Environmental EXPO draws hundreds

The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality kicked off its three-day Environmental EXPO last Wednesday.
BECQ coral reef project coordinator and the Environmental EXPO coordinator Avra Heller said they want to expose students to the different careers in protecting the environment as well how to protect the environment and one’s own health.

“We have various agencies presenting for the students and we’ll be serving all public schools in the CNMI,” Heller said.

On the first day of the EXPO, students from Koblerville, San Antonio, William S. Reyes, and Garapan elementary schools were entertained. Students from Dandan, San Vicente, and Oleai elementary schools were attended to yesterday, and today will be the turn of students from Kagman, Tanapag, and Gregorio T. Camacho elementary schools.

Oleai fourth grade teacher Lota Lamberto said the Environmental EXPO is really good for students. “We can’t cover all of these in the classroom. They can learn how to protect the environment and many other things, by the professionals here and they will learn awareness on the environment so they can easily know it,” she said.

Lamberto’s student, William Ano, 9, said he also enjoyed the Environmental EXPO. “I learned that we should protect the environment, it is important not to pollute,” Ano said. He mostly enjoyed the presentations on saving the birds in the CNMI.

Other presenters drew much attention from the students such as the skeletal structures of whales that beached on Tinian and Saipan and ways to conserve energy at home. The whale skeletons most especially amazed the students.

Maryann Labasan, the mother of San Vicente fourth grader Prince Nathaniel, 10, also enjoyed the event, saying she learned so many things that she hadn’t known before.

“I learned about saving power at home that will help cut costs and I am happy for this event because my son is learning about corals, fishes, and snakes and how to protect the environment,” Labasan said.

Department of Public Works’ Energy Division program coordinator Frances Ada said that they are teaching students to conserve energy.

“We’re teaching students on what to do to conserve energy and what they can do at home to save energy by unplugging laptop chargers and cell phone chargers after use, because if it is left on the outlets it is still consuming energy,” Ada said.

Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Marvin Pangelinan said it is important to educate students on protecting endangered species and explained “what we have and what we will not have if poaching is continued.”

Annabelle Sanchez, another fourth grade teacher at San Vicente, said this is her fifth year to attend the Environmental EXPO. She said it is important for fourth graders to share this experience because it was their first time.

Sanchez’s student, Michelle Pan, 9, said that she learned not to poach anywhere and to take good care of the environment and indigenous species.

The Environmental EXPO was in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Academy of Science, Education, Environmental Management, Northern Marianas College-Environmental Natural Resources Organization, Department of Public Safety-Fire Division, DLNR, DPW, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Disney’s Animals Science and Environment Program, No’Ka’Oi Termite Pest Control, and Micronesia Challenge.