CLIMATE change, its causes and the solutions we can all play our part in have been the subject of a competition by Year 6 pupils at Shaldon Primary School

These were narrowed down to five finalists and Mid-Devon Advertiser editor Nick Knight joined class teacher Dan Rees and trainee teacher Lisa Fletcher in judging them.

One finalist Harry Edge, wrote:

Take Action against Climate Change:

GLAMOROUS Glaciers – heavenly white, rainforests with riveting rapids, marvelous meadows... For thousands of years this has been our world.

But, the asteroid is approaching and we are ignoring it. Are you going to watch your world burn?

Do you not care?

But a difference can be made.

The dreadful impacts of the tragedy we call climate change are almost irreversible.

For most of you, you do not need to read this as yu are caring enough to clear up the mess others have left behind, but for a sinful some that is not the case.

You are the ones that continued to dig up fossil fuels, you are also the ones that are not even trying to help the world.

We are disappointed. Because of you there has been over three billion tonnes of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere in the first month of 2022 alone!

There are no more excuses, we are all aware of the damage. We all need to work as one.

Still, we can all make small yet historic changes.

Here are a few: Always check products for the RSPO label; re-use products and turn off lights when not in use.

Another foolish thing we humans are doing that further enforces the demolition of the ozone layer (which acts as a blanket that oritects us from the ultraviolet rays of the Sun) is carbon pollution.

This is caused by environment killing products such as spray cans, fire extinguishers and cooling units. If we don’t stop using products like these then climate change will take over with ease.

Deforestation is another crawling vine from the weed we call climate change.

Deforestation is the deliberate and merciless act of wiping entire eco-systems by cutting down trees (the main source of life).

The reason that it’s so bad is not just becaue it leaves many animals homeless and starving, but it is also because trees absorb carbon in a process called photosynthesis. So when trees get cut down carbon gets released into the air.

As I have exlained, when carbon gets released into the atmosphere it damages the ozone layer because trees can absorb up to 48 pounds in a single year and if 15 billion trees are cut down in one year then that adds up to a lot of carbon.

Did you know that 13 per cent of the world’s carbn emissions are from deforestation alone? The carbon also changes the weather patterns, probably for the worst.

To stop this deforestation devil we can: eat less meat; use eco-friendly products and check products for palm oil.

Here is further proof that that backs up the fact that not eliminating meat from your diet contributes to the amount of methane. Cows eat plants, methane enters their body so when they breathe, fart or burp methane also gets released into the air and when we eat beef we also breathe, fart or burp methane.

So if we can all cut meat from our diet we can reduce greenhouse gases 28 per cent.

There are over 1.4 billion cows in the world, which is a detrimental amount and over 300 million are killed every year.

Cattle have been one of the most significant sources of methane pollution, as they are also one of the countless causes of deforestation.Around 80 per cent of deforestation is just space for cattle.

You have processed the size of this calamity and are realising the minor changes that you have refused to make would have a remarkable outcome.

This is a warning because if you don’t act now, entire eco-systems will fail and animals will go extinct.. Act now or we will all suffer.