Exit Slip: Climate change strike

Today's lecture was dedicated to the global climate change strike.We discussed the various ways in which the new awareness about climate change and mass extinction can affect the role of a teacher or mentor, how can the teacher approach to curriculum, how can the teachers approach differently to our teachable subject  As a group, we found that teacher or mentor can be a  role model for their students, they can inspire their students by taking effective measures such as use of  electric gadgets instead of paper, recycling and reusing,refusing to use plastic, using public transit, consuming seasonal and local groceries, reducing the influence of capitalism by leading a simple life, reducing overpopulation by mentioning its consequences to people, switching to energy-efficient sources, banning the burning of fossil fuels. We can teach our students in the open, outside of four walls so that they can connect more to the environment, invite guest speakers, skype a scientist who can educate the students more through data visualizations. As a teacher, we have to realize that it is our individual's responsibility to step forward to make the change, act and inspire the community to make our planet a better place.

I was quite fascinated to watch the TED talk of 16-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden who has taken the initiative to start an international movement of climate strike and demand the actions from the government for the prevention of global warming and mass extinction. I was personally very engrossed by her talk and it made me reflect on what can I do to save my environment for the upcoming generations.  The rate at which climate is changing will ruin the prosperity, mental health, happy life of the future generation and they will not be resilient enough to undo all the damage. She argues that climate change is a crisis and each one of us knows the consequences of not taking any action. In spite of that, no one is acting owing to their own selfish means and wants others to take initiative. It is high time now and we must feel the pain of having a merely existing environment.

My key takeaway from this lesson is how important is to take care of our environment. I will start making little efforts by finding out energy-efficient alternatives in my daily life, planting trees, spread awareness among students by incorporating the environment into the other academic subjects.