Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Towards A Greener School Environment


If you had the choice to spend the day outside or go to school and sit inside all day, which would you choose? Spending time outdoors might be more fun, but school is important as well. Students spend a large amount of time during school sitting behind a desk in a classroom. I read somewhere on the internet that this can lead to “Nature Deficit Disorder”, or a lack of connection with the environment.


Tree planting can never be much more fun. 35 people turned up at the Taman Pertanian (mini garden in my school) to plant 25 precious trees, among which are mango trees, guava trees, soursops and hibiscus. Planting trees is a basic way to get started greening school grounds. Plus, gardens are a great way to teach students by getting them outside of the classroom and introducing them to local plants, animals, and ecosystems.



These trees are actually sponsored by the students of SMKS9 for the tree planting activity that was organized by the Kelab Pencinta Alam, Eco Warriors of SMKS9 and also TrEES (Treat Every Environment Special).


This wonderful activity is actually part of a campaign to raise awareness not only among club members but also the whole school community about the importance of keeping our Earth green.

We have to put in mind that forests were put on Earth for a reason; they help to maintain a delicate balance between all nature’s elements and the importance of biodiversity. And remember, trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and store water in their roots. They also provide shade for shiny Malaysia too. We are actually helping to produce more oxygen.

I would like to this opportunity to thank my family who gave me a lot of green ideas and encouragement. I would like to say a big thank you to my mom especially, Datin Rossiti Aishah who brought me all the way to Sungai Buloh to get the trees, sent the trees to the school in her cute little Kelisa, go to the D.I.Y. shop to get the gloves and the most important thing; she came for the activity to give a talk on biodiversity and she even taught us how to plant the trees the right way.

And thank you, Kakak [Dr. Amira Adlya] for helping my friends water the plants. Haha.


Overall, I must say that this activity was a success! Everyone showed great enthusiasm for making
our school greener environment.










































Our beautiful and handsome generous contributors:

♦ Farah Nadhira ♦ Sofia Maizura ♦ Nursyaza Syazwanie ♦ Alya Farina ♦ Ainaa Nadhirah ♦ Dura Munirah ♦ Nor Ayuni ♦ Fatin Nabila ♦ Ruzana Aqilah ♦ Syazana Nawawi ♦ Noradilah Idris ♦ Raina ♦ Syazwan ♦ Amir ♦ Nur Filza ♦ Laila Amerah ♦ Nur Fatin ♦ Nadya ♦ Husna Aini ♦ Izzah Farihah ♦ Nabilah Radzi ♦ Wan Arina ♦ Deanna ♦ Hanisah ♦ Amal ♦ Alia ♦ Aishah ♦ Atifah ♦ Ridwah ♦ Hanini ♦ Raihan ♦ Raja Zarin ♦ Aisyah ♦ Aliana ♦ Izatul ♦ Mira Edora ♦ Elyna ♦ Aleeza ♦ Nur Aqilah ♦ Iman ♦ Solehah ♦ Aiman Hamizah ♦ Aimi Sara ♦ Siti Sarah ♦ Nur Amirah ♦ Syarmin ♦ Nadhira ♦ Nur Afiqah ♦ Sarah ♦ Muaz ♦ Nur Adilah ♦ Ewan ♦ Amirah ♦ Adreana ♦ Nurul Syahira ♦ Nur Amirah ♦ Faris ♦ Aziz Faisal ♦ Shamsul Shamsuddin ♦ Benjamin ♦ Teacher Syed Ahmad Thani ♦

Much love,
-Siti Hani Ahmad Zuraidi-

3 comments:

ミザ said...

I am very much flattered to be mentioned in the contributors. Honestly, it was something to touch the goat's "leftovers" but I had fun. My mum told me that she would cry the day she sees me gardening.


Thank you again for helping me with the flowers!

:)

Shiela Samsuri said...

Hi Hani and Aunty.

Just a humble thought from architectural context.

I see school as a "living city".

Where corridors are "streets", which connect people. Most interactive space in school is the corridors. Movements and informal intersection happens, visually, verbally, etc. As important as a tree to shade streets, that is just as how vital it is to have "green pockets" at every nodes.Take a "breather".

Courtyard for example, will benefit so much if surrounded with tall trees. But malangnya, school projects nowadays haven't grown much from the precedents. Conventional architecture firms use software as tool, not brain. They love instant money. Never sensitive.

In terms of education, outdoor classes are fun!. Kak Shiela and friends have been introduced to have a massive lecture, outdoor, with only benches, tall and small trees. I didn't fall asleep, how bangga.

Tell teachers that 4-straight- 90degrees walls means contained mind. Homogeneity of classes of different students. Of various subjects, various approached. 1 for 30? How can that be a good design?

Plus, painted walls are just to hide the richness of raw concrete. Materials are true in their own being. I personally can now appreciate their originality. Some find unpainted walls ugly, I find it honest.

Same goes to God's creation. Trees....etc.Back then cave used to be the place of sharing thoughts, dakwah, etc.Why not now? Context creates levels of creative thinking.
Architecture nurtures nature.

:)

Take care!

Love,
SS

candorschool said...

There are so many out door field work is there and it is very helpful for the students to get more knowledge about the keeping environment clean.
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