Challenge Europe project

	Alexander Ač Alexander is a PhD student at the Institute of Systems Biology and Ecology. He thinks that climate change is the most serious threat to the human race – regarding its complexity, scale and urgency. There is no time to waste another decade for everybody’s agreement that “we have a problem”. He hopes to get closer to a fast, significant and sustainable solution to climate change. He also hopes to raise willingness to act appropriately in other people and finds history the key for the future. He says “We are aware what the motivation for virtually any kind of human behaviour is – it´s the self interest. I think we should serve as a positive example to others. If I show no interest, why should other people do? Life is permanent change. Still, this time the change has to be rapid and understood by most people correctly. Challenge Europe is an outstanding opportunity to see how realistic these ideas are.”
	Zuzana Aradská Zuzana is a teacher of biology and chemistry at the Secondary Grammar School in Lipany, Slovakia and loves to work with young people. Apart from teaching she also coordinates environmental training for her school. Considering the number of activities she is involved in it is obvious that she is interested in environmental themes and would like to achieve tangible results in this field within Challenge Europe. She is convinced that people can do more if they do things together.
	Lýdia Desiatniková Lýdia is a designer by profession and a few years ago spent an exciting time in the UK studying design and English. Currently she works as a teacher both at primary and secondary schools in Kosice. Having been involved in a number of projects regarding education, climate change or international school exchanges, she has gained a lot of experience in working both with young people and teachers in various fields. As a result she has become the Coordinator of the Global Education Scheme and would like to put to good use its network in Challenge Europe.
	Štefan Jančo Štefan is a Programme Manager at the Ekopolis Foundation. Their vision is an advanced civil society with citizens realizing their responsibility for social development and environmental issues. A society with citizens who are interested in participating in public policy, have courage to adopt a critical stance and care about avoiding detriment to future generations. He strongly welcomes an opportunity to contribute to the translation and publishing of an interesting book on renewable sources of energy.
	Ivana Kapitančíková Being a teacher at Grammar School in a little town of Eastern Slovakia Ivana would like to inspire her students and make a contribution towards a positive change in the way they think and treat the environment and the community they live in. Ivana is convinced that young people are extremely clever and all they need is motivation and positive examples. She is ready to supply this project with her ideas. In her free time you will often find her hitchhiking and sharing her passion for the environment with her family, friends or students. No wonder, she is a teacher of biology.
	Peter Mihálka Peter´s background is civil engineering. He works for the Slovak Academy of Sciences. In his opinion buildings and their users play an important role in the field of global energy consumption. “I strongly feel we need to keep explaining people that we have to save the world for next generations. My aim I am trying to achieve in my job and through the involvement in this project is to move away from talking to action, he says.”
	Jozef Pecho Jozef has always been interested in environmental issues, particularly those related to climate change. He is a graduate from the Comenius University where he specialized in meteorology and climatology. Since 2005 he has been employed as a climatologist at the Department of Climatology Service at the Slovak Hydrometeorology Institute in Bratislava. He mainly deals with the applied climatology, geographical information systems as well as climate change issues. Jozef admits “The Challenge Europe project is an excellent opportunity for me and my fellow Climate Advocates to utilize our knowledge and particularly our enthusiasm for climate change topics and create together some new feasible ideas for low-carbon future.”
	Lucia Rosoľanková Lucia studied Environmental Ecology and for some time worked for the government in the climate change area. As a result of this work experience at the Ministry of the Environment she has a better understanding of what is being done on both political and economic levels in fighting the climate change. She would like to share her experience and knowledge as well as to get new ideas, inspiration, and meet new people.
	Jozef Rusnák Jozef is a university teacher at the Technical University in Kosice. "When attending it a student I decided to choose electric power engineering as my major. Why? I have always been convinced that this is THE area with a great potential for reducing carbon emissions significantly as well as for implementation of changes that lead to protection of nature without decreasing our life standard." Jozef finds this project of the British Council very useful since he believes that it is young, educated and enthusiastic people who can produce useful ideas and achieve positive results.
	Peter Ševce Peter is with the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency and participates in projects financed by the EU with the focus on the renewable energy sources on a local level. As the editor of the www.euromonitor-international.eu portal he deals with issues regarding the energy policy of Slovakia and the EU, the relationship with the Russian Federation as important energy resources exporting country, new development in the energy field and its impact on individual countries. He is interested in new projects related to our energy future. Peter says that energy is a topic of today and we all can contribute to the discussion. He travels a lot.
	Zuzana Václavová Zuzana works as a ranger in the Protected Landscape Area Kysuce as she believes that “Actions speak louder than words“. "I wish to DO something meaningful for the environment. I enjoy participation in this project with other likeminded people. I hope this experience will develop my thinking. I want to show people that the conservation of green areas is very important for the climate changes alleviation. She finds it vital to protect the urban vegetation and stop deforestation."
	Peter Weisel Ministry of the Environment, Bratislava "I think I can bring to this project some good ideas, it is a challenge for me, I can influence the environment in a positive way…"

Tapping into the power of a well told tale, the Climate Advocates devised a teaching pack accompanying the classic Dr. Seuss story, The Lorax, to educate children aged between seven and nine of the issues around sustainability, consumption of goods and the future of the planet.