Training for Environmentally Conscious Citizens

Rajagiri organised a massive campaign among our students to create awareness about issues like global warming, pollution, climate change, continued exploitation of our finite natural resources, and rapidly changing economic and social conditions are realities of our world today. If we continue in the same manner as we have been doing in the recent past, we are likely to leave behind a mess behind a mess for our future generations. A lot is in the hands of the young generation, who need to recognize the value of environment protection and judicious use of natural resources.

By introducing RCPS students to the concepts like global warming, pollution, climate change, continued exploitation of our finite natural resources  and sustainable development, we help them  to develop skills and a lifestyle that will allow them to be in a position to preserve our environment.

In order to achieve sustainability in development and current lifestyle approaches, all stakeholders need to be empowered to take conscious decisions oriented towards conservation. Students in  all classes (Std I to VII) are not only mature enough to understand why this is needed, but are also at the right age where a strong foundation for shaping the society can be laid.

Expected learning outcomes of Training for  Environmentally Conscious Citizens

1. Connecting with nature
2. Adopting practices that benefit the environment
3. Suggesting steps that families can take to become sustainable households
4. Learning to manage domestic waste in an environmentally safe manner
5. Develop eco-spiritual behaviour
6. Spread the value Reduce- reuse- recycle  among others .

Suggested activities for  Students

• Visit regularly and observe the different kinds of trees growing in the area; compare their sizes, kinds of leaves, flowers, canopies, etc.
• Observe different kinds of flora and fauna in the area.
• Select a plant; Find its name and its importance to humans and to nature in general; observe it more closely to note additional characteristics, like flowers,fruits,seeds,bark,trunk,size,kind of soil it grown in, any special adaptation,etc.Does does the plants appearance change through different seasons?
• Collect the plants fallen leaves, flowers and twigs: draw pictures of them; create a hebarium with these collected items.
• Identify any special features that allow the plant to grow naturally in the climate and soil of your region.
• Refer to books and other publications for additional information on the tree, and make a list of these sources.
• Prepare a portfolio on the tree, capturing the detailed information on it gathered by you.
• Read national and international publications and websites on environmental themes regularly.
• Refer to field guides on the Indian landscape on trees, birds, mammals, reptiles and marine life.
• The space should get sufficient sunlight for the plants to grow, and should not be in an area where the plants can be disturbed by students walking /playing.
• Choose herbs/ vegetables that are easy to grow and are seasonal. Procure the seeds, soil, pots (if required), manure and basic gardening tools.
• Water the garden regularly at home . Involve others in looking after the garden.
• Once the herbs/vegetables are mature, harvest them and use them in cooking.
• Chart out the monthly household expense incurred by your family on various items of daily use. You may talk to your parents and other family members to collect this information.
• Based on this chart, suggest ways in which use of important resources and generation of household waste can be minimized. This is what a sustainable household is-one in which the impact on the environment is minimal.
• Collect waste water from and laundry or Kitchen and reuse it in activities like gardening or floor cleaning.
• Repair, reuse and recycle household waste as much as possible, and encourage other household members to do so too.
• Reduce the use of electricity and cooking gas through simple steps like using CFL lights, switching off lights and fans when leaving a room, cooking with the pan covered with a lid, etc.
• Use eco-friendly means of transport, such as public transport or CNG vehicles
• Practice the above steps and review the chart after some time to see if these measures have helped your household lower expense and become more sustainable.