Climate and generations

By Danny and Jenny Katzen

We are blessed with four beautiful grandchildren and are indeed lucky to have three of them living within 25 minutes from where we are. We use every opportunity we have to engage them in activities to help grow their interest and knowledge about the natural world such as: 

• Assisting them in planting native trees and shrubs on birthdays and explain why we plant native trees/shrubs. It is good to know that they already know that this reduces our carbon footprint and that we attract native birds and other animals to our suburban gardens. 

• Sitting on the lawn and turning short sturdy twigs into the soil and patiently waiting for earthworms to emerge and explaining why the earthworms emerge from their burrows. Just a bit of simple physics …”turning the twigs in the soil rubs against the soil particles and sends vibrations through the soil”… these vibrations are picked up by the earthworms and they regard this as a threat and emerge from their burrows.  Using magnifying lenses is a good way to look at the external structure of the worms and then returning them to the soil to continue their important task in enriching the soil. 

• Collecting a small sample of flowers from the garden and chatting about the parts of the flower and the the role each part plays in attracting  pollinating agents to ensure pollination and then fruit and seed formation. The conversation usually continues to include the effects of climate change on pollinators such as bees and other native insects. 

• Long walks along isolated beaches admiring the views and making sure we carry an extra bag to remove some litter along the way. 
• Using public transport to visit places such as the museum, Scienceworks and the botanical gardens. 

All these help to stimulate young receptive minds and help them see the beauty that surrounds them, which will hopefully lead to a lasting love for our natural world. 

 Danny Katzen (retired science teacher) and Jenny Katzen (retired nurse) are parishioners at Heathmont Uniting Church.