|Teaching Environmental Conservation: The Petronas Way
By Sophia Ahmad
PENANG, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- In the early 1990s, pop star Zainal Abidin sang "Hijau" or literally, "Green", a big hit in the local music scene then.
But it was more than a song. Its lyrics became a grim reminder of the destruction of the environment due to unbridled development and man's callous acts.
Today, it is evident that the enviromental degradation is taking its toll. Global temperatures have risen, polar caps are melting and snow-covered mountains are losing their cover and many of the once fertile regions are now arid belts.
But the battle to save planet Earth is still on.
OUR WORLD PROJECT
Among those who have joined the legion to save Earth is Malaysia's national petroleum company, Petronas, with its Our World project that targets the younger generation.
The project is to ensure that the youngsters of today have the knowledge and understanding of environmental issues that will influence their lives and decisions in the future.
It also signifies Petronas' role in educating the newer generation on environmental conservation and protection.
During the first phase of the project (1998-2004), a total of 15 editions of the "Our World" magazine were distributed to primary and secondary school children in 5,000 schools.
The magazine was used by teachers and students as a tool to teach or learn Science and English.
A guidebook known as The Petronas Young Environmentalist Guide was produced in the second phase of the project (that began in 2004), also distributed to schools beginning last year.
The book was published in nine volumes containing useful information other than riddles and mind-quest games to challenge students' understanding on the environment.
OUR WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL WORKSHOP
However, the real life experience is more meaningful as a lesson compared to knowledge learned from books and magazines.
In view of this, Petronas has also been organising the "Our World" environmental workshop yearly for secondary and primary school students.
The workshop has two different activities known as the Scavenger Hunt and Environmental Biodiversity Audit.
Petronas' vice-president for the Education Division Datuk Dr Rosti Saruwono when met by Bernama after a workshop at Teluk Bahang's Forest Reserve here, said the Scavenger Hunt was an educational activity created for primary school students to test their knowledge on the environment.
"The activity requires each participant in a group to answer questions provided on paper and a bag is given to find and gather the answers required.
"Marks for each group will be given at the end of the activity by the facilitator. The judging is based on the participants's ability to provide suitable feedback for the questions, teamwork and whether they conform to instructions," he said.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIODIVERSITY AUDIT
The Environmental Biodiversity Audit is a popular approach used on community workers to encourage their participation during research on socio-economic, culture and environmental issues.
"This year, every participant was required to draw a map of the Teluk Bahang Forest Reserve and conduct a simple inventory of the landscape.
"From there, they needed to conduct an observation and collect data (through interviews, observation and investigation) to find out further the history of the area to enable them to come up with a proposal for their combined action.
"They also needed to propose a suitable method to raise awareness among visitors on the uniqueness of the forest in terms of environmental conservation," Rosti said.
Asked about the impact or effectiveness of the programme, he said: "The effects cannot be seen instantly but in the future when the younger generation have grown up and start playing a role in steering the nation."
He said the programme was a small contribution from Petronas in protecting and conserving the environment.
"Petronas wants to affirm to all that development doesn't mean destroying the environment. With advancement in technology and new knowledge applications such as biotechnology, the environmental balance could be sustained.
"The environment is not just about greenery. It is more than that, as it is also about clear blue seas teemed with marine life, and air that is clean and free from poisonous gases caused by human activities. This is what we want to conserve for the future generations," he said.