Much has been said about climate change and the destruction wrought by men towards the environment. With the recent calamities that resulted in the loss of lives and the destruction of properties, awareness is not enough as “everyone needs to take urgent steps to save Mother Earth.”

The Meralco Development Center (MMLDC), in its mission to provide the best learning solutions to companies and organizations, hosted its 4th MMLDC Educator's Forum with environment as the central theme. More than a thousand public school teachers and principals flocked to the Meralco Theater last Nov. 5 to be part of "Karunugan Ukol sa Kalikasan Para sa Kinabukasan, Kilos Na!"

"Teachers have an important role in raising the environmental consciousness of their students, as well as their community," said Leonisa C. De La Llana, MMLDC Vice President, in her welcome remarks. She stressed the urgent need of environmental education in the face of recent natural developments, such as global warming and its effects.

Dr. Angelina Galang, executive director of the Environmental Studies Institute of Miriam College, challenged the teachers with her talk, "Climate Change: A Teacher's Challenge" and illustrated the relation of carbon dioxide production, both from man-made and natural sources, and how it is balanced by the presence of carbon dioxide sinks such as the forest cover, sea grasses and mangroves.

Her presentation made the teachers aware of what climate change is all about and how they could impart these lessons to their students.

"Progress has depleted the number of 'sinks,' while the amount of carbon dioxide has been steadily increasing, leading to global warming" said Dr. Galang, who then outlined the concept of mitigation and adaptation as a two-pronged attack in dealing with global warming.

Former DENR secretary Elisea 'Bebet' Gozun, the moving force behind the Ecowatch program, said there has to be a shift in the way people live and it starts with education.

"Teachers have to become eco-role models and show their students that a well-lived life starts with an eco-friendly lifestyle," she said. Each small step like recycling, proper segregation of waste, minimal use of plastic bags, etc., goes a long way in saving Mother Earth.

Vivien Arnobit, MMLDC Director for Academic Services, and Agnes Fidelino, MMLDC Managing Director, turned over to Dr. Galang the first issue of "DokuSiyensya: Science Digest" a groundbreaking project of the Center in coordination with the Association of Science Educators of the Philippines (ASEP).