Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP
THE PEAK September 2007
I visited Oxgangs Primary School recently. The school has come through
the difficult time following the destruction of the old school to a brand new school offering first class facilities to local children.
I was impressed by the enthusiasm of all the staff and by the friendly atmosphere at the school.
I was particularly keen to hear from two of the primary seven pupils about the environmental initiatives they’ve undertaken at the school – from using old tyres for planting to reducing the use of plastic bags and encouraging pupils to switch of lights in the building.
I know from the many letters and emails I receive from constituents that the environment is an issue which concerns many people. How we can tackle climate change by using less energy is one of the biggest challenges we face. At Westminster recently, I launched the Energy Review White Paper which sets out the Government’s strategy to save energy and boost energy efficiency and move to lower carbon energy through sources such as renewables and microgeneration. If we could do all of this it would be the equivalent of removing all cars, buses and lorries from the roads.
Providing ways to encourage consumers and businesses to become more energy efficient is essential. One of the best ways of doing this is by telling the next generation about the importance of caring for our environment so I’m delighted that Oxgangs Primary is part of the Eco-Schools programme which will encourage environmental awareness amongst pupils, parents and staff.
