Last February 7, 2020, the Environmental Education unit of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, conducted one of their sessions at The Beacon School in Taguig City. The mission of The Beacon School, a Filipino community International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, is to provide students with a global education that is both rigorous and balanced, nurturing and inspiring students toward their individual potential. Students are challenged to become independent thinkers, confident communicators, and engaged citizens to act in service of the society, and this is why The Beacon School has invited WWF-Philippines for the second straight year to teach first-graders about the importance of environmental protection.

Dino Calderon, WWF-Philippines’ Program Manager, conducted the environmental education session, which focused on the topic of biodiversity, exploring the different habitats and getting to know the different animals found here in the Philippines. Attended by 42 first graders, the session was meant to support the lessons being taught in class, proving that environmental protection, conservation, and climate change adaptation are basic topics that can be integrated in different subjects and not just science. The session was also able to reinforce the importance of biodiversity in ensuring that our ecosystems remain balanced, and how our sustainable choices today will greatly contribute to the preservation of these ecosystems.

“Young as you are, it is important for us to remember that our lifestyles affect the environment around us. For example, when you choose to use a plastic straw, which is a single-use item, there is always a chance that it will end up in our oceans. And when it does end up in our oceans, there is always a chance that a marine animal will see it and eat it, and that will affect how this animal grows and develops,” says Calderon. “No matter how little we think it is, every sustainable choice matters because when a million Filipinos decide to do the same, we end up multiplying the positive effect for our environment. In this case, if one million Filipinos decide to not use a plastic straw today, that’s automatically one million plastic straws out of our oceans for eternity.”

In its mission to establish partnerships with different schools all over the country, the Environmental Education team of WWF-Philippines makes use of interactive tools and strategies in teaching students about the environment and the climate crisis, supplementing the knowledge already being imparted by teachers through their curriculum and lesson plans, and providing local expertise on biodiversity and conservation. By conducting environmental education sessions throughout the Philippines, WWF-Philippines provides an experiential learning platform for the Filipino youth so that they gain appreciation for the country’s wildlife and natural resources.