Educator’s Conference Introductions

Virginia Barocio

The 21^st Century Schoolhouse presents the following Introduction of the Schoolhouse 2000 Educator’s Conference:

JAPAN

In the state of Japan, the environmental status includes air pollution and littering sorted out into non-variables such as grass, plastics seals, aluminum cans, steal, etc.  Ashes are dumped over an area in the mountains and eventually removed, although the incinerator dioxide is harmful to the natural environment.  One of Japan’s main concerns is high blood pressure which is caused by eating too many sweets and salty foods, not getting enough exercise, and suffering from mental stress.  The following diseases are also problems in Japan:  kidney failure, cerebral apoplexy, cardiac insufficiency, and Minimata disease.

UGANDA

            One of Uganda’s main concerns is fighting hunger.  They have trouble getting food for much of the community which live in poor and unsanitary conditions.  Uganda is a country with low income and long droughts.  They have small and large scale farming, with some using crop rotation for the preserving soil nutrients.  Thoughts demonstrated in the community involve methods of crop rotation, inter-cropping, and management of agricultural animal stock such as chicken, pigs, and cattle.  The main diseases are malaria and cholera.  People wish to educate the community on the relationship between water resources and cholera.  Some causes are improper drainage of wetland sources and flooding caused by lost wetlands and swamps.  They seek to educate the community on the treatment and prevention of malaria.

PALESTINE

            The country of Palestine has problems with water shortages and water pollution.  One of their focuses is on disease caused by contamination of water.  Palestine has an ecological bubble, or biosphere.  The ecological bubble uses nature to clean water using plants and natural filtering.  It allows for the study of chemicals on plants and ecosystems.  The group from Palestine shares compost projects with other schools and educates the community on how compost benefits the soil.  Their summer programs focus on environmental studies, stewardship, and leadership. 

            Palestine’s “Youth to Youth” program is meant to enhance understanding of resources and monitor and assist in bird migrations.  They are teaching younger students and producing a video on air pollution, as well as publishing articles in newspapers.  Palestine collaborates with Israel and Jordan, and together they are focusing their research on impacts of local diseases.

ARGENTINA

            Argentina uses concepts of the 21^st Century Schoolhouse to be able to share scientific data with the local community and to interact with the global community.  They have a problem with water quality and water pollution.  For ten years, there has been water pollution in the local community.  River cleanup projects have taken place that model respect and show the importance of responsibility.  The school has become a resource to the government agencies and they have given presentations about the environment to the community.

AUSTRALIA

            Australia has been working on conservation of land.  Bush Rangers work on dune erosion management.  The regional environmental branches share their issues with the community.  Another problem is the removal of non-native species, as seen by the native tree planting project with Land Care agency and the regulation and monitoring of endangered species.  The schools in Australia are researching projects and working on community education.

UNITED STATES

            Oregon began discussing diseases that are harmful to the environment, such as ecoli, air pollution, and skin cancer, and how the sun and ozone layer affects our health.  They studied the differences between Australia and Oregon in terms of skin cancer.  People in Australia have higher tolerance rates to the sun than Oregon.  The UV rays penetrate through our skin faster because they are much stronger.  In Oregon, there will be 47,000 cases of skin cancer reported in the year 2000.  In Australia, 10,000 people each year are diagnosed with skin cancer and 1,000 of those will die.

            As we began our search for clues as to why this was the case, we discovered that they had more cases because they have more sun surface.  Oregon has rain about half of the year.  We have posted information about sun cancer and how to prevent it on our webpage, having asked local doctors around the community and those from the CDC for information.