Energy Office Gives Youngsters Environmental Lessons

The Virgin Islands Energy Office is participating in a St. Croix Environmental Association program geared to reach all the second and fourth graders on St. Croix with lessons about the environment.

The Energy Office lessons concern how the use of energy affects the environment. Rebekka Stone is implementing the program for SEA and has helped design lesson plans and student activities for the Energy Office. Don Buchanan of the Energy Office is making the presentations and working on the activities. The first program with Energy Office participation was held Jan. 27 at Sandy Point and was for second graders from St. Patrick’s School in Frederiksted.

The lesson specifically addresses how the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and power plants emits CO2 in the atmosphere and how trees extract the carbon part from the atmosphere. Then Buchanan explains how when that cycle is disrupted (deforestation) or made lopsided (too much fossil fuel being burned) the atmosphere becomes unhealthy. Students are given suggestions about how their behavior, their use of energy, can contribute to a healthy environment.

The lesson is illustrated by an activity run by Stone. Students representing the Water and Power Authority and cars and trucks throw sponges, representing CO2 to students who are representing trees. It becomes obvious to students what happens when trees are cut down, trees absorbing carbon decrease; and, then, more cars are put on the road.  The exercise ends with many students throwing sponges but few gathering them up.

Upcoming presentations are Feb. 5, 4th grade, at Estate Thomas; Feb. 10, 2nd grade at Salt River, Columbus Landing; and Feb. 24, 2nd grade also at Salt River, Columbus Landing.