The idea
Climate Guardians is a practical climate education project designed to help young people move from climate awareness to climate action. We are launching a 4-week “Energy Drop Mission” in Greater Manchester schools where students learn how small daily behaviour changes can reduce wasted classroom energy. Pupils will measure their school’s current usage, form “energy patrols,” record actions, and track progress using data from smart meters and simple observation tools. Our target is to reduce unnecessary classroom energy waste by 5–10% during the mission. The funding raised will support materials, student resources, print assets, posters, certificates, light facilitation, and volunteer coordination. The project is simple, engaging, low-cost and scalable. This pilot is step one toward our long-term vision to empower 100,000 young “Climate Guardians” per year across the UK, shaping climate-smart habits that continue at home, in schools, and across communities.
What we'll deliver
- 1,000+ students directly engaged across participating schools during the 4-week pilot mission.
- 5–10% reduction in wasted classroom energy recorded across participating classrooms.
- 100+ teachers supported with ready-to-use climate mission resources that can be reused independently after the pilot.
Why it's a great idea
The project will help young people understand how their everyday choices impact the planet, while giving them a simple and positive way to take climate action immediately. By reducing wasted classroom energy by 5–10% in just four weeks, schools will also benefit from lower energy costs and improved awareness of resource use. Teachers will receive ready-to-use materials that support climate education without adding extra workload. Families will benefit from the ripple effect as students take habits home, such as switching off lights, unplugging unused devices and thinking before wasting energy. The wider community benefits because it builds a generation that can connect climate science to daily behaviour, helping Greater Manchester progress toward its Net Zero 2038 ambition. Most importantly, young people will gain confidence, teamwork skills, leadership experience and the belief that their actions matter — creating real hope and impact at the same time.
Steps to get it done
- Onboard participating schools, brief teachers, distribute starter packs and baseline measurement sheets
- Deliver the 4-week Energy Drop Mission (measure → act → track → celebrate) across participating classrooms
- Produce final impact summary showing % energy reduction achieved and total kWh saved
