THIS week schools celebrate World Environment Day with lessons focusing on environmental matters to help raise awareness of problems that threaten the planet.
Computer lessons allow research on topics such as climate change, burning fossil fuels, hydro-electricity and nuclear energy. Art classes participate in poster competitions with the environment as a theme. English lessons are used to debate what students see as the biggest challenges they will face in their lifetimes. Some science lessons are conducted outdoors on local beaches and in nearby bush land examining the local flora and fauna. It is also a time to take stock of what environmental progress has been made at the school level.
Westport High School continues to maintain the solar panels and water collection tanks installed over the past couple of years. Students continue to maintain the Jason Northey memorial garden and the school’s landscaping.
“It’s really great that we are connected to a rainforest,” Lachlan Hamilton said. “There are trees in there 300 years old. We use the pocket of rainforest to study and identify many species. We even had a python visit the school grounds last week.”
Sallie Johnson sees global warming as the biggest problem facing the planet. “It’s important for future generations that we find a more sustainable way of living,” Sallie said. “We need to look at alternate technologies generally.
Ashlee Sweetnam agrees. “There’s less care for the environment,” she said. “We need to raise awareness. Clean-up days are good.”
Bailey Chandley-Pascoe likes to be part of a team in the school that’s environmentally aware. “There’s 10 or so of us that are on the environment committee and we meet every Monday,” Bailey said. “I feel that there’s a chance for our generation to make a difference.”
Port Macquarie High School also uses solar panels and recycling water tanks. The gardens planted last year have grown. Staff and students use colour coded bins to separate and control rubbish collection.
Jacob Barlow likes swimming and surfing at local beaches.
“For me pollution is the big issue. I see plastic bottles and bags on the beach all the time. It affects marine life, not just us. People are still not discarding rubbish responsibly,” Jacob said.
Stephanie Mackedie also sees rubbish as a problem. “Even litter in the playground. Kids can be thoughtless,” Stephanie said. “We are learning about the environment in geography at the moment which helps us understand more.”
“Everyone knows we are damaging the environment,” Sahara Hargraves said. “I hope people would change.”
Oliver Cowan has been overseas recently and he was surprised by what he experienced. “The air pollution in Paris and London was dreadful,” he said. “This country has so much sunshine we should be embracing solar power.”
