Salient issues: Personal safety | Road safety | The Environment

Environmental Pollution

Why it’s important…
It’s in the air we breathe, the water we drink and even in the soil we stand on. With the rapid industrialization, the earth is getting more and more polluted.
Everyday, people drive to and fro from work; planes take off and land at different parts of the world; ships harbour at ports. All this contributes to environmental pollution. Fossil fuels are used to power all these vehicles, and when these fuels are burnt, carbon dioxide is produced. The carbon dioxide then enters the atmosphere and stops heat from escaping from the atmosphere, resulting in global warming. It has been predicted that global warming will then result in the melting of polar caps, which would increase the water level of the sea and change the currents of the ocean. Once this happens, climate changes would occur, and we may enter the next ice age.

How students play a part…
Students today will be the next generation of parents. And if they as students don’t save electricity or do their best to save the earth, they would most probably not inculcate these values into the children in the future.

Putting into Practice
Steps…

1. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

2. Close all windows and switch off all fans when using the air-conditioning.

3. Use the air-conditioning only when necessary.

4. Use fewer plastic bags; ask for paper bags when doing grocery.

5. Reuse plastic bags instead of throwing them away.

6. Use less water; take a shower instead of a bath.

7. Close the tap when soaping your hands or body.

8. Recycle old newspapers.

Tips for Teachers:
Use a game like…
For younger-aged students: Ask students to draw out how they perceive the effects of global warming, and discuss with them why they think so. Later, reveal what has been predicted to happen by meteorologists and teach them how they can save the Earth.
For older-aged students: Ask the students to write down their predictions of what would happen due to global warming and think of a solution to each of their predictions.

Time duration:
10 minutes to draw and 15 minutes to discuss.