المملكة: Specialists for "today"Environmental awareness begins with integrating sustainability into daily practices in schools

The Kingdom celebrates… "Environment Week" Under the slogan “Your Impact is Green,” it is a national event that aims to establish environmental awareness and stimulate environmentally friendly practices in society.

This year’s activities come to confirm that protecting and sustaining the environment is no longer just major government policies, but rather a cumulative product of individuals’ daily decisions and conscious behaviors.

Through the slogan “Your Impact is Green,” the call is highlighted for every citizen and resident to leave a positive imprint that contributes to reducing carbon emissions and achieving the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative, all the way to A more balanced and prosperous future for future generations.

In a related context, specialists and academics confirmed that the slogan “Your Impact is Green” reflects the fact that protecting the environment begins with the individual’s daily behavior and extends to society, pointing out that every simple decision to rationalize consumption directly contributes to reducing the carbon footprint.

They explained in their interview with “Al-Youm” on the occasion of , that daily practices such as reducing the use of plastic, recycling, and growing houseplants make a significant cumulative difference in environmental balance and quality of life.

They stressed that instilling awareness in emerging generations requires integrating sustainability into education and daily practices within schools, so that environmental protection is transformed from mere theoretical knowledge to natural behavior and a sustainable lifestyle.

The head of the Agriculture Department at the College of Environmental Sciences at King Abdulaziz University, Professor Dr. Khaled Ali Asiri, stressed that protecting the environment does not depend only on major policies, but rather begins with the behavior of the individual

Daily, rationalizing water and energy consumption contributes directly to reducing the carbon footprint.

He explained that simple steps such as using shared transportation and planting houseplants represent practical practices that everyone can easily adopt, but their cumulative impact is very large on the environment.

Asiri stated that afforestation initiatives play a pivotal role in improving air quality and reducing temperatures, which reflects positively on human health.

He pointed out the necessity of instilling environmental awareness in the emerging generations through education in schools so that it becomes a natural behavior.

He sent a message in which he stressed that the environment is not the responsibility of one party, but rather a common responsibility shared by all, stressing that the impact of every individual in this system is real and influential in shaping a better environmental future.

The cultural attaché at the Kingdom’s embassy in Turkey and the environmental expert, Professor Dr. Faisal bin Abdul Rahman Asrah, explained that the slogan “Your Impact is Green” embodies the responsibility of every individual for his environmental behavior, as

Our daily choices contribute to enhancing sustainability at the community level.

He pointed out the importance of adopting conscious consumption and using sustainable transportation as the most prominent practices that reduce pollution, stressing that afforestation initiatives contribute effectively to absorbing carbon dioxide and enhancing environmental balance.

Asra stressed that instilling environmental awareness begins with early education, setting a good example, and linking behavior to daily practice.

He concluded his speech. With an awareness message in which he emphasized that the environment is a shared responsibility, and that every small impact makes a tangible difference over time, calling on everyone to ensure that their impact is green and sustainable for future generations, ensuring the continuity of resources and protecting the planet from environmental degradation.

Entomology researcher Dr. Faiza Rashid Al-Otaibi explained that not all insects are enemies, but rather a large percentage of them are considered beneficial and are called “vital enemies,” which are organisms that include predators and parasites that naturally work to control plant pests.

She indicated that these organisms are one of the basic pillars of “integrated pest management,” which is an approach that seeks to protect the environment and enhance food security away from the indiscriminate elimination of organisms.

Al-Otaibi gave, for example, the “Trichogramma parasite,” a type of wasp that parasitizes on the eggs of harmful insects and prevents their reproduction, stressing that the real challenge today lies in distinguishing between harmful and beneficial insects.
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A call was made to change the societal outlook towards insects, as giving beneficial organisms the opportunity to perform their natural role is a first step towards a more sustainable environment, as many of them are “important silent friends” that contribute effectively to maintaining environmental balance.