QUB GREENS AWARD STUPID CERTIFICATE TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF BELFAST CITY AIRPORT

Photo shows from left to right: QUB Greens Karly, Adam, Neil, Mark and Lois with the Stupid Certificate awarded to Brian Ambrose of Belfast City Airport!


This year the Young Greens decided to leave the Green Wash Award with Sammy Wilson for the second year running as he has outdone himself this year with his Environment Minister role. At the Green Party Northern Ireland AGM 2009 the Young Greens decided instead to award a stupid certificate to whoever has been acting the stupidest towards the environment in Northern Ireland.


Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport, was the winner for proposing a runway extension that is unsustainable, inconsiderate of long-suffering residents and economically unbeneficial to Northern Ireland.


Runners up included:

Rose Energy, for their plans to build a waste incinerator plant near Northern Ireland’s beauty spot Lough Neagh, locking us in to a future of unsustainable waste disposal.


David Ford, the Alliance Party Leader, For abstaining on the Stormont Environment Committee’s Vote of No Confidence in Environment Minister Sammy Wilson.

QUB GREENS CAMPAIGN FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Photograph shows representatives from the Youth Wings of all main political parties in Northern Ireland at the official launch of the Youth Mental Health Strategy. QUB Green Co-Chairs Adam McGibbon and Karly Greene are both on the far left.

The QUB Greens have been campaigning for Mental Health in Northern Ireland through the Youth Mental Health Strategy.

The main political youth wings in Northern/North of Ireland have united to campaign and lobby for an effective youth mental health strategy (YMHS).

Young political activists have been working together in the past months, alongside St Columbs Park Derry, to bring the broad issue of mental health to the fore, particularly targeting suicide prevention and drug and alcohol awareness.

The group comprising youth from Sinn Féin, SDLP, Green Party, Alliance, UUP and DUP launched their campaign for a youth mental health strategy at Belfast City Hall today (Monday 6 April).

Spokesperson for the youth wings and QUB Green Co-Chair Karly Greene said,“The young wings have been working closely together over the past number of months identifying the key issues of mental health, and drawing up a plan on how we can best tackle these issues from a youth perspective, ensuring it is relevant and effective.”

“We have written to every Assembly member, and are arranging a meeting with the Health Committee, we have engaged with a number of voluntary and community groups who are at the coalface in dealing with mental health. We are also arranging for our members to undertake the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) programme, and are producing a short film, that will be launched at a youth forum on mental health. The youth forum aims to bring young people from all communities together, spark debate and formulate ideas on how to deal with this common issue.”

“Mental Health affects everyone regardless of age, race, sex and religion, and it is a progressive step forward that the young political activists are demonstrating unity and leadership to other young people on such an important issue.”

GREEN MEP CANDIDATE SPEAKS TO QUB

Prospective Green Party MEP for Northern Ireland Steven Agnew made a visit to QUB last week to speak to the QUB Greens and Students interested in his campaign and his thoughts on the European Parliament and current issues.

Steven spoke about the Green Deal, the idea which was born in the UK with the help of the Green Leader of England & Wales Caroline Lucas, which even Barack Obama is now fighting for!

"A Green Industrial Revolution can create a new Northern Ireland where our indigenous industries will thrive once more, harnessing our unique natural resources and the manufacturing skill and industrial entrepreneurialism of our people."

"We can already see it happening here at Harland and Wolff. We see the skills, developed during the Industrial Revolution being adapted to meet the challenges of this new era. The Yard, once regarded for its ship building is now assembling turbines for new wind farms and last year assembled the first prototype wave turbine the SeaGen to generate tidal energy."

Steven spoke about the European Green Party and 43 Green MEPs in the European Parliament from 14 different countries.

"We have played a major role in the creation of legislation that has helped to protect our environment, set ambitious targets for renewable energy,increase social protection and protect biodiversity. I want to join that team and continue the great work that the Greens are doing in Europe."

Steven took several questions from the floor and also spoke about the Lisbon Treaty, Sammy Wilson, Incineration in Northern Ireland, Mechanical Biological Treatment and his thoughts on the fact that Paddy Power has the Greens and the Alliance Party on the same odds to win the European Election!

It was a great talk from Steven and we hope to have him back in the not so distant future! Hopefully as the First ever Green MEP for Northern Ireland!!

Dont forget to join Stevens Campaign page on Facebook! Click Here!