The importance of being eco-friendly has been a ‘hot topic’ for a long time. Over the last 30 years or more people have been asking, ‘how does this affect the environment,’ or ‘what impact will this have on our atmosphere?’ This is because everything we do either helps our environment, or makes us demolish it. Some examples are the hundreds of factories that release multiple harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, which adds to the depletion of our ozone, and this is why some populations of species are decreasing because they are living in an environment which is full of toxins.
In various grades, students at St. Augustine’s learn about the environment. They discover how vital our ecosystem is, and why it is so significant to recycle. Some of our students have learned this from hands-on experience; the Grade 9 students went on a river watch field trip on May 1. The students visited a water treatment facility. There they further understood why we should be so cautious about what we put into our water system. Also, they tested water and performed several other experiments along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton. All students benefited from this trip because they saw how easy it is for everyone to help preserve our environment.
Also, later in May the Grade 6 classes will be going to J.J Collett. There the students will be reviewing their forest unit hands-on. The students will learn more about the different species that are living in the environment, as well as the various trees in the area. As part of this unit the students have learned how various activities affect the environment.
In addition to this, the Grade 3 class is going to the Telus Word of Science to further learn more on the various science related units they have been studying so far this year.
There are many simplistic ways everyone can contribute to the preservation of the environment. You can lend a hand by reducing the amount of litter, or just putting garbage in the garbage can, and not dumping hazardous substances on the ground Recycle objects like glass containers, paper, pop cans, and juice bottles because many of them are re-useable. The reason why this is so important is because this is our environment we are living in. Why not care for it, like it cares for us. It provides us with the air we breathe, and the food we eat. Without the environment we would be non-existent, so let’s all do our part, and remember the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.