Secretary for the Environment urges people to regard Earth as a habitat of Humanity
The Regional Secretary for the Environment and the Sea stated in Horta that the Earth Day, which is celebrated this Thursday at a global level, is a good reason to think about the Earth as a habitat of Humanity.
Álamo Meneses spoke on the occasion of the 9th Regional Meeting on Environmental Education and Eco-Schools, whose opening ceremony was presided over by him at the auditorium of the Manuel de Arriaga Secondary School by early afternoon.
Moreover, the Secretary added that the International Year of Biodiversity is being celebrated in 2010 which is particularly focused on the issues regarding the preservation of other species.”
The Regional Secretary also reminded that our planet “has limited resources” and begins to be “too small for the present population size,” thus “there is even less space” for the other living beings that share the same habitat.
According to Álamo Meneses, it is fundamental to raise citizens’ awareness for the fact that we live “in a very small world,” particularly among students since schools are a “privileged means” of dissemination.
Nearly a quarter of the Azorean population is attending school; hence through them we can practically “reach all families in the archipelago,” defended the Secretary.
In this context, environmental education plays a fundamental role; “nearly 90% of Azorean schools have engaged in this task and we expect to cover all schools in coming years.”
For Álamo Meneses, the Government aims “to stimulate the participation of all schools in the process” and to make environmental “more than a simple educational initiative of the educational system, thus being a fundamental part in the education of citizens.”
Being an initiative of AZORICA – Environmental Defence Association with the support of the Regional Government of the Azores, through the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and the Sea, the 9th Regional Meeting on Environmental Education and Eco-Schools is held under the theme “Preservação e Promoção do Espaço Natural” (Preservation and Promotion of Natural Areas) on the island of Faial until Saturday, counting upon the participation 150 teachers and environmental technicians.