Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Hon. Myles K. LaRoda, hailed the hosting of the annual Camp Climate Action summer youth programmne as highly beneficial to the campers, their families and communities.
Hosted for two weeks at Flamingo Gardens Family Life Centre by the Community Affairs Division, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the camp catered to 70 children during its two-week run, and focused on climate change and its impacts on communities and children.
The youngsters learned valuable skills to protect from climate crisis events like hurricane and food scarcity, and how to conserve their beautiful natural environment.
They were tutored in hurricane preparedness (packing a proper disaster supply kit); the importance of food security (food insecurity is a fall-out from climate change); the benefits of backyard farming; and the importance of preserving the environment (plant life, marine life, animal life) in order to sustain habitable living conditions.
Field visits were made to the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, the Bahamas National Trust’s Bonefish Pond, a Tour of the Cardinal Newman Produce Farm, in addition to a Nature Tour.
Minister LaRoda told the campers and their parents that climate change is a serious and urgent global threat that has far-reaching consequences for the environment, human, plant, and animal life and health, and economies.
Officials say climate change is a direct threat to children’s well-being with rising sea levels and temperatures already putting stress on the ecosystem – affecting many places where people can safely live, and grow food, leading to food insecurity.
And while children are the least responsible for the changing environment, they are likely to bear the greatest burden now and in future.
Minister LaRoda said to address the climate crisis, everyone needs to understand why it is happening, and what can be done to defend against its impacts, specifically children. He said this is what makes the hosting of Camp Climate Action so very important.
“The Camp organizers should be commended for teaching the children, at a young age, about the importance of preserving the planet because this is the kind of knowledge that you will be able to take with you throughout the remainder of your lives,” Minister LaRoda said.
“In the not-too-distant future you may be sitting in a position of authority, to be making decisions on where this country goes (in terms of the climate crisis), and so we need you from a very early age to appreciate The Bahamas, to appreciate your environment.”
Lisa Bowleg, Officer-in-Charge of the Community Affairs Division, said the camp provides the Division with an opportunity to “flip the narrative from climate change where we are talking about disasters, to climate action where we are talking about doing something different.”
“The idea is to show our young people how each of them can get involved to bring about the change that is needed in spite of their ages and abilities,” Bowleg said.
Focusing on the fable they learned at camp about a productive little hummingbird readily doing its part, despite its size: “the youngsters were taught how to do the best they can to mitigate climate change in their homes, schools and/or various communities. They were involved in activities such as recycling which helps to reduce the carbon footprint, and keep harmful plastics out of the sea.”
From: Bahamas Information Services
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