def request_change(self, email):
        """Request a change to a user's email.

        Implicitly saves the pending email change record.

        Arguments:
            email (unicode): The proposed new email for the user.

        Returns:
            unicode: The activation code to confirm the change.

        """
        self.new_email = email
        self.activation_key = uuid.uuid4().hex
        self.save()
        return self.activation_key