My 13-14 year-old-students were given the assignment to bring to class material related to the topic we're dealing with: ENVIRONMENT. They came up with pictures, news, and so forth, but this video of a plump, apparently harmless man took my breath away... Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGMYdalClU
When it finished, we were all shocked and wordless. The video poses a series of increasingly serious issues, ranging from the animal abuse to the ever escalating exploitation of resources.
Steve Cutts, its author, uses a bizarre combination of music and characters to display and criticise something that is really happening (no matter we want to admit it or not).
Firstly, we can observe how the "MAN" (evidently embodying the whole humanity) runs into different animals that become fur-lined coats, shoes and junk food. Along his path, he continues hunting and fishing. Other evils such as pollution and deforestation are denounced. Later, we get in contact with the process of urbanization and experiments with animals. At the end, the planet has become an accumulation of waste, and when aliens arrive in our world, all they see is a dim picture and guess what? They do the same thing the "Man" did with a bug (in the beginning). Outrageous? I don't think so. For me, pretty realistic.
Who's to blame? Factories? Capitalist empires? Or you, me, us?
Think about it.
We believe we're the kings -and queens- of the world, thus, anything is allowed; we've got the "right" to kill, abuse, manipulate everything, just because we've been given the power.
Does this mean that there's no way out and our planet is going to an imminent and unavoidable destruction?
No. I would say it MUST be a Wakeup call.
My students made a list of very simple things that each of us can do to help our planet. Just to mention some of them:
-Reduce the amount of water you use (don't let taps and hoses open, take shorter showers)
-Re-utilize bags and bottles
-Plant trees and respect green spaces
-Walk instead of using the car or a bus
-Don't throw papers in the street
-Turn of the lights and appliances you're not using, take advantage of daylight
-TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABOUT THIS
So, is it possible to bet on ecology and put the brake on the current environmental decadence?
It is true that we seem to be indifferent to the consequences of our actions and that will only lead to catastrophe. But how can we be thankful of nature and its wonders if the idea of being in touch with nature is spending half a day near a river or lake because being away from “civilisation” causes panic and aversion in most cases? Of course not everyone thinks that way. Nowadays, more and more people are trying to live consuming products that are least harmful to the environment, forgoing produced food, recycling and wasting fewer resources. I know they are not many and it is not enough but it is a start. Don’t you think? And the pieces of advice your students give are a great way to start! If adults are not leading by example maybe children will be the ones in charge of raising awareness about this delicate issue.
ResponderEliminarWoow! I have to admit I didn't expect that. There we have it, the terrible truth! What are we doing with our planet?!!
ResponderEliminarFor the benefit of our pockets, we destroy everything that surrounds us, don't we? It's really shameful.. how can we be so indifferent? It seems like we ruin everything we touch.
And as regards your question Andre : Who's to blame? All of us. We may say for instance: " Well, but I don't throw tons of rubbish into the sea" or "I don't do this or that", but the thing is that we do do some other things. Everytime we have long baths, or when we let the lights on with no purpose or when we don't reuse or recycle materials, we are cooperating with the destruction of this world,our world ("our" doesn't mean we can do whatever we want..or we shouldn't), the only one we have.
I agree with Ailin as well, maybe if adults are not leading by their example, we should show others how to do it. Just by putting into practice simple things like the ones on the list!