Wanda Carter’s 6th grade class at Inavale Elementary School had a week
until school let out for the summer, but more on their minds than lazy days,
family vacations and starting the 7th grade in the fall.
The students wondered what Oregon would look like in a decade, when many of
them would be graduating from college and taking their place in the adult world.
"I’m worried that the farmland will all have disappeared," said
Tyler Secrest, whose family raises perennial ryegrass and wheat on 1500 acres
in Benton County.
All around the rural school seven miles southwest of Corvallis, raw new housing
developments have cut into the hillsides.
Wyatt Moum, 11, is concerned that by the time he is an adult, many animal species
clinging to the edge of extinction will be gone.
Shay Allen, 12, said too many culverts and dredging of streams already have
harmed Oregon’s fish.
"Dredging will kill the chub," she said. "It’ll just kill
them."
Gina Pasquini, 12, said she saw a documentary film in class that disturbed her.
It showed more than 400 miles of culverts and pipelines that run under Portland,
channeling fish streams through a toxic netherworld that humans can enter only
by wearing hazardous-materials coveralls and gas masks.
Laura Coskey, 11, said she hoped Oregon always would protect its wildlife and
landscape.
"I want other people to see our trees and wildlife as we see them today,
so they can camp or go hiking or whatever they want," Laura said.
Noah Pazdral, 12, was among the students who expressed concern that the Earth’s
ozone layer is deteriorating, possibly increasing their chances of contracting
skin cancer, a view echoed by Scott Johnson, 12.
"The ozone layer keeps getting thinner and thinner and holes are opening
up," Scott said.
Sonja Thal said she worried that a demand for power will mean more nuclear power
plants are built, creating more hazardous waste without having a safe place
to store it.
Although most of the 30 students said such issues worried them, the class was
almost evenly divided when asked if they thought efforts by environmentalists,
governments and programs such as Gov. John Kitzhaber’s declaration of sustainability
in 25 years will solve Oregon’s environmental concerns.
"They won’t be solved," said 11-year-old Will Rendich, referring
to urban sprawl, pollution and global warming. "They haven’t been
solved so far because most people are interested only in what benefits them
and not what is good for everyone in the long run."
Christopher Stanton, 12, said Oregon has a reputation for leadership in environmental
issues.
"Other states will follow Oregon’s lead," he said.
Michelle Alvis, 12, said Oregon could persuade other states into following its
lead if its programs succeed. However, she said the ease of modern living has
made people uninterested in getting involved to helping make programs work.
"I agree that everyone is lazier now than they were when we all had to
work for our food," she said. "Now we have machines to do everything
for us."
Karin Long, 12, who hopes to write some day for National Geographic
magazine documenting the world’s trouble spots, said she blamed the love
of convenience for eroding personal responsibility.
"We rely on technology so much that we don’t think we could do something
(about our problems) ourselves," Karin said.
Although concerned that the Earth could run out of oil and that air pollution
might get bad enough to prompt people to wear gas masks, 13-year-old Nathan
Reiman said he believes people and technology together are the answer.
"I’m going to become a nuclear physicist and find a way to make cold
fusion work," Nathan said.
Christina Dumas, who plans to pursue a career as a veterinarian, said she is
optimistic that people still make a difference.
"We have creative ideas, and we can just keep on trying (to make things
better)," she said.
If the students were unanimous on any point, it was that finger-pointing by
people who blame each other for environmental, economic and social problems
solves nothing.
"People are blaming President Bush for wanting to drill in the Arctic to
get more oil and pointing fingers at each other about who is to blame when we
should be talking to the President directly instead of behind his back,"
said Hillary Bylund, 12.
After college, Hillary plans to pursue a career in international diplomacy.
"I want to get people in power from all countries to talk to each other
about these things," she said.
Will Rendich said such powerful people often misuse their influence to benefit
themselves "and push the real problems under the rug."
Chelsea Traver, 11, said she is optimistic that people can work together to
solve problems, although she already is looking ahead to the next generation
to help make that possible.
"I want to be a kindergarten teacher, and I will teach (my students) how
to conserve and save (resources)."