← return to the popple

Popplets About Environmental Issues

Popplet, Popplet Examples, Popplets About Environmental Issues, Showcase / By

The Cosmos is vast, maybe more vast than the humble human mind can possibly imagine. Yet, as the celebrated scientist, Carl Sagan poignantly pointed out in his epic speech: this speck of cosmic dust, the pale blue dot that humankind call home is all that we have. So, we really ought to take good care of it.

“The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.” – Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot

Knowledge of our home planet and its place in the Universe is the fundamental basis of all scientific study. Topics and discussions centered on The Earth’s history and its progress are common in education. Now the big question is how our planet will cope with the impact of what we are doing to it. Climate change, pollution, species extinction, overpopulation… all are part of a long and worrying list of how human behavior is already destroying our one and only home.

The good news is that we know about it, and informed educators, leaders, and individuals have been raising awareness of these critical issues for decades. Change is happening: cities are restricting the use of cars, recycling has already become obligatory in some places, and more and more people are now choosing cleaner, sustainable, planet-friendly solutions for a great many everyday things from the food we eat to the clothes we wear.

Education is key to changing attitudes and behaviors. Here are some inspiring popplets on the subject.

Plastic Pollution: The Facts
Plastic is great: It’s cheap, versatile, and can be used for almost anything you can think of. However, once it’s been made and served its purpose, it can’t be unmade. That’s a problem –  a big, big problem it seems. Take a close look at these Plastic Pollution Facts popplets created by students at Upton Heath Primary School, Chester, England. They did some research into the plastic problem and created these informative visuals to show their findings.

Thanks for the great work guys, we learned a lot!

Environmental Change
Environmental change is inevitable. It can take a few billion or a few hundred years, but it has been happening since the birth of the Universe.  Of course, humankind’s relatively minuscule time on the Earth means that nearly all previous worldly upheavals have had nothing to do with us. Take the dinosaurs for example – simply no human involvement whatsoever. However, the types of environmental change we are seeing these days are, which we are responsible for, are already having an impact the quality of the lives of many. Check out Mrs. Le’s class showcasing the effects of various environmental changes:

What Exactly Are We Doing to Our Planet?
Humans might have had nothing to do with the disappearance of the dinosaurs but there are definitely a few things that us humans have a hand in. “Aspiring science teacher”, Elizabeth Parker, created this lesson plan which makes use of Popplet and Kahoot to teach students about the impact we are currently having on the environment.

Climate Change
Keep those hands up humans! Climate Change is one of the most important environmental changes already being felt in many places in the world – and it’s down to us. Moreover, if we don’t take more action soon, some predict devastating effects. Blogger, Jude L’s popplet neatly links the causes of climate change with the actions we can take reverse it:

Recyclable Materials
If the world continues to get serious about recycling then we will see a hugely positive impact on the current and future welfare of our planet. As a throwaway society, we have become so used to the idea of thoughtless inconsequential consumption that recycling is something we need to learn. But as a species, we are definitely taking action. Many cities and countries have already seen the light and are educating their citizens as to the benefits of recycling and how to do it effectively. It’s never too late to start learning!

The reality is, the Earth will survive no matter what we do to it. The planet got along just fine before humankind appeared, and will get along just fine if we disappear.  Life on the other hand – perhaps all known life in the Universe – may not survive human behavior.

Are you interested in the environmental issues highlighted in this article? If you are, let us know. Popplet is a vibrant community, with hundreds of popplets being shared daily on Public Popplets,  on Twitter, and on our Facebook page. If you’re searching for inspiration, or you have inspiration to share, join us.

Popplet is available as an iOS app with reductions for educational establishments. There is also a web version, and you can sign up for a free account on the Popplet Home Page – we’ll even give you ten free popplet boards to get you started. Group subscriptions are available at reduced rates.