Shanghai World Expo - Green Economy
At the very onset of the trip, our group decided that one of the key areas we’d focus on would be the area of Clean and Sustainable Energy. As a Science teacher in Woodgrove Secondary School (WGS), this topic was of particular interest to me. Firstly, one of the niche areas in WGS is the ‘Green’ culture in the school. Secondly, I have a personal interest in the topic since I was part of a team of teachers that developed an Environmental Conservation Learning Corner within the school. Prior to the trip, we were a little unsure as to what to expect. However, with the information about the various pavillions obtained from the website, we were able to come up with a tentative plan for the trip.
The trip itself turned out to be a lot more than I could have hoped for. There were so many pavillions and so many rich learning opportunites! Entering each pavillion was like stepping through some kind of portal into the country itself. We were in Shnaghai, but we had Turkish kebab for lunch and Norwegian salmon for dinner. In terms of learning, it was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Many pavillions showcased the technology they were using and some of their conservation efforts. In Switzerland, for example, extensive efforts are undertaken to recycle used water. (…and we thought we were the ONLY ones drinking NEWater!…) In, Norway, the government has put legislation in place to ensure that a certain percentage of the land remains ‘green’; completely natural and unspoilt by urbanisation. The pictures that we will be uploading soon will be able to show some of the amazing technology that we’ve seen.
One the key takeaways for me, is that the technological landscape is a rapidly changing one. In China alone, the pace of development over the past 40 years has been phenomenal. The average Chinese household today is unrecognisable from what it was 4 decades ago. As more and more countries become developed, there is an even more urgent need to push for global efforts in conservation and the search for viable alternative energy sources. As educators, we are in a prime position to engage the next generation in thinking about possible solutions for these concerns.
In WGS, this is what we are hoping to do via the Environmental Conservation Learning Corner. The corner comprises a variety of teaching and learning platforms such as poster displays, working models and an interactive touchscreen display. The corner will be used to showcase some of the conservation efforts in different parts of the world. It will also raise awareness within the school community about the need for concerted efforts by all nations to save the planet.
In addition, there are plans to set up a ‘Green’ trail in WGS in future. Such a trail would bring students through various ‘green’ spots around the school to increase their knowledge about green-related concerns. If successful, the trail will be further extended to cluster schools.
Finally, it leaves me to thank Mr Sam Wong, Mr James and Mr Wong K C for argnising the trip and taking such good care of us! We thoroughly enjoyed it nd were well-fed throughout our time in Shanghai. :) A truly fantastic learning experience for us all!!
Flavian Fernandez (Woodgrove Sec), Green Economy Group
