Last month, the Geography Department and over 150 students from Year 7 to Year 13 participated in Protecting Our Planet Day, an engaging live-streamed event organised by STEM Learning. This experience connected our students with leading environmental scientists, geographers, and conservationists, highlighting both the challenges facing our planet and the innovative solutions being developed to tackle them.

The events program offered a rich variety of sessions featuring passionate experts working on climate change, biodiversity restoration, and sustainable technologies. Through live link-ups and dynamic talks, students explored real-world applications of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) in protecting our planet, sparking curiosity and inspiration for future careers in these vital fields.

Highlights from the Day

Here are just a few of the fascinating insights and experiences that made the day so impactful:

Live from Antarctica: Students were gripped by live link-ups with the British Antarctic Survey aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough and the Rothera Research Station. They learned about how satellites and technologies like CryoSat monitor Earth’s conditions, from weather patterns to ice coverage.

Antarctica’s Past: Discussions revealed that Antarctica hasn’t always been covered in ice – it’s thought it was once home to lush rainforests!

Marine Conservation: The Plymouth Marine Laboratory showcased the crucial role of ocean colour monitoring and seagrass meadows. These underwater habitats are biodiversity powerhouses, with just one hectare supporting up to 80,000 fish and 100 million invertebrates. Alarmingly, 90% of the UK’s seagrass meadows have been lost over the last century.

Rewilding and Biodiversity: Conservationist Chris Packham gave a compelling talk about rewilding, including how a single jay in autumn can plant 7500 acorns in four weeks. He emphasised the importance of transforming spaces into natural habitats.

Pioneering Projects: Students also learned about conservation efforts such as the Knepp Estate’s rewilding project, the ‘Trees for Life’ initiative in Scotland, and the Eden Project, which is restoring ecosystems and raising awareness about sustainability.

In addition to these highlights, students discovered groundbreaking uses of artificial intelligence, including technology that detects and maps images of icebergs in 0.01 seconds!

Concluding comments

Protecting Our Planet Day was an eye-opening experience that deepened students’ understanding of the interconnectedness of nature and science. Through interactive Q&A sessions and engaging presentations, students gained invaluable knowledge about how STEM subjects can lead to meaningful careers in tackling environmental challenges.

We’re very proud of how our students embraced this opportunity, and we hope it inspires some of them to become the next generation of environmental advocates and innovators.