In Uganda and other places, people need to know how climate change actions will benefit their lives now. We have to change how we talk about the environment. Patrick Komakech walks through piles of trees cut for charcoal in Gulu, Uganda, 27 May 2023. The burning of...
COP28 begins today in Dubai. World leaders will negotiate ways to reverse carbon buildup. We give you some resources to help you make sense of it all. People gather ahead of the COP28 UN Climate Summit, Tuesday, 28 November 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP...
For years, governments have engaged in marathon annual talks to try to end global warming. But they often fall frustratingly short. A giant sculpture tops the Museum of the Future in Dubai. Credit: Lyonerov CC by 4.0 Editor’s note: Beginning 28 November, some...
With COP28 beginning in Dubai this week (late November 2023), help your students contribute to the climate conversation with this article originally published in October 2022 ahead of COP27 in Egypt. Climate journalist Alister Doyle runs down what to expect with these global summits — and why they often fall short.
Exercise: Read the article with your class to cover the background and purpose of COPs. Then, have students find current media coverage of the event. How does today’s coverage compare to Doyle’s piece from one year ago? What, if anything, has changed? Is the general consensus on climate change mitigation more or less optimistic than it was a year ago?
To prove they have what it takes to combat poachers, Uganda rangers race 21 km in scorching heat. They vow: No species will disappear under their watch. A hippo in the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, September 2008. (Photo by Bernard Dupont, CC BY-SA 2.0...
Big problems can be addressed with outside-the-box, collective solutions. In this article from guest writer Enock Wanderema, we dive into the world of hippo conservation in Uganda. How can your students also engage locally to support causes that are important to them?
Exercise: After reading the article, students should brainstorm a couple of causes that they care about. Then, they should look up local events and organizations that work to support these causes. How can they get involved with these solutions-based actions? You may consider discussing the importance of civic engagement with your class as a follow-up to this activity.
To reduce your stress your doctor might prescribe a walk in the woods. Careful, though. This type of medicine is definitely addictive. A medicine cabinet includes a bottle that contains nature. Illustration by News Decoder. Photo on the medicine bottle of Comox Lake,...
In this text, ND correspondent and family physician Liana Hwang sheds light on the importance of spending time in nature as a way to promote positive mental and physical health. Plus, learn more about how spending time outdoors is an effective way to boost planetary health, too.
Exercise: Read the article with your class, then have students map out their schedule on a typical school day. How much time do they spend outdoors versus indoors? How can they intentionally carve out time to spend in nature? Have students set a SMART goal for increasing their time spent outdoors. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound.