STUDENTS from a York school have presented a case for new economic models to the York Environment Forum.

Sam Rippon and Ethan Lewis, both 16, from Archbishop Holgate’s CE School talked about the need for industry and businesses to reuse all their resources and encourage an economy where products are loaned, hired and shared rather than being privately owned.

The school is a “Pathfinder”

facility for the idea of a circular economy, which is promoted by Dame Ellen MacArthur through her own foundation.

It is putting the ideas into practice in lessons and in the way it operates so that its pupils can take their learning into the workplace when they move on.

Kate Lock, chair of the York Environment Forum, said the presentation was “really inspiring” and added that the ideas could benefit multinational businesses.

She said: “We’re now planning to get together with other partner organisations to arrange a much bigger public event so that we can air the ideas more widely and, hopefully, influence how we do things in York.

“Companies such as Google, Ikea, Philips, Unilever, BT and Morrison supermarkets have all signed up to circular economy principles, as has Denmark and the Scottish Government.

“It would be fantastic if York could be the first local authority to sign up to the Circular Economy 100.”