Catchment News

What’s the Story of Your Stuff?

The Story of Your Stuff is a competition aimed at second-level students.

Let’s get thinking about… stuff!

Consider what your stuff is made of, how it’s made, what emissions are associated with it, where it could potentially end up when it is no longer of use or what could become of it when its recycled properly. Alternatively, consider the impact an everyday activity has on the environment. Use the information on Ireland’s Environment to help you with your research.

The young people who influence the trends of today will be the decision-makers of tomorrow and are encouraged to consider how their everyday decisions can have a positive impact on the environment – and the world. That’s according to Dr Jonathan Derham, EPA Programme Manager, launching The Story of Your Stuff, an EPA competition aimed at secondary school students, which seeks to empower young people to make environmentally conscious decisions about their ‘stuff’ and everyday activities.

Now in its fourth year, the competition brings together curiosity, creativity and science, and aims to get young people thinking about sustainability, climate action and environmental protection, and to spread the word among their friends and family. Entrants are tasked with highlighting the environmental impact of an everyday item or activity by creatively telling its story through a visual medium.

Entrants to the competition will be in with a chance to win €500 for themselves and €500 for their school, while a new ‘Climate Topic Prize’ will be awarded to the entry that best addresses key climate considerations, such as carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions or climate action.

“Many young people are deeply concerned about the climate and environmental emergency now facing us worldwide, something that has been well flagged by evidence from scientists, including the EPA. Urgent transformational change is now required to meet these challenges, based on what the evidence is telling us. The EPA is calling on second-level students to enter The Story of Your Stuff competition and to use their artistic talents to create stories to inspire others to make low carbon and environmentally conscious consumption choices.” 

Jonathan Derham, Programme Manager, EPA

Last year’s winners were Shurooq Azam, Aldiana Hoxha, Kar Gong Leong and Tomi Ayibiowu from Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School, Dublin 15, who made a video on the story of a toothbrush.

The Story of Your Stuff competition gets people thinking, talking and making changes and identifying ways in which they can become responsible consumers. The competition is a real highlight in the EPA calendar and a testament to the students who take the time to explore the story of their stuff and to the teachers who guide them. We look forward to seeing the projects from this year’s entrants.”

Colette Ryan, EPA

Learn more:

Competition guidelines and tips are available at http://thestoryofyourstuff.ie/.

The deadline for entries is Monday, 9th March 2020.

Who is involved?

Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

LAWCO

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

DECLG

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.