When the marine biologist Sandra Schleier He asked if they knew what the microplastics, several “yes” and “no” were heard in chorus in the group. And these mixed reactions, precisely, gave rise to 28 second and third grade students from the Amalia Marín elementary school, in the Venezuela neighborhood, in Piedras Riverlearn or reinforce what they already knew about how these small particles affect the environment and your health.
“(The plastic) breaks into very small pieces until they become microplastics. We cannot see these microplastics and, since they are very light, they can be in the air and they can be in the water, even in the water of the pen,” Schleier explained, awakening everyone's interest.
“But, you are not going to notice (the microplastics) because they are so small, that you can swallow them and you will not find out because they do not taste like anything, because you cannot touch them,” he added.
Schleier is a spokesperson for Scuba Dogs Society (SDS), a non-profit organization that, together with the company Colgate-Palmolive, sponsored, on May 2, the talk “Taking care of the planet is up to us all.” It was an activity to promote, from an early age, environmental awareness to ensure a more sustainable and healthy future.
During their participation in the talk, the children demonstrated their knowledge and awareness about the effects of plastic pollution in bodies of water, highlighting that it can cause harm to animals and that it is a material that takes time to decompose.
“For us not to have so much plastic in the ocean, in our natural spaces… for us to avoid microplastics, we have to start using less plastics and continue using less, less, less, until there is no plastic left”said the spokesperson.
Baudilio Lorenzo de Jesusdirector of the Amalia Marín elementary school, highlighted, for his part, the importance of the activity, since he considered that one of the needs of his students is to be exposed to different experiences outside the classroom.
“I believe that education has to be comprehensive. The community of Venezuela is a very needy community, which lacks many resources, but I believe that One of the resources that is most lacking is support. Very few people come here to visit us and, that's why the children get excited when they come.”said Lorenzo de Jesús.
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We have to start using less plastics and continue using less, less, less, until there is no plastic left. ”Sandra Schleier, marine biologist
Meanwhile, Schleier stated that students should be exposed to more environmental initiatives.
“The students, when they have a good time and you offer them information, and in this way that was fun, well, that information stays with them. Also, We have to take them out of the classroom because we want them to protect these resources, but how are they going to protect something that they don't know about. If you don't know it, you don't understand it; Therefore, they have no love for him.”added the marine biologist.
Donation for the school garden
During the activity, the general manager of Colgate-Palmolive, Ana Maldonadogave a donation of $500 to the school garden at Amalia Marín Elementary School, as well as a contribution of $5,000 to the Scuba Dogs Society.
“Making a donation is an additional contribution to the communication part, to help these processes and this awareness continue to spread. It is a small donation so that they can have tools for that garden.. Any support that we can give, the truth is we feel very grateful to be able to do it,” Maldonado commented.
Although the garden project was paralyzed by the COVID-19 pandemicthe school director indicated that two teachers who have taken on the task of resuming the project.
“When we had the school garden, previously, they (the students) made the stir-fry for the school cafeteria; “That's what they cooked in the dining room,” said Lorenzo de Jesús.
Likewise, the school director reported that they held open houses, where parents could buy food – such as cilantro, lettuce, papaya, among others – that the students harvested.
“It is a different alternative that we can give to students and, above all, raise awareness among them. I think that making them participate in that experience is very positive., especially because we left the academy. We left the classroom. They love it. They enjoy it,” said Lorenzo de Jesús.
The school has organized activities to motivate the students who will be involved in the project, such as visits to other gardens, as well as making composts in the Botanical Garden of the University of Puerto Rico.
The school director hopes to start the project this summer, during the camp, or in August, when the new academic year begins.