Earth Day celebrated at Indus Valley School

Rawalpindi
Earth Day was celebrated with fervour and zeal at Indus Valley School of Learning (IVSL) here on Thursday. The students enthusiastically participated in the events.
The day began with a discussion session on environment. Children of grades III and IV were taken out to a park across the school. They put on gloves and picked trash from the park.
Children had been preparing for the Earth Day for about a few weeks as the theme of the month was the ‘Earth and the Environment.’ They have been making different things using waste material. The students used everything starting from newspapers to milk cartons to thrown away CDs to make different things. They made bags, trash cans, flower pots, bird feeders and so on using these materials in addition to learning about the importance of keeping the planet clean in the daily sessions. More than80 saplings were planted by the school in the green belt along Peshawar Road adjoining Westridge-1.
The day ended with a discussion session with CDA Director Environment Ghezwan M. Shamshad. He was impressed by passion the children had for the environment. The young children had good knowledge on subjects like ozone layer, global warming, greenhouse effect, acid rain & the importance of forests. They also told the CDA official that the rate at which forests are being cut down in Pakistan is the fastest in the world.
While talking with ‘The News’, IVSL Principal Yasmin Ashraf said that children were enthusiastic and keen on doing what they could. They have been doing little things like switching the lights not needed off etc. They have also decided to gift plants to their friends and family.
“Concrete steps should be taken to preserve the environment. The topic should be introduced in schools to be taught with all earnestness. The Government should make rules and make sure they are implemented. Cutting down trees from the forests should be forbidden. Wood could be imported from abroad and relaxations should be made as far the taxes are concerned so that it costs them less compared to the local market. This might discourage the timber mafia.
Massive and well planned tree plantation each year must be done by the government. Saplings could be provided to schools and throughout Pakistan each plantation season. Children are much more passionate than adults. This will surely make a difference. Proper waste management should be done which has become quite a science & industry in the many countries. Vehicles without the smoke filters should not be allowed on the roads. Awareness campaigns by the media should be carried out regularly,” she said.