Basic 4 · Religious and Moral Education · The Environment

Human Activities That Help the Environment

In this topic you will discuss human activities that have good effects on the environment.

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

Name activities that help the environment
Explain their good effects
Take part in a helpful activity

What you already know

Responsibilities of being human

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: B4.1.2.1.1 – Discuss the effects of human activities on the environment

Introduction

In 2021, Ghana launched the "Green Ghana" project and millions of tree seedlings were planted across the country. Human activities can help the environment.

1. Helpful Activities

Activities and their effects

Activity	Good effect
tree planting	cleaner air, shade, more rain, less erosion
proper waste disposal	clean surroundings, fewer diseases
recycling	less rubbish, saves resources
good farming methods	fertile soil, more food
protecting forests and animals	biodiversity is kept

Community members and pupils planting trees during a tree-planting day — Figure 1: Planting trees for Green Ghana Draw people doing something that helps the environment.Illustration: Sirbus

2. Religion and Caring for the Environment

Christianity: the earth is the Lord's (Psalm 24:1).
Islam: do not cause corruption on the earth (Qur'an 7:56).
Traditional Religion: sacred groves and taboo days protect forests and rivers.

New words

environment: All things around us.
recycling: Turning waste into new things.
erosion: Washing away of soil.
biodiversity: The variety of plants and animals.
sacred grove: A forest protected for religious reasons.
taboo: Something forbidden by custom.

Summary

Tree planting, recycling and proper waste disposal help the environment.
Good farming keeps soil fertile.
All three religions teach care for the environment.
Sacred groves and taboo days protect nature.

Class activity: Helpful Action Plan

Choose one helpful activity for your school.
Plan how to carry it out.
Present your plan to the class.

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. Which activity helps the environment?
- A. Tree planting
- B. Littering
- C. Bush burning
- D. Galamsey
Show answer
Answer: Tree plantingTrees improve the environment.
2. The variety of plants and animals is called…
- A. Biodiversity
- B. Pollution
- C. Erosion
- D. Drought
Show answer
Answer: BiodiversityThat is biodiversity.
3. Which verse says "The earth is the Lord's"?
- A. Psalm 24:1
- B. Genesis 1:1
- C. John 3:16
- D. Exodus 20:12
Show answer
Answer: Psalm 24:1That is the verse.
4. Recycling reduces rubbish.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueIt reuses waste.
5. Sacred groves destroy forests.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseThey protect forests.
6. A forest protected for religious reasons is a sacred ______.
Show answer
Answer: groveThat is a sacred grove.
7. Name two activities that help the environment and their effects.
Show answer
Answer: E.g. tree planting – cleaner air; recycling – less rubbish.Activities have effects.
8. How do Traditional taboo days help the environment?
Show answer
Answer: No one farms or fishes on those days, so the land and rivers rest and recover.Taboos protect nature.

Homework

Plant a seedling at home or school and care for it.