Young people shine a light on climate change and STEM education with innovative recycled picnic blankets
Young people from across the world have come together to design family picnic blankets that shine a light on the need for STEM education as well as climate action.
As part of the BIEA 2022-23 STEM Competition on Sustainable Cities, four young women from Eltham College, Tonbridge Grammar School and Sackville School in the UK were invited to share their 2021 competition entry with budding innovators from the FEM STEM Club in the Bahamas. Nicknamed 'Team Quadrofolium', the four women from the UK talked about their family picnic blanket, which they made using recycled crisp packets.
For their entry into the 2022-2023 competition, the Bahamian team decided to adapt the design using local sustainable fabrics and plastic waste collected from coastal shorelines and recycling centres.
This truly global innovation doesn't end with the FEM STEM Club, however. Team Quadrofolium has since shared its green skills with students from across the globe via how-to guides, which means the concept of the recycled picnic blanket has reached countries including Poland, Spain, UAE and Malaysia.
First Lady Ann Marie Davis, wife of The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Hon. Phillip Davis, has tirelessly campaigned for the empowerment of women in STEM education and extended her praise to the team. She said: “I am truly touched and extremely proud of the efforts these girls have put into this symbolic picnic blanket. I feel reassured that our future will be in good hands with these young people who will not only have the technical skills but also have compassion for the world we live in. We must do more to encourage the continuation of STEM skill development and knowledge transfer through international collaborations."
Dr Alex Holmes, Head of STEM at BIEA, added: “Young people haven't created the climate problem, but they are the ones who will have to live with it. We need to do everything we can to help them build up the skills and mindset to deal with the future. And through collaboration like these, we are doing something right.”
The initial efforts of Team Quadrofolium were seen as innovative and empowering. Add to that their collaboration with other young people across the world, and what they have achieved is nothing short of inspiring.