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Basic 2 · Religious and Moral Education · The Environment

Activities That Destroy the Environment

In this topic you will learn about human activities that destroy God's creation.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Name activities that destroy the environment
  • Explain how each activity harms the environment
  • Say what we can do instead

What you already know

  • Caring for the environment

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
God’s creation and Attributes
Sub-strand
The Environment
Indicator
B2.1.2.1.2 – Demonstrate human activities that destroy God’s creation or the environment

Introduction

Some people dig for gold in rivers and leave big holes. The rivers become muddy. This is called galamsey. It destroys God's creation.

1. Harmful Activities

Activities that destroy the environment
ActivityHarm
galamsey (illegal mining)dirty rivers, holes in land, dead fish
bush burningkills plants and animals, makes smoke
cutting trees without replantingless shade, less rain, soil washes away
litteringdirty streets, choked gutters, floods
polluting watersickness, dead fish
A muddy galamsey pit in a river and a burnt bush
Figure 1: Activities that destroy the environment Draw one activity that destroys the environment and put an X on it.Photos: Efo Komla, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2. Better Choices

  • Report illegal mining to elders.
  • Never set fire to the bush.
  • Plant two trees for every one cut.
  • Put rubbish in bins.

New words

galamsey
Illegal gold mining.
destroy
To spoil completely.
pollute
To make dirty.
illegal
Against the law.

Summary

  • Galamsey, bush burning and cutting trees destroy the environment.
  • Littering and water pollution make people sick.
  • We should protect creation instead.

Class activity: Harm Spotting

  1. Look at the photographs of galamsey and bush burning.
  2. Say what harm each causes.
  3. Suggest a better choice for each.

You need: Printed photographs of local galamsey, Bush burning, Charred wood, Discarded water sachet, Manila cause-and-effect chart

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. What is galamsey?

    • A. Illegal gold mining
    • B. A festival
    • C. A food
    • D. A dance
    Show answer
    Answer: Illegal gold miningIt destroys rivers and land.

  2. 2. What does bush burning do?

    • A. Kills plants and animals
    • B. Makes rivers clean
    • C. Plants trees
    • D. Makes rain
    Show answer
    Answer: Kills plants and animalsFire destroys living things.

  3. 3. Littering can choke gutters.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueRubbish blocks drains.

  4. 4. Galamsey makes rivers cleaner.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseIt makes rivers muddy.

  5. 5. To make dirty is to ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: polluteThat is pollution.

  6. 6. Name two activities that destroy the environment.

    Show answer
    Answer: Any two: galamsey, bush burning, cutting trees, littering, polluting water.These harm creation.

Homework

  1. Ask an adult if there is any harmful activity near your community. Talk about it.