Educating is working collectively and there is nothing more urgent than forming conscious and responsible individuals towards each other and the planet. Educating children for a more sustainable world leads us to think about a path of daily actions that embrace the love of nature, in a practical way and not just through words present in a distant and meaningless discourse.
Remove plastic cups from school, take care of the vegetable garden, contemplate a garden, draw parts of plants, wait for the sunset, research climate change, walk in areas where nature is present, make a compost bin at school. Adults emotionally linked to the subject can build frequent actions, through routine care that leads children to carry out small actions, with great results.
The experiences are related to experiences in which children actively participate and that leave an impression on them, as they involve a process of building appreciation and becoming aware of their own action in relation to the environment where they all live.
Visit to Piratininga Lagoon, in Niteroi
Sustainability is an increasingly important topic present in urban projects around the world and in our city. An example of this is the Piratininga lagoon project, located in Niterói, visited by our 3rd year elementary students.
During the visit, our students were able to see up close the revitalization and environmental preservation actions being carried out in the lagoon. They learned about the challenges facing the environment, such as water pollution and riverbank degradation, and how the project – which will last for years – seeks to reverse the situation.
One of the main actions presented to the students was the construction of a sewage treatment system, which prevents polluting waste from being dumped directly into the lagoon. They were able to see the treatment plants and understand how the water purification process works.
In addition, the students also learned about the recovery actions on the banks of the lagoon. They saw the green areas being implemented and learned about the importance of preserving local biodiversity.
During the visit, the students participated in a conversation with biologist Andrea Maia. They were encouraged to reflect on the importance of environmental preservation and adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives. She told us about the power that nature has to regenerate itself. Even areas that have undergone profound changes or deforestation can, depending on the conditions, become forests again, just with the help of time and natural ecological processes, without the need for human intervention – especially if that area is close to other fragments. forestry.
At the end of the visit to Lagoa, our students were able to understand how this project in Niterói is an example of how it is possible to reconcile urban development with environmental preservation. They realized that, through sustainable actions, it is possible to guarantee the preservation of this important ecosystem, promoting the quality of life of the local population and contributing to the sustainability of the region.
The visit to the Piratininga lagoon was an enriching experience for students at our school, who were able to learn in practice about the importance of sustainability and how each person can contribute to preserving the environment.
Constant encouragement of children’s protagonism and education for conscious consumption and well-being are pillars of our Infanzia school.