Sharing Environmental Issue With The Students SMA 11 Surabaya by Curtis Deschambault

Today, Harshid, I, Roni and Bram went SMA 11 senior high school. Harhsid and I once again gave presentations on our respective countries and the effects global warming is having on our countries. We were also taken on tour of the school by the students and shown their various green areas. They also discussed how they plan to continue to promote respecting the environment at their school and abroad.

My presentation today again covered the four seasons of Canada and how they are affected by global warming. During the question period I was asked a very good question, it was “what kind of solution do I think will help prevent global warming?” I think that there is no easy fix solution for any country and that the solution lies with the world’s population, by changing the way they perceive themselves within the environment.

People need to understand that their actions have consequence and that they need to try reduce their carbon footprint. I do not think that everyone needs to become environmentalist or activist, but they should become aware of the effect their actions have on the environment. It is only at that point that I believe global warming can be prevented, until then we can try and do our best to educate others on this issue.

The students also took us on a tour of their school and showed us their green spaces. The school has a garden on the side of the school were each class has a plant that they are responsible for maintaining. The school is also actively using their compost for fertilization. In the back of the school there is some empty area where the students said they wanted to plant something, but were not yet sure of what they were going to plant.

The only disappointing fact about that was that they had a garbage pile in the area where they wanted to plant. Hopefully they can keep the area clean until they decide on what to plant. They then showed us the trees that had been planted two years prior. The trees were now fairly big and the students said they used the area for shade when it gets hot out. They also have trees growing in the alleys between classes which they use as an escape from the sun and heat.

During our visit Roni had the students give us updates on what their school has done in the past as environmental activities. He also had a discussion with them about new activities they want to do. They came up with a few ideas and they will be happening within the next two months. The students want to have a couple of contest, one of them would be picture contest were each class has 3 to 5 students taking an environment picture and then they would choose the nicest as the winner. Another contest is going to be a mural painting competition.

They would like to also plant more trees in the empty spaces around their school. Some of the students approached me asked if they would be able to interview me about how Canada is trying to do to reduce the global warming. They will likely interview the other AIESEC interns that will be coming as well. The students want to put the information on empty billboards they have around the school. I think this is great ideal and will help be good motivator for the student body by showing that other countries care about the environment as well.