Catholic College Leads the Way
St Brendan’s Catholic Sixth Form College in Bristol launched a momentous environmental audit that will hopefully see a number of schools in and around the city actively pursuing a greener lifestyle. The audit aims to promote environmental awareness regarding building design, purchasing decisions and curriculum.
It was the second event in the Sound of Many Waters. The Sound of Many Waters concept was created by inspirational Cathedral parishioner and BBC nature producer Mary Colwell and the Bath based international charity The Alliance of Religions and Conservations (ARC), with the aim of promoting environmental issues through the voice of the Catholic Church. The campaign came at the end of a major month of environmental statements by the Pope.
The exciting event took place in the college auditorium where there were appearances from the presenter of BBC’s television show Coast, Miranda Krestovnikoff, Bishop Declan Lang of the Clifton Diocese, and the Bishop for Environmental Justice in England and Wales. Students’ following environmental courses at St Brendan’s also attended the event as well as student and teacher representatives from a number of schools across Bristol and Bath.
St Brendan’s was an obvious point to launch this process as it is not only a Catholic institution, but it is also a college that regularly promotes environmental messages. This was highlighted by the green credentials of new building work that is currently taking place at the college. Principal Derek Bodey has said, “The building has been carefully designed with the environment in mind and will utilise the earths natural resources such as sunlight and rainwater. Also incorporated in the design is an intelligent system to minimise carbon emission. This new facility will meet the needs of students well in to the future.”
Martin Palmer from ARC added, “The legend of St Brendan is that he set off on a journey in the fifth century not knowing where he was going and discovered the Land of Promise, which some have even named as the mainland of America. He also learned many astonishing details about foreign plants and animals. In the spirit of their own Saint the staff and students of St Brendan's invited us to discover new possibilities and to really see - and help - the wonders of nature that lie all about.”
The programme began with guests entering the auditorium to environmentally inspired songs composed by students at St Brendan’s. Bishop Declan opened by delivering a schools audit, gifted by Bishop Chris Toohey, Chair of Earthcare Australia, Victoria Palmer, cofounder of ARC then showed a short film about climate change that had been made by Mary Colwell, before giving a talk about what has inspired her get involved with this crusade. Miranda Krestovnikoff then also showed clips from Coast before informing students about the background of making that series.
To conclude proceedings, a representative from each school who attended the event signed up to the environmental audit, in doing so actively supporting the ‘Sound of Many Waters’ campaign. Crucially, the audit process has also resulted in a website and audit pack, which can be downloaded and used by any school in the country, hopefully making the call for a greener lifestyle heard nationally, not just here in Bristol and Bath.
