Read Chapter 7 – Environmental Awareness

1. Discuss the country’s environmental condition, climate change, human contribution to it

and its observed impact
As a citizen of this country, I have observed many changes as years passed by. These
changes are threats that can be harmful not only for the people but also for the environment.
Our country’s environmental condition is quite alarming because there are dying coral reefs,
widespread of mosquito carrying-diseases, crops failure, drought, high sea-level, and many
more. These environmental conditions may be effect of climate change. There are two causes
of climate change, the natural causes and the human causes. The natural causes include,
continental drift, volcano’s behavior, earth’s tilt, and ocean currents. It is simply stated that the
natural causes of climate change are caused by the behavior of the environment and some of
these are not predictable. It cannot be controlled, and it is not in the hands of people. The
human causes of climate change include, the excessive amount of carbon dioxide, methane,
nitrous oxide, and oxygen. By human activities like deforestation, land clearing, and the use of
fertilizers contributes large amount of gasses which causes inequity in the percentage of the
present gasses in the environment. Excessive of electricity, pollution from factories and
vehicles, deforestation, and large amount of waste can be also a cause for climate change.
Some of the impacts are already shown or visible to us like snow and ice are melting and frozen
ground is thawing, hydrological and biological systems are changing and in some cases being
disrupted, migrations are starting earlier, and species' geographic ranges are shifting towards
the poles. It is very alarming for us and especially for the future generation. We must really care
for our environment because we don’t know what might happen next.

2. Explain the importance of NSTP and the youth in creating awareness about our
environmental condition.
NSTP contribute a lot to prepare and train the youth to become aware in our environmental
condition. NSTP helps in spreading awareness in the community by having seminars and
programs that talks about the things that must be know as a citizen or member of the
community whenever there is environmental problem that might occur. NSTP also teaches the
youth how to care for the environment. The youth are required to have 36 hours to 72 hours to
be involved in Green Philippines Activities which include among others:
a. Taking back our forests and replenishing fallen trees with new, protected forests;
b. Beautifying our barangays and cities;
c. Building more urban parks and recreation areas;
d. Purifying our water;
e. Cleaning up industrial sites;
 It is important because it provides knowledge and contribute good in our environment.
It is better to have idea on what’s happening than to panic during time of crisis. It is also
beneficial in a way that the youth and the member of the community performs activities that
can help in making a better place to live.

Noted on your exercise 1 for this online session here’s another set of activities for us to
enhance more our environmental awareness;
Watch the following videos:
1. An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore
2. What really happens to the plastic you throw away by Emma Bryce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8

1. How did you feel about the topics? (feelings, insights, importance, realizations, etc.)
I feel sad about the topics and kind of crying for help. When I saw what is really
happening on our environment around the world, it made me realize that taking care of
our environment is important. When the time comes when there will be no trees to
climb, rivers to swim, fresh air to breathe, and enough amount of food supply we will
know how important taking care of the environment is. If we disregard the condition of
our environment now, there will be a guarantee that we will suffer on the future.

2. What have you learned about the topic/s?

About the topics, I learned that we must take care of our environment. We
should start planting trees, lessen our trashes, proper disposal of garbage, know how to
recycle, and always be prepared. By these small actions, we can help how preserve, save
and protect our planet on whatever environmental problem that might happen.

3. How would you apply the learnings to your community?

I could apply the learnings to my community by, doing the right things like avoiding
burning of trashes, recycling materials instead of throwing them away, attending some
environmental activities offered by my community like tree planting, and also doing
some seminars to spread awareness and ways how to take good care of our
environment.
4. How can you save and protect Mother Nature, as a student?

As a student, I can save and protect mother nature by my daily activities like
restraining myself from using energy excessively. Simple decisions to reduce the use of
water, electricity, transportation etc., could mean a lot in this direction. By being a model to
others in activities, I can bring about the required social change.