[Don_1 (OP)]

While governments, business and scientists argue on the matter of climate change and Man’s hand in it, there can be no denying that Man does have an impact on the planet’s ecology.

Whether it be waste, fossil fuels and their alternatives, farming, fishing, architecture, pets, water, entertainment or anything else, our daily lives impact on our ecology.

We teach our children how to read and write (after a fashion) and mathematics as a matter of course and throw in science, geography, history, art, languages and crafts etc. as optional extras with a little sport on the side.

Given the importance of environmental issues, should we not be teaching ecology as a matter of course. Are our children aware that over the past years the population of Blue Whales has shrunk by 66%? That despite the introduction of line fishing in place of net fishing, Bluefin Tuna numbers have not recovered? That turtle nesting beaches are under threat? That Orangutans, apart from declining in numbers, are being isolated by forest destruction for Palm oil? Are they aware of the possible consequences of intensive mono-culture farming? That our waste is turning up in some of the most remote places on Earth? Do they understand that carelessly discarded bottles, cans and plastics can be deadly to wildlife?

Is it not our responsibility to teach children what we know and what we suspect? If we don’t teach them, who will? What will they think of us, when they rediscover something we already knew or suspected and didn’t pass on to them? How can we expect our children to respect our world, if we don’t impart our knowledge to them?

Even if it just suspicion, should we not encourage them to investigate further and engage in discussion on matters which will have a baring on their future?

[Atomic-S]

I am all for teaching ecology. I am also for concurrently teaching  the related economics and politics -- issues such as, if coal fired power plants are shut down in one country, what does that do to the balance of trade between it and another that is expanding industrially through the use of poorly designed coal-fired plants; does this overall change actually do anything to clean the earth's atmosphere; and what do the resulting economics do to the balance of world power and the fortunes of many  nations that stand to be influenced for better or worse as a result?