But what can we do?

Forest and Bird, Volume 22, Issue 2, 1 May 1991, Page 19

But what can we do?

Adam Leavesley

( O WHAT EXACTLY do young New .... Zealanders know about their environment? Will the next generation come to the rescue of Gaia, or are they as wedded to consumption, "progress" and technology as many of their parents? During its tour, the New Zealand Forest Education Roadshow 1990 — under the auspices of the Pacific Institute for Resource Management — conducted a survey to try to find out. The survey was divided into two sections. The first tested general knowledge about the environment, while the second offered an opportunity to express an opinion in key areas. It was the second section which revealed the most exciting results. 80 percent of young kiwis agreed that: "Environmental problems are the ultimate responsibility of every individual on earth." Only 4 percent answered "large companies", 3 percent said "God" and 5 percent said "governments". This indicates that a huge majority of young people are aware environmental damage is occurring on their behalf. We found this result very heartening, even if this sense of responsibility was not being translated into action. It also seems that young kiwis are well aware that New Zealand's clean, green image overseas is only skin deep. When asked to describe the nature of New Zealand's environmental problems, 63 percent answered "many and serious", and 25 percent answered "many but under control’. Only 1 percent suggested there were "none" and 11 percent "few". Why then are more young people not acting on their beliefs? What is it that stops ideas being turned into action? The last part of the survey shed some light on this problem. Students were asked to list the environment-related subjects which they wanted to know more about. Global issues such as ozone depletion, greenhouse effect and rainforest destruction along with high profile subjects such as driftnetting, endangered species and Antarctica dominated the areas of interest of young people. The more mundane local issues such as old man’s beard, erosion and sewage were of less interest. Young people are aware that all is not right with the earth. At the same time they were always asking "But what can we do?" The links between the high profile but more accessible areas were not understood. If young people can be shown how recycling can help to minimise the greenhouse effect and how wasp control and sewage disposal can halt the extinction of animal species, then we will see the great depth of feeling turned into positive action. Experience in the classroom backed up the survey. Clearly environmental education in New Zealand is seriously

inadequate and it is essential that provision be made for it within the school curriculum. At the end of our tour the Roadshow felt that increased environmental education was important for two reasons. e There are alternatives available to the current path of increased consumption and increased environmental damage and it is important that these are made available to young people. Most are not aware how their consumption or how their waste effects the environment. This is true at a local level but even more so internationally. Young people want to know how they are affecting the environment and how they can respond to the situation. e Current predictions for the planet for the year 2030 are not rosy. Population is due to double, reaching 10 billion and at the same time current rates of rainforest destruction could see the entire biome destroyed. There will be marked changes to society and to living conditions. Even with stringent environmental controls and safeguards people must still be prepared to face these changing conditions. The goals and perceptions of young people can only reflect these conditions through education. Young kiwis don’t need doom and gloom. Many of them already find the whole issue depressing. What they need is a positive plan to which they can respond. #