Environment Week

The environment and the economy are really both two sides of the same coin. If we cannot sustain the environment, we cannot sustain ourselves. Wangari Maathai.

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. The duty to protect our environment is not yours or mine but OURS. With this noble thought in mind and a willingness to take an initiative to create a world where environment doesnt need protection, Environment Week was observed by the Pre-Primary department at The Indian School-Second Shift from 16th to 20th April 18.

The purpose of the five-day long celebration was to sensitise the children at an early age about the environment and build an orientation for responsible stewardship of the planet. An array of activities was held during the week .The activities for each day of the week were planned meticulously for all the sections.

Day One commenced with a Poster making activity in which the tiny tots were made aware about different ways by which we can conserve and preserve our fragile environment. They were told about the green practices they can follow in their everyday lives like planting a sapling, saving water, turning off the lights etc. An outdoor activity named Nature Scavenger Hunt was conducted where the students walked through the School garden and observed the flora and fauna- their appearance, their hues, textures and distinctive fragrances. During the hunt, our young environmentalists discovered flowers, trees, spiderwebs, bugs, feathers, butterflies, bits of rock, sand, green and brown leaves and grass.

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Annie Leonard rightly said There is no such thing as AWAY. When we throw anything away, it must go somewhere.

Day Two of Environment Week turned out to be entertaining. A Trash Fashion Parade was held in the School auditorium in which our young models walked the makeshift ramp in creative outfits made from used and recycled materials such as old newspapers/magazines, tetra packs, egg cartons, cloth bags/packing paper, tissue boxes and so on. The show had everyone cheering and clapping for the performers . It was amazing to see how scrap can be transformed into something beautiful and useful.

On the third day, a sorting activity was conducted in which the little ones had to sort environment- themed flashcards in 3 categories, namely Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. It helped to orient the children to protect the environment and make informed choices about a variety of sustainability practices like Walk or ride a bicycle when your destination is close to home, Switch off anything that uses electricity when not in use and Switch to compact fluorescent or LED light bulbs.

Day Four commenced with a circle time activity named What makes our Earth happy or sad? Our environment saviours collected images of everyday things/practices and sat together to brainstorm as to what practices/things make the Earth sad and what makes it happy. This enriched the young minds about ways in which each we can contribute to safeguard our planet Earth.

Day Five saw the young ones undertake a craft activity named Whats your promise? Students noted a pledge they would take to make their planet a better place to live in. This activity was their small contribution towards a GREENER, CLEANER AND PEACEFUL EARTH THEIR HOME, THEIR PLANET.

The week concluded with a special assembly on Earth Day in which the children participated showcased their awareness of the environment on issues like hazards of noise/air/water pollution, effects of using plastic in the long run, excessive use of natural resources etc. The students drew and painted posters carrying the slogans, Save Water, Plant more Trees and Care for our Planet Earth.

It was a delight to see the energy, dedication and sincerity with which these young children participated in these environment-related activities.

The week ended with much learning and awareness laced with fun.

Ms. Anjum Tandon.