Esher

After our team hike through the forests surrounding le Montenvers we spent some time contemplating the extraordinary mountain-scape of le Mer de Glace.

We asked our silent questions to Nature and this is what we heard.

Ben
I feel sad as we could destroy something this big

Grace Gilbey
The environment says to me…
“Stop, stop time, STOP!
Mankind, look after us, Feed us, Love us
Not slaughter my only way of living for your own good

I sit, lie, and stand, soaking, filtering the dusty clouds above from the giant’s mouth

We try and overcome the beauty that you are ruining
Bit no, it’s not enough

You melt us with your deadly jokes and tricks
yet you will regret the damage you do

If only you felt the way we do, every second, minute, hour, day
Maybe you would stop

But you can’t live without us
So when we’re gone you will be too

Because I am the environment
and you are too – ed

Sophie
I can see such beauty in front of me, yet I am disappointed to see the life of the mountain die and I haven’t done anything to help

Jack
As you glace up then down the mountain you can see the years going by, although in fast forward

Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop
The planet will be OooooooKaaaaaay
It’s us that’s up the creek

Kieran
We need to act fat,
To become more green;
Otherwise our finite resources shall run out,
And global warming shall overtake us
Leadership = Confidence, Communication, (mental) strength
Teamwork = Communication, Cooperation, Support
Sustainability = Well, Active, Mindful

Hattie
I am so happy to be able to feel so free and behold such beauty, feel so peaceful just sitting here listening to all of nature’s noise. I feel ashamed that my every move can effect such wonder.

Diana Mews
The mountain says…
I am bigger, grander than you, but you are part of me!
You think I am awesome, but you too are as wonderful and unique as me!
There is a beauty that goes beyond our imagination.

Vic Jones
I hear the water gush down the mountainside and hear the cry of the earth.
Who will respond?
I will

Simon Battensby
Looking at the glacier I was amazed by how much of the ice has disappeared because of what we humans have done. It made me sad.

Max
The glacier was so beautiful it is only now that I realise that everyday habits are destroying such beauty.

Hermione
I can see the water falling off the mountain, which makes me think that the mountain is crying of the pollution

Harry
I was amazed how the mountains are so much higher than the clouds

Marcus
Its depressing that such small group of people can destroy so much

Alice
The sights were immaculate but its a shame that a small group of people can destroy such a HUGE world

George
I am in total awe of the glacier but want to do more to save it.

Saskia
Words cannot describe the beauty and wonder I am seeing now. As I am part of the human race, I now feel obliged to help; help keep these stunning views alive. It is my job and everybody else’s to begin to stop what harmful things we are doing to the environment.

Jamie
The water ripples in my ears. As I see more and more ice is leaving. I saw the human planet walking around beside me in this stunning noise and view.

Harry Giles
The stunning views of the mountains took me by surprise to see how special they really are.

Daisy
The mountain says to me; help me you are destroying me, hunting me. It will only hunt you.

Dylan
As I look over the stunning, immense ice glacier, I feel amazed and touched because of the natural beauty. I think about what I can change as I see the shocking effects of global warming. Also I think about lucky I am to live in this special world

Hugh
I ask the environment what I can do to make things better.
All around me I can only hear the sound of man
Now I hear the voices of the children,
And I feel hope.

Dylan

Individual wellbeing
I pledge to believe in myself and to tackle challenges to enable me to find peace in myself

Team wellbeing
I pledge to always be patient and wait for others if they are behind

World wellbeing
I pledge to use more environmentally friendly sauces (sources!) at home and to measure the amount of energy we use.

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Ben
Individual wellbeing
I pledge that I will do my hardest in all I do (this week) and will be supportive to others to make me feel better

Team wellbeing
I pledge to (use teamwork) to work with others so that I can use good communications and resilience to get the job done

World wellbeing
I pledge that I shall save more water by taking less showers and turning the tap off while brushing my teeth and encourage others to do the same

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Graceful Gilbey
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to be more mindful

Team wellbeing
I pledge to be more supportive in any team I am in

World wellbeing
I pledge to do all I can do in my hands to help the environment and turn off the lights more often

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Sophie
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to challenge myself so I can achieve my goals and always push myself to do new things

Team wellbeing
I pledge that I will help others when they are stuck and to work as a team to accomplish tasks without hesitation. I will also work harder to stay safe and be aware of others.

