Saving the environment by planting one spekboom at a time
Penryn Prep learners started with an innovative organic curriculum of planting spekbooms in the Penryn Spekboom Eco Park.
Elrin Faurie, manager of Fever Tree Nursery, told Lowvelder, “The spekboom is an indigenous evergreen small-leafed succulent plant that grows in the Karoo.”
The plant is said to have the potential to manage carbon emissions like no other. “This is because it emits oxygen at night, when other plants do not,” Faurie said.
Spekbooms are adaptable, can grow and survive in extreme weather conditions and thrive in poor soil. The succulent is effective in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The spekboom movement at Penryn was started with the objective of preserving the environment. The curriculum teaches learners how to save their tomorrow from today.
“The future-fit eco-warriors are actively learning, planting, campaigning and investing in a sustainable tomorrow for all,”said, Nicole Dos Santos, Penryn Prep teacher.
“The curriculum has been re-engineered around innovation, critical thinking, collaboration, making a difference and reaching out locally and globally,” while being aligned with their core values and ethos,
she added.
ALSO READ: Womens’ event in Mbombela teaches how to “be your own kind of BeYouTiful”
According to Dos Santos, their goals are:
• To involve families, their businesses, communities, outreach partners and learners around the globe.
• To give pupils the opportunity to drive their fight against climate change on various digital and social media platforms, both locally and abroad.
• To collaborate with our partners at Penreach in order to share our learning and to empower the communities around us.
• To collaborate as far and wide as possible with any and all pupils, schools, initiatives and drives in the fight against climate change. “Together we can achieve more and spread the awareness in order to make a real impact.”
• To collect data and statistics to measure their collective sequestration achievements.
• To give the youth opportunities, multiple platforms and a voice to fight for their future.
The curriculum will be an ongoing programme for the prep learners every year. Penryn urged and encouraged the community to collaborate with them in planting spekbooms.
#spekboommovement #organiccurriculum.
