Student learns Green Lesson

Schools across Bahrain are joining the battle against global warming, in a campaign to cut their own carbon footprints.

They are taking part in a project to calculate how much carbon dioxide they emit - to cut it down.

The more CO2 emissions are produced the greater the school's contribution to global warming.

The project is a joint initiative of the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, the Education Ministry and The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Programme (GLOBE).

GLOBE is a worldwide primary and secondary school-based science and education programme.

It supports students, teachers and scientists in collaborating on investigations into the environment and how to protect it.

It works in partnership with the US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Science Foundation Earth System Science Projects, in research on the dynamics of the environment.

"Greenhouse gases are the primary cause of climate change and we are introducing these concepts to them (students)," commission senior environment specialist Luma Al Mahroos told the GDN.

students must know the source of greenhouse gases in their schools and find ways to reduce it, such as by saving electricity.

"We have just started the programme and selected a footprint calculator software programme. We hope to finish it by June.

"We have selected 28 schools registered with the GLOBE programme."

Ms Al Mahroos said climate change was an international issue and being taken seriously in Bahrain through various activities, including awareness campaigns as part of the country's commitment to the UN Climate Change Convention.

"We want them (the young) to know that even simple activities such as using electrical equipment and having the TV or computer on, have an impact on the environment and they need to change their routine a little," she said.

For example, if they use energy saving light bulbs they will reduce power consumption and save money on their bill.

We are focusing on youngsters in schools, we want them to have their own projects.

Ms Al Mahroos said awareness programmes were vital because they helped educate the community on climate change and the impact of greenhouse gases on the environment.

The commission is also introducing the subject of climate change in public and private schools through its Environment Friendly Schools programme.

Twenty-three schools are taking part in this year's programme, which was introduced to teachers and students at a workshop at the Bahrain Medical Society in Juffair.

Commission public relations and environment media directorate director Zakariya Khunji said the Environment Friendly Schools project began in 2004 and each year a different theme was selected.

He said the aim was to encourage schools to conduct activities such as producing posters and articles and holding exhibitions under the chosen environment theme.

At the workshop we teach them what the theme is for the year, what activities they can take and we go to schools and help them with their activities and bring them to our nursery.

We chose climate change this year because it's the biggest issue everywhere. The youngsters must know about it because Bahrain and other GCC countries will be affected.

We have seen the problems with the hurricane in Oman and we were affected. In some areas the sea came in land by two metres.

So we must think very carefully, we must know what our individual role is.

We are targeting youngsters because they think ahead and will be affected in the future. They can help us protect our environment.


Courtesy http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/