The Green Pen
| School/Organization: |
Global Ecology Program at Poolesville High School
Poolesville, Maryland
USA |
| Grade Level: |
High School/Secondary |
| Group Size: |
2 |
| Project Scope: |
Average |
| Hours Spent on Project: |
40 |
| Category: |
Education and Public Awareness, Advocacy, Research, Other
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Over the course of seven months from October 2007 to April 2008, we wrote a series of articles concerning environmental issues in our local community. We created a web page within our school website where we published our articles. Five of our articles were also featured in the school newspaper. We attempted to cover a wide range of topics, from suggestions for "living green" to students’ positive environmental contributions. We posted our articles regularly and reported on the issues in a timely fashion.
Figuring out how to use the media to influence how people think about the environment
Our project helped raise awareness about local environmental issues. Global warming is not the only important environmental issue in the world. Habitat destruction and resource depletion are happening in one’s backyard. Our audience must realize that it is necessary not only to talk about solutions, but also to make these solutions come alive.
How Your Group's Environmental Ethic Changed
We believe that it is everyone’s duty to help the environment. No one can resolve all the issues that we are facing today alone. Therefore, it is important that every individual contribute as much as he can to environmental preservation. Everyone can start by taking small steps, such as turning off water while brushing teeth or switching to fluorescent light bulbs. We also believe that the most important issue for the planet’s future is global climate change. Hence, we must focus the majority of our time and effort to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, many other environmental problems plague our world and must be recognized.
What We Wish We Had Known Before We Started.
We wish we had known the amount of preparation necessary to write a well-informed, factual article. We committed to writing one article every two weeks, but realized that it would take much longer to produce a piece of quality writing.
How We Made A Difference
Our articles gave our readers tips to follow to reduce their carbon footprint, consumption of energy, and depletion of resources. We also showed them that students at our school are actually making a difference. Our articles inspired the audience to change their ways of living following the model of PHS students.
Who Or What Has Shaped Environmental Thinking In Your Culture Or Country?
In the United States of America, it is primarily the media that influences environmental thinking. Virtually every fact that a typical American hears comes to him or her via a source of media, especially from television, periodicals, and magazines.
Next Steps
Because we are graduating this year, we need juniors from our program to continue the project next year. We believe that it is important that our community stays informed of the local environmental issues, so we would like to have students report on such events in the future. We would also like to see some of their articles published in newspapers with larger audiences, to increase awareness. In addition, we would like to see students living elsewhere to report on environmental issues in their local communities.