‘Green Talks’ with the Family
So your students changed their incandescent (yellow) light bulbs to fluorescent ones. And they even got their parents to replace their water-consuming toilet for a low-flow model. What else can your students do?
Well, they should involve the family and turn the environmental advocacy that was once just a classroom thing into a family thing. The latter is more substantial because, with the support of parents and teachers, it could lead to your students’ bigger and more serious commitment to the environment.
Below are some serious 'green' issues you can share with your students.
Cleaner oceans
Since the Philippines is composed of 7,100 islands, is an archipelago, and is therefore surrounded by seas, and has abundant aquatic resources, discussing the impact of human beings to that particular body of water is a good start.
Good topics to discuss include the recent Guimaras oil spill, water shortages, unusual rainfall during summer months, potable water supply, dams, hydropower facilities, garbage in rivers that lead to the seas, dynamite fishing, coastal resources management, marine sanctuaries, oil explorations at Tañon Strait, and fluctuating numbers of existing species of dolphins, sharks, fish and other marine animals.
Carbon footprint
With their parents, your students can check out their households’ carbon footprints by calculating it. It is based on two areas of energy use that make up carbon dioxide emissions: on the road and at home.
The size of household, number of miles driven in modes of transportation, and estimates of electricity bills are only among the factors considered for finding out the family’s carbon footprint. After the calculation, the family can collectively come up with steps to reduce the number.
Alternative Energy
Coal is the most abundant and widely distributed fossil fuel. Just think of barbecues by the beach and cooking using the uling that can be bought at the store for Php10. To minimize the use of coal, alternative sources of energy are used to replace fossil fuels and supplement everyone’s energy needs.
Interesting topics for both students and parents are biodiesel, biofuels, ethanol, geothermal energy, human power, hydro power, hydrogen fuel, solar power, tidal power, waste energy, wave power, wind farms, wind power and wind turbines.
For example, some people are familiar with solar panels. These are made of photovoltaic cells made of semiconductor materials like those in computer chips. When sunlight hits the cells, electrons are set loose from their atoms, generating electricity as they flow through the cell.
This kind of information could encourage the family to utilize solar energy in their various household activities, or even campaign or petition environmental groups like Greenpeace to donate a solar panel to the school.
Gather information
If your students have Internet connection at home, then they can also check out the following interactive and informative websites:
UN Cyber school bus
Green Guide Videos
Tip of the Week - encourages the household to make one environment-friendly change every week
Preserve Our Planet - conservation tips and information on how to help the planet
Video: Pollution Harming Polar Bears - to find out more about polar bears and what is happening to their Arctic habitat
Interactive: Harness the Power of Wind - to interact with one kind of alternative energy
WWF - the World Wildlife Fund
Setting green family policies
Suggest to your students to also bring up “green” family policies at home.
- A mandate to turn off appliances like lights, computers, televisions, or radios whenever no one is using them
- A mindset to always reduce, reuse and recycle. This means no to disposable products and yes to goods and products made from recycled materials
- A pledge to plant trees around the house, as well as native species of plants. They absorb carbon dioxide and can give a bountiful harvest
Rest assured there will be more environment-friendly results from your students when the home is involved.
Sources:
“A Surging Energy Source.” Retrieved April 9, 2008 from
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/environment/alternative-energy/solar-power-profile.html
“How is it calculated.” Retrieved April 9, 2008 from
http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/howitwascalculated.html
“How to Save the Environment at Home.” Retrieved April 9, 2008 from
http://www.wikihow.com/Save-the-Environment-at-Home
“Tips and Tools.” Retrieved April 9, 2008 from
http://www.thegreenguide.com/tips_tools/
(Published 21 April 2008, Smart Schools Program)
