these books as a child because they are set on the West coast of Scotland - a place I love - where wildlife and nature are the biggest characters. It;s a humbling landscape. If you have a love of the outdoors and really want to study the nature of beautiful, playful otters... and can stand to have your heart broken .... you should read these stories. Although they were written 50 years ago they are as timeless as the shingle beaches they are set on. The author lived and breathed the paradise he went to live in... and so will you when you read these books... and afterwards you can watch the film (tissues at the ready!)
OrliTheBookWorm, site member
Breathe by Sarah Crossan is probably the book that's impacted me the most in terms of the environment - it's a dystopian novel, with people living in domes due to a lack of oxygen - the raw descriptions and harsh realities were wonderfully done and uttery thought provoking, and made me take a step away from my laptop and have a look outside my window.... It's a brilliant book, which I guarantee will change your perspective on the environment around us.
Piers Torday, author of The Dark Wild trilogy
The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann - the original classic tale of a group of British animals seeking refuge when their precious Farthing Wood is threatened by human development. They overcome incredible obstacles and danger to make it to a wildlife sanctuary. But reading it today there is an extra poignancy - some of the animals in the story, like the red-backed shrike, are now extinct, and others - like the adder, hare and voles - are all under threat.
BritishBiblioholic, site member
Watership Down by Richard Adams - When the rabbits in Watership Down are forced to leave their home, it is due to its impending destruction by humans. This potentially can be seen as an allegory for the ongoing destruction for the environment in general - and unlike the rabbits, if we don't save our environment, we won't be able to find somewhere else to live.
Tony Bradman, author of Anzac Boys
One of my favourite books about the environment is Oi! Get Off Our Train, a brilliant picture book by John Burningham. It's about a boy who dreams he's travelling around the world on his toy train, and each time he stops he picks up animals from species that are endangered because their habitat is being threatened or has been destroyed. Great pictures and the message is delivered with a lot of fun.
Sarah Crossan, author of Breathe
The Last Wild by Piers Torday - it's rare for a cli-fi novel to be magical, engaging and affecting, but Torday achieves all of these things. Not only that, but each book in the trilogy gets better. He's not a writer to watch but one we are already keenly watching.
Please share the book that made YOU think about the environment and climate change and we'll add it to this blog. You can either email on childrens.books@theguardian.com with the heading "eco books" or tweet @GdnChildrensBks. Beatrice, on email
The Word for World is Forest by Ursula Le Guin for fairly sophisticated young readers from about age 13. The indigenous social organization of the very green planet experiencing colonization therein was fascinating, and opens young minds up to understanding the profound disruptions experienced by, as well as the important teachings of native peoples everywhere. Also, The Owl Service byAlan Garner gave rise to surprising conversations with my 10 year-old about landscape, and the connections between culture, history and the environment, as well as the importance to humans of preserving those connections. For much younger children The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein can seem a little odd viewed from a conservationist perspective, but it inspired lovely conversations about nature and environmental stewardship ("us taking care of nature because nature takes care of us") with my 4 year-old. Anything by Jean Craighead George.
Sandra, on email
I would strongly recommend the power of Scottish writer Rachel Meehan's two books, Power's Out and Water's Edge. Through her strong characterisation, and the fiesty nature of her principal character Nairne, her hard-hitting story lines play out with force. The unvarnished truth of the implications of relentless climate change is delivered through fast paced adventures, which are compelling reading for young people. Her message is unmissable.

Teresa, on email
Have a look at Rachel Meehan's books - the Waters Edge trilogy.
Mary, curator, eco-fiction.com
Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta: The novel takes place in the future after climate change has ravished economies and ecologies, and made fresh water scarce. The main character, Noria, is a young woman learning the traditional, sacred tea master art from her father. Yet, water is rationed and scarce in her future world. Her family has a secret spring of water, and, as tea masters, she and her father act as the water's guards, even though what they are doing is a crime according to their future world's government, a crime strongly disciplined by the military.

Nature's Confession by JL Morin: The eco-novel is wonderful and reminds me of classic science fiction I watched or read as a kid. It was a genre that fascinated me then, and this book has joined that memory. The novel is epic in that it doesn't just tell a story (which it does do too), but it puts our very survival into question while romping through the universe or discovering new quantum physics that are both scientific and spiritual in nature. In the meantime, universal symbols are unearthed, codes are investigated, fat corporations are dominating, a romance is blossoming, computers come alive, and native tribes and Nature on another planet bring our own treasured past into the future.

Tito intiro Chavaropana by Jessica Groenendijk: Tito intiro Chavaropana means 'Tito and the Giant Otter' in Matsigenka. The author, a biologist who has studied giant otters, is now working on a sequel, in which Tito sets off into the forest to hunt a spider monkey and meets a harpy eagle on the way. They become friends but not without a misunderstanding or two!

