Renewable English

If vibes and good energy could save the world, we’d be done by now.

My 4th round of was the bigger than ever. Trying to cram it all into one post? Impossible. But here we are.

New iconic venue? ✅
Part of the Picker Pals family? ✅
Shot of hope straight to the soul? ✅

Maybe it hit harder because the world feels a bit... grim lately. Maybe it’s because every corner was packed with people actually doing stuff, from female urinals to mycelium magic and everything in between.

Art, creativity, science, solutions, and enough humour to fill the Grand Palais.

Here are a few edited highlights:

Hanging with and being a part of the Picker Pals family.
Seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
Wearing the Cloak of Howth (made from beach debris) and feeling famous (seriously, I’m in about 150 random people's photos, if you see us feel free to give Picker Pals a tag).
Sharing the cloak and watching the difference in people reactions. Usually feeling the sheer weight of a cloak of trash and stopping to think for just a second about the waste we simply discard.
Seeing hudreds of potential ideas to problems some think unsolveable.

Energy and vibes won't fix everything. But the real-world solutions behind them? They just might.

Massive thanks for having me back, ChangeNOW. Next time I promise to take more photos.

More about the session I moderated and some extra behind-the-scenes bits coming very soon. Stay tuned.

They say a picture tells a thousand words.

Well, this "wonderfully vibrant" Canva creation (Can you guess who isn't a graphic designer here?!) tells the story of 1,416 litter picks around the world!

Since Ali launched her "One in a Million Litter Pick" campaign, dedicated friends, colleagues and fellow litter haters across the globe have worked tirelessly, collecting a combined total 668,575 pieces of plastic. For anyone not great at maths (like me) that's over two-thirds of the way to the target!

With clean-up events happening on every habitable continent, there's been an impressive average of 472 pieces per pick. Only 331,425 pieces to go until we hit the goal!

If you've done a pick, can you spot it on the map?

If you haven't and you want to, it’s super simple to join in!

When you do a litter pick, use the app (you can find all the info here https://kidsagainstplastic.co.uk/1millionlitterpick/ ) , or just tag me or Kids Against Plastic in a photo on your favourite social with your plastic count and location.......we'll make sure it gets added to the total!

I completely forgot to post my follow up blog posts about Activities for a Greener Mindset on here: If anyone is interested feel free to check them out

Renewable English A passion for the planet and an obsession for learning

Below you can see the cover of what has been dubbed "Educations most eagerly anticipated resource book" and "The book your classrooms won't be able to do without"

I'll be honest, it was me that dubbed it that, and my cat. He's so smart!

To celebrate (or at least to keep myself entertained while we wait for the release), I've decided to put together a wee compilation of posts about the process, the ideas, and a nice little origin story.

Today, we kick off with that origin story.

Please note:: while the is being published by the lovely folks over at DELTA Publishing, all events, opinions, and anecdotes in the post are entirely my own (including the bit where I passionately declare my hatred for ultra-fast fashion behemoth and planet destroyer SHEIN).

If you'd like to have a peek into my somewhat unfiltered brain, you know what to do.

https://renewableenglish.com/blog/f/a-whirlwind-origin-story-behind-the-why

The biggest, most planet-saving action you can take this year is not chaining yourself to a tree, changing your bank account or giving up meat (not that they wouldn't help obviously) – it’s voting.

If you, like me, are watching from abroad as the Tory party has unleashed swathes of 'Super Fun' projects like Brexit and the Rwanda Act, you’ll understand the importance of getting involved.

It’s like watching a slow-motion car crash while someone hands out oil drilling rights and PPE contracts to their buddies in the middle of an apocalypse – and somehow, there's always a party involved. 🎉

Meanwhile, treating the position of Prime Minister’s like some sick form of musical chairs or "Which self-serving moron can we pick next?" We’ve got a rotating cast of unelected leaders trying to see who can last as long as a head of lettuce.

So, if you want to make sure these guys are as far from decision-making as possible, you need to vote. Registering to vote from abroad is ridiculously easy. You can post your vote, or if you’re lucky enough to have one person in the UK who doesn’t mind doing you a solid, you can set up a proxy vote. My mate Captain Tommy Francis has already promised to prank me by voting for the Tories. (He won’t; he’s actually an incredibly lovely human.)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-to-vote-if-youre-living-abroad

Head over to Register to vote and fill in your details. I’ve registered for each election since I left, and if an idiot like me can figure it out it must be pretty straightforward. This morning, it took me 11 minutes, and 7 of those were spent looking for a pen and paper so I could attach an image of my signature . So, if you’ve got those ready, you’re golden!

A huge shout-out to all you lovely folks who are getting ready to vote. You’re not just casting a ballot; you’re voting for a slightly more liveable future for everyone.

Look at the picture below of me as a child, begging you with my big, innocent eyes to make sure we don’t hand the keys of the country to these clowns for another 4 years of misery.

Let's make a difference, one vote at a time! 🗳️

Feel the power!

See you all very soon.

Unite for a better tomorrow! 🌎 Join us on World Environment Day (5th June) for an interactive lesson with Change Makers Ambassador Harry Waters from Renewable English. Empower your A2+ students to team up to make an impactful change together. It's time to inspire, learn, and grow! 🌱😊

Don't miss out, register your class here ▶️ https://bit.ly/49jkbQ5

A treat for your ears.

In this second part of the 'Beyond the Classroom' episodes, Harry and Will delve into the wheres, whys and hows of teaching and learning, focusing on face-to-face vs. online teacher training.

What do you think? Does the convenience of online teacher training compare to the social and collaborative nature of face-to-face training? Do you prefer networking for 3-4 days at a conference compared to a cosy few days at your computer watching the latest webinars?

Have a listen and let us know what you think ▶️ https://bit.ly/4a9l5jK

Renewable English