World wellbeing
I pledge to warn others of global warming and how much litter harms the Earth. I will also pledge to reduce, reuse and recycle all of my litter. I will make sure I spend no more than five minutes in the shower. I will monitor how much energy I/we use in my house and (try to) reduce the amount of energy by January (23rd, my 12th birthday) by 25%.

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Jack
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to be me and not to be put off over other people’s words

Team wellbeing
I pledge to look after the environment when I see wrongdoing. Also to care for others when they are under the weather

World wellbeing
I pledge to make a compost heap in our garden, so we can recycle all our organic waste by June 21st

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Kieran
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to become more determined

Team wellbeing
I pledge to be more open and friendly to support my fellow teammates

World wellbeing
I pledge to reduce the amount of plastic bags I take from the supermarket and to refuse all the plastic I can that would otherwise be thrown in the bin, recycle the paper, plastic and glass that may have otherwise also have been thrown away, refuse to use plastic water bottles and to compost food waste instead of throwing it away to try to make the worlds a better place to live in

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Hattie
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to work my very hardest this week, conquer my fears and enjoy every moment I have to spend in this breath taking place and reflect on how privileged I am to be here at this very moment

Team wellbeing
I pledge that I will listen, communicate, obey and respect my team in whatever situation we may be in. I shall also be resilient and patient and always give a helping hand

World wellbeing
I pledge that I will make a difference to the world by doing my best to stop global warming, share food and water fairly out and save as much fuel and energy as I can to make the world a better place

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Paige Elliot
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to choose good. Everyday I will decide the aim of the day. I will not let anyone get me down or try to change me. I will choose happy not sad, good not bad, and capable not not cable. I am now a LEADER of our new world. I will go back home a different person

Team wellbeing
I pledge to always work as a team. Just by saying “Keep going” or “You’re doing great” will make EVERYONE feel so much better when they are tackling something

World wellbeing
I pledge to make a difference to people’s lives back home in Surrey and in Chamonix. I will choose good for all things possible. Also all the positive things too. I would like to make England a much better place for people to live in. With help from everyone we will make a difference

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Sarah Payne
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to disregard my instinct to worry and control situations to enable me to try new things…”Do something everyday that scares you” Baz Lurhman

Team wellbeing
I pledge to motivate and nurture the leadership skills of each individual member of my team to improve and develop my own skill and wellness of my group

World wellbeing
I pledge to spend more time outdoors to appreciate my environment and to encourage and inspire my family and friends to make significant changes for themselves for the better

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Pam
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to have more courage and self belief to find time to meditate, relax and be still

Team wellbeing
I pledge to stay resilient when life gets hard and be a better communicator, so that there is harmony when working with others. I pledge to keep believing that I can maker a positive difference

World wellbeing
I pledge to take greater care of my surroundings and to take forward all my learning from this week at Esher Church School so that we can make a difference to our environment

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Diana Mews
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to be more confident in all that I do, think more positively, believe in myself and make the most of every opportunity.

Team wellbeing
I pledge to communicate, co-operate and show resilience when working as part of a team and to remember that positive energy helps every member within the group

World wellbeing
I pledge to be more concerned about the environment and to take action when and where I can to make a difference, and to encourage others to do the same

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Vic Jones
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to spend more time outdoors to develop my own wellbeing

Team wellbeing
I pledge to be a calm, reflective and flexible team member who allows natural progression and development for the wellbeing of the team

World wellbeing
I pledge to support everyone here back at school to enable them to achieve their pledges to achieve a more sustainable environment

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Simon Battensby
Individual wellbeing
I pledge I will sleep more and worry less

Team wellbeing
I pledge to help more in the ECS 4th year classroom

World wellbeing
I will have (a) meat free Monday(s)

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Daisy
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to be more open about my feelings rather than bottling them up.

Team wellbeing
I pledge to admire others about global warming and the melting glaciers. I pledge to spend no more than 5 minutes in the shower.

