Two Tipperary students scoop top prize at Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards

Two students from a North Tipperary secondary school have scooped a first place prize at the Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards.

Transition Year (TY) students from the Ursuline Secondary School in Thurles, Róise Glynn and Clodagh O’Dwyer, scooped the top prize in the Senior Eco-Health and Well Being Category at the Young Environmentalist Awards in Dublin on Thursday, May 8.

Róise and Clodagh have done a series of investigations into eco- anxiety and climate engagement among their peers. Through their study they have learned how worried young people are about the negative impacts of climate change.

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But on a positive note they discovered that by giving young people manageable, targeted and positive environmental changes to implement in their own lives they can reduce some of this eco-anxiety.

They also learned that the more connected young people are with the environment the more likely they are to adopt greener, sustainable habits and the less likely they are to catastrophise about climate change.

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Their project was certainly an innovative and comprehensive one and it is fantastic their findings have been recognised with this national award, a statement from the school said.