Press Release

Carbon Busters Club announces successful completion of 2017 Pilot

Climate change education positively impacts 500 children in 16 Athens schools

22 September 2017 – Athens Greece: The Carbon Busters Club (CB Club) has successfully completed its pilot education program in Greece – “Μαχητές κατά του Άνθρακα”. The successful CB Club pilot, delivered by Athens-based educators and science professionals, reached 16 Greek public schools, primarily in disadvantaged areas of East and West Attica. Five hundred fourth and fifth graders from the selected schools enjoyed multiple eco-science adventures, based on the elements of air, fire, earth and water.

AIR: Cultural monuments and climate change
FIRE: Habitat loss and climate change
EARTH: Soil science and composting
WATER: Plastic pollution in the sea

Our Earth’s climate is changing and top scientists around the world agree that people’s activities are the main cause. Carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases keep our planet warm, by trapping the sun’s heat in the same way that a greenhouse does. These gases are important for life on earth, without them we would all freeze. However, when we burn fuels with carbon in them (oil, gas and coal) to run electrical-power stations, for vehicles, for heating, and so on, dirty carbon is dumped into the air. Too much of this heat-trapping dirty carbon makes Earth dangerously warmer, putting nature out of balance, causing sea level rise, ice mass loss, shifts in flower and plant blooming, loss of animal habitats, and extreme weather events.

“We are probably now experiencing the beginnings of the sixth mass extinction in earth’s history and this time around, we humans are responsible, says Rudy Rallis, Chairman of PELARGOS Non Profit, and Greek pilot program host. “Our carbon hungry lifestyle makes it worse every day, the more carbon we use the more heat that gets trapped, the more the climate changes and the more trouble for wildlife.”

Speaking about the program, Director of CB Club Greece, Dr. Georgina Spyres says:

“This program is very innovative, especially for our country of Greece, because of its multi-disciplinary approach. We do science experiments but we also have creative activities, incorporating elements of art and drama. This brings in an emotional context in which the children can learn, safely and happily. Because we know that in order to take in new information, children need to be emotionally open to it and to be touched by it.”

Dr Evangelos Kyriakidis, Director Heritage Management Organization, who contributed to the culture and climate change elements of the pilot, says:
“Heritage is a non-renewable resource. It’s a great resource for education and culture, sustainable development, and for local pride but climate change is affecting cultural heritage. It is speeding up the destruction of monuments, and as well as many other things we hold dear to our hearts.”

Evaluations for the pilot program exceeded expectations with excellent written and verbal reviews and high numerical scores from both teachers and students. However, there was a surprising lack of knowledge, on the subject of climate change among students, indicating the need to continue the program in Greece. Based on this successful pilot, CB Club plans to expand and replicate locally and globally, including in high emissions countries such as China, India and the US.

“If we can get children to love the environment, protect it, and find new ways to stem the effects of climate change then this is the greatest demographic we can reach, because the children going through this project today are the adults of tomorrow,” says Laurel Colless, CB Club Founder.

The Carbon Busters Club team would like to formally express gratitude to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for funding the first year content development and activities of the CB Club pilot in Greece.