FOUR geography students from London’s East End could be heading for Antarctica after finding their way onto the final shortlist of a nationwide environment competition. Teams across Britain entered the challenge with plans for green’ community projects

By Mike Brooke

FOUR geography students from London's East End could be heading for Antarctica after finding their way onto the final shortlist of a nationwide environment competition.

Teams from universities across Britain entered the Future Leaders challenge with a short film describing their plans for 'green' community projects.

The project from the Geography department of London University's Queen Mary College at Mile End, one of 10 that made it to the finals, is a recycling programme for Tower Hamlets primary schools with collection points and measuring waste.

The winning team gets a 'trip of a lifetime' to Antarctica to experience effects of 'global warming' first hand.

The four finalists from Queen Mary joined the other teams at an outdoors activity weekend in the Lake District to help their project.

"We want children to understand about wasting energy and the importance of recycling," said Geography undergraduate Amy Ennis. "It's about persuading the next generation to think 'green' and act."

Antarctic adventurer Robert Swan, who is taking the winning team to Antarctica, attended the weekend and talked to the shortlisted students about the effect global climate change is having on the South Pole and how small projects like Queen Mary's can make "a real impact" on the environment.

The winning team heading for Antarctica is being announced on December 18.