A GROUP of teenagers trying to reduce their school’s carbon footprint have called on more young people to take action on environmental issues.

The environmental awareness scholarship at d’Overbroeck’s College is thought to be the only such programme for sixth-formers in the country.

Pupils are chosen for their dedication to environmental causes and get up to 25 per cent of their fees at the independent school, which usually cost £5,785 a term, paid. Since the first two scholars started in September last year, they have held awareness events and provided regular bulletins to fellow pupils on how to reduce waste and save energy, carrying out an environmental audit at the school and encouraging people to buy pre-owned music to save on packaging.

Danielle Greenspan, 18, from North Oxford – pictured with Timea Suli, 17, Flora Griffiths, 16, and Louisa Goodfellow, 16 – is in the second year of her role as an environmental champion.

She said: “I have discovered that you can’t just tell people to make changes, you have to make people want to care about the environment.

“My age group should be at the forefront of climate issues, because it’s going to be affecting us directly.

“These kinds of programmes promoting environmental awareness and the work we do throughout the school are a great step and a really good idea.”

Flora Griffiths, 16, from Charlbury, did her GCSEs at Chipping Norton School before winning the scholarship at d’Overbroeck’s.

She said: “This is a good way to make a difference, because at school you can get a lot more done with teachers helping you.”

The closing date for scholarship applications for the 2011-2012 intake has passed.

Applicants for future academic years, who should be passionate about environmental issues and keen to put ideas into practice, should contact the school at doverbroecks.com/sixthform/scholarships.html or call the school on 01865 310000.