by John Benus
According to studies by scientists and environmentalists worldwide, if we don’t act soon, polluting our air, sea & land will not only affect and kill our birds, fish, animals, and plant life but will also destroy our food sources.
Unless we act now, the Earth will probably not be able to support human existence in about 70 years.
Our only hope is to educate young and old worldwide – only humans can solve this problem.
We have a paradise on Earth that can’t be found in any other galaxy. So to prevent more birds, fish, animals, and eventually humans from becoming extinct, we need to educate everyone on why and how it’s important to create a healthier planet for them and us.
I suggest creating a mandatory Environmental Studies Curriculum in all schools and universities that helps our youth appreciate nature and be aware of environmental problems.
The level of educational curriculum related to “Saving Our Planet” would be from basic knowledge in Elementary Schools to a Masters Degree. This would encourage more students to become Environmental Ambassadors who will be our future educators and guardians of our planet.
A suggestion would be to have weekly, one-hour, Environmental Study Classes that featured Local Species in each country.
For Example: Birds, Animals, Fish, Plant & Trees
The idea would be to study three species in each of these categories per week, with discussions between the teachers and students on what they have learned. The students can then share what they learned with their friends and families.
Ideally, the students and teachers would take a weekly Field Trip to a local park, forest, jungle, botanical garden, ocean, lake or river excursion with a local environmental group or club that specializes in that species.
The Important Question?
Ask any person, young or old, what’s the name of that bird, animal, tree or plant and 99 out of 100 will say, “I don’t know.” Sad, but true. This lack of knowledge about how they help our environment needs to be changed. People only protect things that they love and have knowledge about.
EDUCATIONAL QUESTIONS (Local Birds)
Pelicans, Seagulls, Terns, Albatross, Parrots, Buzzards
How to tell the difference between a male and female?
Where do they live and build their nests?
What months do they mate?
Does the male also sit on the eggs and feed the young?
How many eggs do they have, and how long to hatch?
When do the young leave the nest?
What fruits, nuts, or bugs do they eat?
What role do birds play in our Ecosystem?
How many species are now extinct, and why?
How many species are on the endangered list?
What can we do to help save them?
Knowledge of Trees
The lack of knowledge and appreciation about how trees help our environment by preventing floods and climate change is the problem.
I suggest having classes to identify leaves from local trees. The assignment can be to see how many different leaves can be collected by each student with a time limit for collecting. This will show students how many types of trees live in their surrounding area and will also encourage students and their parents to visit the local park, jungle, or forest.
Once the leaves are collected, the fun will be seeing who collected the most species and found the rarest leaf.
Now, the real education begins. After all the leaves of different trees are collected, they can be mounted and labeled according to their type.
EDUCATIONAL QUESTIONS (Local Trees)
EXAMPLE: Palm, Pine, Coconut, Eucalyptus
How long can they live, and what type of soil do they need?
How many years to bear fruit after the seeds are planted?
Which months do they produce fruit?
What animals, birds, or people eat the fruits or nuts?
What type of birds prefer to nest in each?
Which trees are used for building homes or roofs?
Which are Native to the region, or how they got here?
What role does this species play in our Ecosystem?
Why do we need to protect and plant more trees?
A basic quiz with multiple-choice answers could be used to test the knowledge that has been learned.
Knowledge of Local Animals
Deer, Raccoons, Armadillos, Cougars, Fox, Wolves, Squirrels
EDUCATIONAL QUESTIONS (Local Animals)
Where do they live & how long do they live?
What do they eat & who eats them?
How many babies do they have & during what months?
How long till the babies can be on their own?
How old can a female be to give birth?
How old can a male be to be a father?
How many of each species are extinct, and why?
How many of each species are on the endangered list?
What purpose does this species play in our Ecosystem?
What can we do to save them?
Please give me your feedback or suggestions on having mandatory Environmental Study Classes in elementary schools. By documenting these questions and answers in foreign languages for each species will help educators motivate more students to appreciate our environment.
These students will become Environmental Ambassadors and help teach others, young and old, the importance of maintaining a clean and healthier environment for us and future generations.
