A Green Learning Revolution

A Green Learning Revolution has being launched by the WEA North East adult learning movement. WEA staff and members are being invited to form 'green learning circles' to plan how the movement can do more to combat climate change and tackle environmental issues. The move is part of a national WEA scheme called Learning Revolutionaries funded by the Government's Transformation Fund for informal adult learning.

The WEA learning circle, based at our North East headquarters in Newcastle, it will look at ways of making the WEA carbon neutral. It will also examine the effectiveness of measures already taken to manage the Association's regional office in environmentally friendly ways as well as growing the range of WEA adult education courses that focus on green themes.

Nigel Todd, WEA North East Regional Director, said: 'We've made good progress with our green policies over the past year or so, but the WEA's recent decision to sign up to the 10:10 carbon reduction campaign opens the way to do more. The green learning circle will give staff and our voluntary members a way of building on some of the things we have put in place, such as changing our electricity supply to green sources, introducing Fair 'Trade in to our staff and visitors' kitchen, as well as making sure that our use of paper for office work and publicity for our courses comes from sustainable forests.

We'll want to look at green travel plans - we've just set up a bike shed for staff who cycle to work - and at ways of offering more courses on environmental issues and linking these with social action to change life styles. Over the past two years, we've held major regional conferences on how to deal with climate change and we're planning another one in partnership with the Co-operative, the Open University and UNISON.

The Learning Revolutionaries scheme has come just at the right time to engage our staff and members in exploring all aspects of the green agenda.'

Learning circles are friendly and informal self-directed learning groups in which the participants plan the topics they would like to research and discuss. The Learning Revolution scheme also offers training for people who would like to know how to facilitate the group discussions. The scheme is open to other groups and organisations. For more information contact Sarah Wyat or Bea Groves at the WEA on 0191 212 6100 or northeast@wea.org.uk

The WEA has taken initiative to promote environmental sustainability by joining the 10:10 campaign- set out to cut 10% of the UK’s carbon emissions throughout this year, with the help of hundreds of organisations and individuals who have joined. To find out more about how you can make a difference, visit www.1010uk.org.