Every year in Coláiste Éinde the students elect a team of their peers across all years to form the student council. Our role as the student council is to work on ideas and initiatives which will benefit student experience of school life. Since September we have been busy working on projects such as participating in ‘Come In’ week to educate students about the LGBTQI+ community, and recommending changes in relation of other aspects of school life. We strive to not only make a difference in our school but encourage positive change in our greater community.
Our most recent project was the launch of our Foraois Na bPáistí initiative. As the worries around climate change continue to mount, we need a symbol of a new beginning, a generation of hope. We propose that one native tree be planted, in a single site, for every school child on the island of Ireland. Our Taoiseach has said there has been a “step change” in our battle against climate change, however we are in need of something much bigger. We are in need of a giant leap, and it must happen now.
Currently, native woodland only covers two per cent of land in the country, making it the lowest in the EU. It is no secret that trees are of indispensable value, they absorb carbon dioxide, they release oxygen, and are vital for protecting Ireland’s unique ecosystems. The UN reports that forestry is the largest terrestrial carbon sink, absorbing a massive 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year. Every year, the world loses 10 million hectares of forestry. It is inconceivable that, every year, while the level of CO2 is rising exponentially, an area of forestry bigger than the island of Ireland is being chopped down.
As COP26 got under way in Glasgow, we as the student council embarked on an ambitious task to bring our initiative to the attention of every TD and senator in the country. After countless emails, we received messages of support and advice from representatives across the political spectrum and from all around the country. We received a personal response from Minister Pippa Hackett, Green Party, with some guidance and practical advice to progress our idea.
There are about 823,000 school students on the island of Ireland. While this may sound like an unrealistic target, it is definitely possible. As part of the Millennium project in 2000, there was a tree planted for every family in the country. This means that 1.2 million trees were planted on behalf of the Irish people. Our Government has the resources to deliver a message of hope and optimism during a time when there has been profound darkness. Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, the young people of Ireland have endured unprecedented challenges. The Government has a chance to show recognition of our sacrifices. We deserve to know our future will be safe.
