As Protected Harbor’s Beacon of Light Enrichment Day Camp started gardening, we took an opportunity to learn more about the various roles of nature and why they are important. As part of our Community Learning 360, we use what we learn in various ways, not just on one topic, in one class. We decided to use what we learned as an art submission for the Celebration of Creation. We took what we learned and created our interpretation of what an unpolluted, healthy, and thriving ocean, plant life, and rainforest would be like. A plant, a simple flower, plays a vital role in the environment. It allows for continuous reproduction and pollination of the plant species. Through photosynthesis, plants provide the planet with food, oxygen, and energy. One small seed saves mankind. Our bodies of water, lakes, rivers, and oceans are significant to the well-being of this planet. Our ocean life needs clean water to survive. Polluted oceans lead to dead zones, which are areas with such low oxygen levels that marine life cannot survive. Our bodies of water help regulate the Earth’s climate by absorbing and distributing heat around the globe, acting as a big heat sink, and providing a good portion of the oxygen we breathe through marine plants like phytoplankton. Additionally, it serves as a vital ecosystem supporting a diversity of life and providing food sources to humans and other animals. Be smart, don’t pollute! The Rainforest is credited for keeping our planet healthy. There is a great diversity of plants and animals that call the rainforest home. The rainforest absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen that is depended on for our survival. The absorption of oxygen also helps stabilize the Earth’s climate. Each item on this Earth plays a critical role in survival. If we don’t start and do our part to protect and preserve the environment, it could lead to an unstable climate that could have consequences such as intense extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts, storms, rising sea levels, food insecurity, and increased health risk, especially for vulnerable populations. JOIN US – take the pledge to do your part for the environment. Start with recycling, reuse, and reduce. Recycle, use a refillable water bottle, reduce waste. Plant a tree. Take part in a beach cleanup day. Spread awareness of the importance of taking care of our environment. Take control of our environment, one positive task at a time.