Champion students protect our future

A school project exploring the possible links between aluminium and Alzheimers disease and another investigating carbon sequestration as a solution to global warming are among the 13 winners in the Faculty of the Built Environment's Sustainable Living Challenge (SLC).

Part of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, the SLC aims to encourage students and teachers to create sustainable solutions for their school or community environment.

Talented Tasmanian sisters, Storm and Savannah Holwill, from the Marist Regional College in Burnie, were two of the champions named from around Australia.

Savannah, a student in Year 8, was recognised for her project 'Taking the Al out of Alzheimers' in which she explored the possible link between exposure to aluminium in the diet and Alzheimers disease. Storm, a student in Year 10, looked at sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide into soil to curb global warming.

Other winning projects in the 2008 competition included a hydrogen PEM fuel cell car by Jessica Dunn of Bowral High School, a water and waste management project by Beehive Montessori Primary School and an assessment of modern cloth nappies by Melba Copland Secondary School.

"It is so exciting to see the innovation and originality of thought from students from every area of the curriculum," SLC National Co-ordinator Danielle Blenkhorn says.

"It is reassuring to know that young people are involved and enthusiastic about protecting the environment and thinking about the long-term consequences of our mark upon this Earth."

Media Contact: Victoria Brown | 02 9385 3263 | v.brown@unsw.edu.au