World Environmental Education Day is commemorated

There are many commemorative dates and anniversaries that remind us of issues related to the environment, nature and its care – conservation and preservation.

Just tomorrow, January 26, is World Environmental Education Day, celebrated internationally in order to emphasize the importance of education as a generator of awareness about caring for the environment.

This day originated with the Stockholm Declaration, in 1972 at the Conference on the Human Environment, organized by the United Nations. In it, Environmental Education was established as a priority. As a result, three years later an agreement was signed between countries - the Belgrade Charter: a general framework for environmental education - where environmental goals, objectives and principles of their education were established.

The main objectives of World Environmental Education Day are:

Environmental Education is the foundation to sustain the only home that shelters us today and will shelter tomorrow.

It arises, then, when and how we can practice sample Education for our environment...

I mention some behaviors, for the care of the environment, that can be implemented without problems and contribute with small actions.

Separate trash. From a young age it is good for children to copy the example of adults and learn to separate waste: Dry Recyclables with their varied alternative (plastic and glass containers, cans, cardboard, tetra, fabrics, batteries, caps, corks, milk and yogurt sachets, egg cartons, medicine blisters, eco-bottles, and then take them to the Ecopoints.

Map of non-municipal VLA Ecopoints goo.gl/maps/Kj4M2vRMcxKcXxen8

Organic waste in the compost bin: all the remains of vegetables, fruits, eggshells, yerba mate, coffee, tea bags, pruning remains.

Miscellaneous waste: different food remains and without an alternative assessment.

Keep the waste drawer in good condition. Always well closed and clean, with no traces of loose waste on the bottom. Respecting the days and hours of withdrawal of the same.

Turn off the lights. It seems obvious, but we don't realize how many times we turn on the light in a room we don't occupy. Or we leave, unnecessarily, external lights on.

Change the light bulbs in your house. Energy-saving light bulbs heat up less, consume less energy, illuminate the same and last longer.

Take advantage of natural light. To reduce electricity consumption, open the windows and draw the curtains so that sunlight enters your home.

Avoid leaving appliances plugged in. Remember that devices that are turned off, but are still plugged in, consume energy.

Close the taps correctly. When you do not use the water, close the tap and check that there are no leaks. In summer, respect the irrigation schedules.

Give notice to the corresponding municipal area, when you observe broken pipes on public roads.

Use the thermostat correctly. For both heating and air conditioning, it is necessary to use a thermostat. Heating energy consumption drops when you lower the temperature by just one degree, and the same happens if you raise the temperature by one degree in the air conditioner.

Get around by bike or walk. To make short tours, without much weight requirement. Pollution comes largely from cars and motorcycles. At the same time, you will enjoy nature and do physical activity.

Take your own bags to the supermarket. Both for general purchase, here by Ord N° 2153 2008, but also for vegetables and fruits.

Reuse everything you can. Before you throw away clothes, books or toys, think about giving them a second chance or donate to avoid spending and buying everything new. You will save money, help people in need and protect nature.

Take care of your pets. Many neighbors have dogs, some more than one, they must be within the limits of the house; that is, to have the property closed so that they do not walk loose on the street in front of your home or go further away. They cause different inconveniences: they can break waste bags that are not properly in bins or drawers and scatter them, bark and intimidate pedestrians and often bite; there are many cases of group attacks on both people and vehicles.

Keep them up to date on their vaccinations, so they don't get sick and do it to other pets. They deserve our respect and responsible care.

Ord 2738 2013 must be complied with and enforced.

To enter a protected area. Pets, drones and water skiing are not allowed. Mandatory trekking registration: do it 48 hours before, inform yourself and check the forecast. Link for inquiries www.nahuelhuapi.gov.ar

Mountain roads: there is no cell phone signal in many sectors, notify relatives - friends who will not be able to communicate, schedule emergency telephone numbers. Think about personal safety and not cause rescues that could be avoided.

Camping and outdoor activities. Make use of authorized places. The fall of trees and branches is frequent, take precautions when camping and if there is wind, follow the indications of prohibitions. Check weather conditions.

