“Example isn’t another way to teach, it is the only way to teach”

Albert Einstein

Very often I heard poeple talking about purposelessness of youth’s being from an old generation. However people usually don’t think about reasons of such behavior. Teenagers are very receptive to their surroundings. Of cause they listen to their parents’ speech about necessity to lead the healthy and ecological-oriented way of life, but what they see after it?  They become viewers of dinner made from fat products, a light turned on the whole day long, using hundreds of liters of water for one person every day and so on. Parents stop to be a good example (at least in this sphere). The world of glamour’s magazines and social networks also don’t teach to take care about nature. Youth need alive models, which way of talking is similar with the way of life.      

Since I came from back from the MNP expedition I had conducted many presentations in schools in Moscow region. Every time when I step over the threshold of a classroom and a director or a teacher introduce me as a person who was in Arctic and who will talk about ecology, pupils start smiling. In their eyes I’m just a girl who will tell some boring stories and pretend to make them interesting. However the attitude is changing during the presentation. Children are looking at amazing photos and listening to a real great story with people who are not too much older than they are. I could see zest, they’re catching every word and I feel that they start to believe me. 

After the lecture about the expedition I usually talk about climate changes and ecological problems. I try to explain them that everybody can help caring about the planet. A tale (with slide-show) about the Pangaea community and small act projects which all of us do is the main argument to do the same.

Last week I had two presentations in schools which finished with a request FROM CHILDREN to help them organize a big planting. They would like to do something like the YEPs. I think it’s the best compliment for our community.

Mike and his team have become a great model for us, now we become a model for others.

Set a good example and people will follow you!