Spirit Bear by Jennifer Harrington: Spirit Bear celebrates a rare and iconic black bear that is born with a recessive gene that makes its coat creamy or white. Also called the Kermode bear, the spirit bear lives in the delicate, rich, and threatened ecosystem of the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada. Jennifer's story is about the journey of a spirit bear cub that gets lost from his mother and has to find his way back.
Rachel, on email
I would like to recommend Rachel Meehan's Water's Edge and Power's Out, from the Troubled Times series, published by Cherry House publishing. I bought these books for my son who was around 13 at the time and he gobbled them up, so I took a peek and was hooked from the beginning. I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to apocalyptic, end-of-world type stuff, so I was nervous about the subject matter, but the stories are so strong, and the lead character is so gutsy, that I was quickly able to put my fears aside and just get lost in the books, the sign of a very good read. I think that these books make the threat of climate change seem very real; they are based on the implications of slow, incremental change rather than something sudden and momentous, which makes them feel that they could be set in a very near future, and that in fact some of the issues touched on in the book are already with us. All the more frightening. I am writing this recommendation as an adult reader, but I think I can say on behalf of my teenage son, with whom I have discussed the books (and he loves them), that the author has a very direct style, generates pace and tension brilliantly and raises very important issues of our time, in a way that is highly readable and has a powerful impact, not just for a teenage audience but for adults too.

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What are the best eco books for children and teens?

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This week we're celebrating the positive power of stories, all kinds of stories, to bring home what we risk losing on our beautiful planet - and what we can do about it. Here authors and children's books site members share the books that made them think.

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An interesting idea and forum for sharing.

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Teens for Planet Earth is a social network for teens interested in helping protect the planet, created by the Wildlife Conservation Society. Members discuss their environmental projects and more tips for living green in the groups on the social network. They also have access to tons of helpful information about grants for environmental projects and tips for living green, like using cloth napkins and reducing the amount of animal products in your diet.

The guide to careers in conservation on Teens for Planet Earth is a great resource to learn a bit more about the opportunities available - and the stories of people working for the Wildlife Conservation Society. Members can also learn more about the various projects they can get involved in to help protect the planet around animals, water, habitat, and education.

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Teens for Planet Earth is a social network for teens interested in helping protect the planet, created by the Wildlife Conservation Society. Members discuss their environmental projects and more tips for living green in the groups on the social network.

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Ideas for Action

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Environment | DoSomething.org | Volunteer for Social Change

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Global warming, record levels of pollution, widespread extinction, rapid deforestation and unremitting resource extraction has increased the need to keep our environment clean has never been greater. Volunteer to inform your friends about climate change, save endangered species, and learn lifestyle choices your community can make to reduce, reuse, and recycle more efficiently.

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Ted Talk - Grit:  The Power of Passion and Perseverance 

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Ted Talk - Grit:  The Power of Passion and Perseverance 

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Worth a watch before starting! Inspiring hard work and finding passions.

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Grit: The power of passion and perseverance

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Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.

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Leading conservation organisation whose mission is:  to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth

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Protecting our beaches, seas and marine life

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Clean Coasts engages communities in the protection of Ireland's beaches, seas and marine life. The programme is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce and is currently funded by the Department of the Housing, Planning & Local Government and Fáilte Ireland.

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Another website worth looking at for ideas for projects

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Welcome to Earth Force Home of Environmental Action Civics Do you recycle? Do you avoid littering? Way to go! But . . . we need to talk. Each person “doing their part” for the environment will not be enough to address the challenges we face. Let’s face it, we are all more comfortable deciding to […]

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Overcoming the World's Challenges - The Global Goals

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The climate crisis. Ensuring no one goes hungry. Human rights abuses. Extreme poverty. Problems of this scale can be overwhelming, but the Global Goals(also known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs) are the solution to tackling them.

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Ted Talk: Young Scientists Break Down Plastic With Bacteria

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Ted Talk: Young Scientists Break Down Plastic With Bacteria

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William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind

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At age 14, in poverty and famine, a Malawian boy built a windmill to power his family's home. Now at 22, William Kamkwamba, who speaks at TED, here, for the second time, shares in his own words the moving tale of invention that changed his life.

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Ted Talk: I Built a Nuclear Fusion Reactor

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Ted Talk: I Built a Nuclear Fusion Reactor

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Taylor Wilson: Yup, I built a nuclear fusion reactor

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Taylor Wilson believes nuclear fusion is a solution to our future energy needs, and that kids can change the world. And he knows something about both of those: When he was 14, he built a working fusion reactor in his parents' garage.