Environmental Education Unit project concludes in Bangkok

After nearly a year traveling to different provinces around Thailand educating over 7000 youths, the Environmental Education Unit Project concluded with its final events at NIST International School in Bangkok in February of 2024.




Like with other activities throughout the tour the children who took part got the opportunity to learn many things about sustainability and the environment, increasing their awareness that they will need to become change makers in the future.



One of the most important lessons taught throughout all activities is the impact consumption has, with specific focus on the impact seafood consumption has on marine life and the environment.
Some of the important lessons the students were able to pick up included

1. The food they eat all competes with other living things in the sea, such as mackerel, sardines, or tuna.
2. Various foods like sushi, sashimi, fish and chips, canned foods, etc., all impact other living things. This is from both the direct removal of these fish from the food chain and through fishing practices that affect other marine life.
3. non-standardized fishing practices affect marine life in a way that is similar to the collapse of dominoes.

The activities that were used included

1. Using beans as representations of different types of fish, students were able to observe which kinds of fish are in abundance and which have lower populations. Questions were asked and answered on the difference in number of beans, and why certain populations were disappearing 
2. Students were able to use hands or fishing equipment to ‘fish’ these beans, providing a representation of overfishing and what would happen if fish were to run out.
3. Students were also able to design and explore various fishing methods that are more sustainable and balanced for the marine ecosystem.
4. Various other games and activities.

As the students learnt about the impact consumption of seafood can have, they were also taught important key tips that could help reduce this impact both through alternative consumption and how to consume seafood in a more responsible and environmentally friendly manner.

As the activities concluded, the EEU project was able to instill important knowledge to these students like we have done with many other schools over the past year

Through the games and knowledge exchange, all students came away with a good basic understanding of environmental care, although they may indulge sometimes. When asked or discussed on the issues, they were able to respond or provide information about the interconnectedness of different types of living things.