Let’s Set an Example
I can only wonder if the women at my neighbor’s weekend party house think about our future as humans on planet earth. I sat on my porch Friday afternoon and watched six women drive oversized SUV’s to their summer house alone! They are from out of town, but come on. Not one of them lived close enough to carpool? I find that hard to believe. I really enjoyed watching them try to park their all-terrain vehicles into the normal sized driveway.
As I drove to work this morning I passed a few bags of bottles ready for disposal at the end of their driveway. Do they feel bad throwing away all those bottles and cans when a recycling center is only a few miles away? I don’t know. I do know that getting them, or at the very least their kids, to care about our future is our job as educators.
Teaching our youth how to make environmentally sound decisions is vital. They must be exposed to the dangers that lie ahead if as a society, we do not change our ways. They need the exposure daily through school wide programs, and classroom projects that highlight green living. There are countless ways to integrate “eco options” into daily classroom procedures and lessons.
I am not proposing rewriting an entire science curriculum to focus solely on the environment, but Earth Day activities and novelty units are not going to do the job anymore.
Changing our wasteful ways as a society will take a while, but it can be done. A classroom, school, or school district could be an excellent place to start. Having an “eco friendly” school can be something an entire community can brag about.
pps1
Your Turn to Blog | Comments (3)3 Responses to “Let’s Set an Example”
Leave a Reply
For far too long the science curriculum (especially in middle schools) has been overlooked because it was not a state tested subject. Now that science will be tested soon, I bet more attention will be placed on teaching science. However, I have to agree with you that more attention needs to be placed on teaching our students about environmental issues and about conserving our environment. I do believe the state needs to modify our science curriculum and add these components, starting in elementary school.
Too often we are so preoccupied with consuming that we do not seize opportunities to conserve and protect our natural resources. Certainly those women major concern was comfort while traveling for the weekend. Possibly it never occurred to them the amount of fuel that was being expended traveling alone in a large vehicle. School is a venue that can teach students and parents how to preserve and use our natural resources wisely. We only need to raise the awareness that we are living on the brink of impending disaster if we do not make adjustments.
I viewed a portion of a program Al Gore produced about green space and the environment. Regrettably, I must admit that I previously did not have any concerns about the ozone layer or any other aspects about depletion of resources. One of my sons is a Bio-Environmental Engineer and supports the theory that we need to be concerned and take actions to protect our environment if we expect it to continue to sustain life. Recycling aluminum and plastic is the extent of my efforts of recycling in the past. Recently we have considered alternative light bubs to conserve energy.
What do you think of each school having a designated area for parents, students and community to deposit items for recycling?
I strongly agree that schools need to set the example in the community when it comes to recycling. Schools that provide places for students to recycle are setting a standard that others need to follow. Teaching students the importance of recycling at a young age should be a part of every schools mission. If our goal is to create life long learners that contribute to the community, than our learners need to become recyclers.