Helping children treasure the environment<\/p>\n
Bambang Parlupi, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
\"Let's save the Earth from destruction. Let's save the Earth for
\nthe sake of our future. Protect our fauna, save our seas.
\nConserve our green nature.\"<\/p>\n
These words were the lyrics of a song sung by first graders
\nEvi Destriani and Irsan Farhan from Citra Alam elementary school
\nin Ciganjur, South Jakarta. The song was specially composed by
\ntheir teacher, Agus Salim, titled Mari Selamatkan Bumi (Let's
\nSave the Earth) for his students.<\/p>\n
\"I hope through this song, which uses the environment as its
\ntheme, children will be encouraged to always protect their
\nenvironment,\" the 33-year-old teacher said. \"This is the simplest
\nway, and can be done through art activities.\"<\/p>\n
Fostering an awareness of the need to preserve the environment
\nis one of the subjects taught at the school. School principal
\nWawan Fahmi said the methods used were different from other
\nschools although it adheres to the government's set requirements
\nin the curriculum.<\/p>\n
The school's atmosphere revolves around the environment,
\ninside and outside its classrooms. The students are introduced to
\nnature the moment they enter the school. \"In the schoolyard we
\ngrow various kinds of plants and breed animals,\" Wawan, the
\nfather of five, said.<\/p>\n
The school also teaches all students to plant vegetables or
\nmedicinal plants, an activity that also involves teachers. A
\nteacher is on hand to teach gardening or introduce the benefits
\nof medicinal plants.<\/p>\n
\"We teach the students about cultivating land and planting
\nseeds to grow corn, peanuts and vegetables. The students can
\nenjoy eating what they grow,\" said the principal, who has been
\nwith the school for two years.<\/p>\n
The activity is not simply for fun. In a way, it is related to
\nthe school's subjects. For instance, the students are asked to
\nput theory into practice, such as in growing plants.<\/p>\n
\"For kindergarten students we ask each of them to take care of
\none of the plants or animals he or she loves the most,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Apart from school life, children can also be encouraged to
\nappreciate their environment within their families.<\/p>\n
\"I introduce nature to my children through interesting
\nstories, reading material or movies. Drawing or coloring plants
\nand animals is a very good way to make children feel close to
\ntheir surrounding environment,\" said Herawati, the mother of
\nIrsan Farhan.<\/p>\n
To enjoy a real encounter with nature, children can be taken
\nto interesting places, such as villages, beaches, lakes, forests
\nor rivers during their holidays. Teachers and parents can take
\nthe opportunity to tell stories about why such places are nice to
\nvisit, point out features in the natural settings and enjoy the
\nfresh air. Parents and teachers can then ask children to compare
\nit with the city where pollution is high, rivers are dirty and
\ngarbage is everywhere. After that, the children can hear about
\nthe impact that pollution and dirty rivers have on them.<\/p>\n
An observer of environmental education, Mubarik Ahmad, once
\nsaid there was a group of nature lovers who introduced nature in
\nthis same way to elementary school students.<\/p>\n
\"The students were taken for a visit to the Manggarai
\nfloodgates in South Jakarta and the Pluit dam, which is filled
\nwith garbage. The students were then asked to take a sample of
\nsome water to analyze at school, which they did by filtering the
\nwater repeatedly until it was clean,\" Mubarik said during a
\nrecent discussion on nature conservation education at an early
\nage in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said that the students were later taken to the upper part
\nof the Ciliwung river in Cibodas at the foot of Mount Gede
\nPangrango in West Java. Bottles consisting of the water
\npreviously taken from the rivers were then compared. Through this
\nactivity, students could see which samples were clean and which
\nwere not.<\/p>\n
Another group of nature lovers, Klub Indonesia Hijau (Green
\nIndonesia Club), said that people would enthusiastically embrace
\nenvironmental education if it was related to daily activities in
\nreal life.<\/p>\n
The group said that formal teaching methods inside the
\nclassrooms restrict students' creativity.<\/p>\n
For that reason, the club has developed an environmental
\neducation concept, which goes by \"learning while playing\" as its
\nmotto.<\/p>\n
The club's coordinator, N.M. Ruliady, said the method targets
\nfifth and sixth grade students and has been introduced to 14
\nelementary schools in the Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands),
\nincluding 01, 02 and 03 elementary schools on Kelapa island.<\/p>\n
Every group discussion and activity is adjusted to local
\nconditions and traditions.<\/p>\n
Ruliady said children were more interested in playing and
\ndrawing. Through these activities, they can share or respect
\nothers' opinions, he added. \"That's why we avoid competition. We
\nfind all drawings good, a form of creativity that should be
\nrespected.\"<\/p>\n
Tips<\/p>\n
At home or school:<\/p>\n
* Turn off all lamps, radios, TVs or irons not in use to save
\nenergy.<\/p>\n
* If water is not being used, turn off the taps. Repair leaky
\ntaps.<\/p>\n
* Use paper wisely, including tissue paper and books. Use
\nreusable cloths to clean furniture and use up every blank piece
\nof paper.<\/p>\n
* Avoid buying food that comes in disposable containers.<\/p>\n
* Reuse or recycle books, newspapers, bottles or cans. Don't
\nthrow them in with your garbage. Instead, give them to scavengers
\nto be recycled.<\/p>\n
Plant trees around your house or schoolyard. Flowers attract
\ninsects and butterflies, while plants that bear fruit attract
\nbirds and other fruit-eating animals.<\/p>\n
* Don't buy or take wild animals from the forest for pets.<\/p>\n
While traveling or shopping:<\/p>\n
* Try to go on foot or ride a bicycle to destinations that are
\nnot far. This will help save fuel, reduce air pollution and keep
\nyou healthy.<\/p>\n
* Use paper bags to bring home shopping to avoid the excessive
\nuse of plastic bags. Bring shopping bags from home and reuse them
\nat the grocery store.<\/p>\n
* Throw garbage into waste disposal bins that are provided, or
\ntake your garbage home.<\/p>\n
* When going to the beach or mountains, take the time to clean up
\nafter you have lunch.<\/p>\n
* Obey regulations in the places you visit, such as not breaking
\ntree branches or disturbing animals.<\/p>\n
* Show you care about the environment and spread the word about
\nrespecting nature.<\/p>",
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