As part of the Global work party and 350.org events organised by WESSA in
South Africa , the Eco-Schools National office facilitated a climate
change workshop for educators from Eco- schools near the Ndumo Game
Reserve , a remote part of northern Kwazulu-Natal . The workshop aimed at
encouraging whole school involvement with exploring the climate change issue, the
impacts associated with this and risks to the community, and to the local
biodiversity as a result of climate change. Included in the workshop was a
first time introduction for most educators to solar cooking as an
alternative to the use of firewood and other unsustainable practices.
Educators practised how to calculate their electricity, travel and water
audits and were quite astounded as to the results and were also able to draw
quite meaningful conclusions such as the relationship between vehicles with
larger engine capacity’s and increased carbon dioxide emissions. As part of
the workshop educators were also briefed on simple strategies to reduce our
climate impacts and the importance of lobbying and advocacy in pressuring
governments to take appropriate action against climate change. As part of
this, the educators endorsed the 350.org campaign and concluded the workshop
with a pledge to protect and conserve our environmental resources and
lovingly placed kisses on a young Acacia tree before planting this at the
education centre as a symbol of this commitment.