19/2/08
School students across Western Australia are joining in the climate change challenge by participating in the WeatherWatch program.
Environment and Climate Change Minister David Templeman today launched the 2008 WeatherWatch program at Channel Seven. Fifty Western Australian schools from across the State and 1,250 students from Years 4 to 9 are involved in the program, which is now in its 10th year.
As part of the program, students monitor their local maximum and minimum temperatures and rainfall and every night of the school year, students from five WeatherWatch schools report their local weather conditions through Channel Seven Perth and the affiliated GWN network.
“Projects like this foster greater community understanding of how weather conditions affect air pollution,” Mr Templeman said.
“This year, issues associated with climate change will feature more strongly in the program.
“This generation will become the custodians of our planet, and it is crucial that we engage them in the fight against climate change right from the beginning.”
The Minister said those attending today’s launch had provided details of the distance they had travelled so AirWatch staff could calculate the transport carbon emissions and buy carbon credits through the Carbon Neutral Program to offset those emissions.
The WeatherWatch Schools Program is part of the Department of Environment and Conservation’s AirWatch environmental education program which examines local air quality and global climate change. The program is run in partnership with Channel Seven, GWN and WeatherWatch schools.
As well as monitoring the weather, students in WeatherWatch schools take part in at least one AirWatch project every year.
Minister's office - 9220 5050
