Delta Environmental Centre inspires Joburg learners to take climate action

Learners from various schools, including Emshuntambo Secondary School, gathered at the Delta Environmental Centre on October 23 to mark the International Day of Climate Action with practical steps to combat global warming.

Under the theme ‘From awareness to climate action’, the event served as a learning platform where learners were reminded of the importance of understanding climate change, its causes and the actions they can take within their communities to combat the ever-growing issue.

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Delta Environmental Centre programme development and improvement officer Reatlegile Thabathi dispelled the belief that small efforts are futile.

“When we talk about environmental change, people think it’s an impossible thing to work on. That’s why today we are educating students about their footprints and being aware of what we consume,” said Thabathi.

“Eating a burger from McDonald’s isn’t just that; there is transport that went into it, growing of lettuce and so forth. The clothes we wear are made of cotton that took time to make, so is it necessary to get two of the same shirts?

If we overconsume, we won’t have enough for the future; it’s really about the little things: switching off the lights when you don’t need them, closing that running tap; it might look like a small action but if we all do it, it makes a big difference,” Thabathi said.

Practical lessons in nature

Through a series of games, learners participated in a biodiversity hunt, were taught to appreciate nature, and came to understand the plants around them and their importance.

They also played climate change games and delivered presentations sharing environmentally focused initiatives at their schools, ranging from vegetable gardens to anti-littering campaigns.

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City of Johannesburg environmental education and awareness unit representative Arthur Matodzi shared the city’s goal of ensuring schools become hubs for environmental education, offering tips people can use to show appreciation and take care of the environment.

“Learners are our future and we need to raise a generation of people who care about the environment and take action to do everything in their power to appreciate and take care of the gardens.

If we could be like our elders, who always have bags with them when they go shopping, start saying no when they offer us plastic at shopping centres, save water, save electricity. It is all connected; if we don’t save electricity the energy generations are going to continue using fossil fuels, it all starts with behaviour we can improve ourselves,” Matodzi said.

Enviro Green Projects representative Tebogo Tema reminded learners that climate change is real, encouraging them to reconnect with nature.

“We are all a product of the environment, so understanding that the environment is a critical thing within our spiritual youth, whatever you want to call it, is very important in seeing a need to take part in the change,” said Tema.

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