Mountain activities. Mandatory trekking registration. Choose routes according to experience and physical abilities. Leave early, bring food, adequate clothing, sunscreen, hat. Forbidden to make a fire, bring a heater. Do not walk alone or stray from the path.

Remember: There is no garbage in nature, return with them.

Walks on trails. Do not bring pets, they cause noise with their barking, driving away the native fauna or they can hurt and/or kill them, they can spread diseases even when they have all the vaccines. Although the feces are removed, odors can cause the abandonment of nesting sites - den with chicks or hatchlings, affecting the safety and life of the species.

Do not deviate from the path-path already marked by trampling and marked.

Do not leave garbage. All containers and food remains must return in the backpacks, they will be lighter even on the way back.

Do not leave toilet paper, they must return wrapped separately in a bag inside the backpack.

Care of native fauna. Do not feed it to avoid the spread of diseases, change in its eating behavior and prevent accidents. Do not attack them with stones, sticks, frightening or frightening them. Drive carefully on routes and paths to avoid running over them. Avoid entering the rushes when navigating, they are places of development of the life cycle of many species. If you meet a cougar do not run and pick up the children, wave your arms, back away slowly without turning your back, if it becomes aggressive: do not take your eyes off it, yell loudly and aggressively.

Responsible use of fire. Do it only in authorized areas: camping and free areas with indicative signage. Carry charcoal or firewood. Make the fire in the hearth or away from trees and bushes. Never leave him alone. Extinguish it with plenty of water until no more smoke comes out, never use earth or sand.

In these times we are in an igneous emergency, declared by Dto. 06/2022.

Emergency telephone number 105.

If you smoke. Do it in open places, carrying the butt in your pocket.

In the squares and streets there are not always colilleros and less in the viewpoints because they are far away.

Everyone must be responsible for the waste they generate.

Take care of the beaches. So that they continue to be spaces of enjoyment for all in the present and in the future. Do not leave residues and do not take stones - trunks - branches, they fulfill a function in that place.

In the most remote places, and that we look for more, they are the refuge and home of many native species, many with serious risks of extinction (huillín, torrent duck, imperial cormorant) if you have the privilege of spotting any of them: no bother them, do not modify the place, do not contaminate with garbage and you can register and collaborate with PN: complete the following form and send it to the Conservation Department [email protected]

Do not exceed the buoy. It is not allowed to dive from the docks, nor in the headwaters and mouths of rivers and streams, to preserve these environments.

Go on excursions. Register at the offices or on the website. Pay the entrance fee to the areas: only in Mascardi, Puerto Pañuelo and Los Arrayanes NP. Consult the weather report or get advice on the difficulty of the paths to travel. If it is recommended to go out with a guide: do it this way: you will go safely, you will reach your destination easily and you will learn much more than if you do it alone. Inquiry about authorized guides [email protected]

Go sailing. Use the permitted engine type (4T). only in permitted places: mooring, descending, making fire and camping.

Check the forecast. For nautical emergencies call 106

Plant trees. Trees produce oxygen and are essential for nature, so plant a tree in your patio-garden, on your sidewalk or in any common space that is necessary. Prioritize the native ones that adapt quickly, do not require much care and little watering.

As you will see, they are behaviors that do not require remembering complicated formulas, you just have to think about leaving nothing but our footprint and enjoying our unique environments.

For many years the environment was seen as an inexhaustible source of resources, but today it is recognized that there is a delicate balance between the environment and man, so if we are not aware of our actions we can have serious consequences for all the inhabitants of the world. planet.

Having and practicing Environmental Education raises awareness in all people about the importance of caring for the environment, protecting the flora and fauna of their localities and joining local and global initiatives.

Our actions, requests and participation, individually and in groups, must be focused on drawing the attention of the rulers so that state policies are implemented that protect our environments and provide solutions to the existing problems of each place.

Ines Dominguez wrote for the group Tree.

VLA TREE GROUP

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