Harry Giles
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to always have belief in myself

Team wellbeing
I pledge to always work as a team

World wellbeing
I pledge to help the environment in any way I can for example clear litter up from polluting the Earth

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Jessica
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to look after myself here and anywhere.

Team wellbeing
I pledge to tell my feelings than keep them

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Jamie Wren
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to always believe in myself

Team wellbeing
I pledge to always realize others

World wellbeing
I pledge to recycle what I can

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Saskia
Individual wellbeing
I promise to be more positive and throw myself into any challenge regarding my nerves

Team wellbeing
I promise to always look out for others in a team in order for us to reach our goal

World wellbeing
I pledge to always reduce, reuse, recycle in every subject. To switch off every light I do not need, by finding out how much energy I use with lights in one hour, then I will try and reduce it by 30% by February. Then I will compost or recycle everything that can be. I promise to warn everyone about the environment so each person will pass it on to each community, then to each country and then to the whole world.

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George
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to make the most of my time

Team wellbeing
I pledge to co-operate more in any team

World wellbeing
I pledge to save energy and pollute the world as little as possible

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Alice
Individual wellbeing
Get more sleep; stop worrying and stop biting my nails

Team wellbeing
Telling others they can do it, no matter how hard it is

World wellbeing
I pledge to make sure that plastic is thrown away in the right place

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Charlie
Individual wellbeing
I pledge I will worry less and face fears

Team wellbeing
I pledge to help around the house

World wellbeing
I pledge to do all the recycling around my house

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Marcus
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to help others because it makes me feel well

Team wellbeing
I pledge to help others in my team when they need my help and even when they do not

World wellbeing
I pledge to recycle what I can, when I can

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Harry Collins
Individual wellbeing
I pledge I will always be proud of what I have done even when people say its bad

Team wellbeing
I pledge to always be helpful to others in any way I can especially my little brother
Matthew help him to learn to tie his shoes

World wellbeing
I pledge to the world to recycle all their plastic and tin cans that I can

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Hermione
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to have a go at things I might think I couldn’t do and to support others as I would like to be supported. I will encourage others to do good things and try them as I will do the same with myself, I will also make the most of where I am and what I am doing here in Chamonix and back at home

Team wellbeing
I pledge to support others and give others chances; I will also do my hardest to help others as well as myself

World wellbeing
I pledge to look after the world, as I would do to myself and to make the most of where I am and what I am doing

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Scarlett
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to have more positive thoughts

Team wellbeing
I pledge to be more supportive in any team I am in

World wellbeing
I pledge to take shorter showers to save water and to turn off lights Iʼm not using, and to turn the taps off when I am actually brushing my teeth.

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Max
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to be more confident in my abilities

Team wellbeing
I pledge to contribute more in team discussions

World wellbeing
I pledge to make others more aware that the environment is dying and to recycle plastic.

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Hugh
Individual wellbeing
I pledge to really value water and to drink more, regularly throughout each day.
I pledge to give myself more time, especially in the morning to really connect who I am to why I am and with my body, emotions and thoughts. I will do this so that I can connect more deeply with other beings and learn to see as they do. This will enable me to be the source of the change I wish to see in the world.

Team wellbeing
I pledge to THINK BEYOND in all ways that I communicate, seeking to be more aware of what really needs to happen. I will do this by listening deeply, observing more keenly, and taking more time to think more widely before I speak, write, draw or act. I will become more aware of others and be better able to place myself where most usefully needed and to help others step into their potential, brilliance and genius.

World wellbeing
I pledge to source my food locally and ethically. I will continue to eat more mindfully and no longer eat red or processed meat and take at least two days a week without meat or fish – Monday and Wednesday.
I will begin to grow more food at home – specifically creating the growing space this coming week.
I will also continue to reduce the amount of plastic (especially packaging) we consume beginning with sourcing milk in glass rather than plastic.
I will continue to work with all the elders involved in New Leaders in Sustainability programmes to THINK BEYOND and to link all our stories AS ONE and to co-encourage and co-challenge each other to measure the positive ripples we are beginning and to raise £100, 000 to ensure that we can continue to offer our programmes to more children, in particular those less privileged than ourselves.

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