Environmentalists in Kaohsiung City yesterday called efforts by the Environmental Protection Adm-inistration (EPA) to raise children's environmental awareness through educational programs "hackneyed."
Julia Chou (
Taking a recent drawing competition as an example, Chou said that many of the agency's activities lacked substantial environmental messages.
"EPA officials randomly picked 50 children from the competition and sent them to meet President Chen Shui-bian (
In addition to drawing competitions, Chou said, the environmental agency had always picked easy ways to educate children, such as speech contests or question-and-answer competitions involving a reward.
Chou said that she suspected that environmental officials were just handling the issue as an unimportant sideshow.
"Taking action in daily life is far more important than memorizing facts about the environment," Chou said.
But agency officials feel the strategies adopted to promote environmental education and public environmental awareness are well-designed.
Officials said that they have used a diverse range of activities to promote environmental education and public awareness more effectively.
Environmental officials said that the targets of the agency's environmental education include children, youths, adults, schools, families and even social events.
The agency produces supplemental educational materials for high-school students, junior-high school students and primary school students, believing that the seeds of environmental protection would be eventually planted in the heart of every citizen.
Chou said, however, that children should be taught practical approaches that will help them to treasure the planet's limited resources.
"Knowing common slogans for environmental protection is not enough," Chou said.
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