Environmental Hearing
I learned this activity during my time at the Barrier Island Environmental Education Center.
Purpose: Campers will participate in a town-hall style debate on an environmental issue, to experience some of the real frustrations and problems associated with trying to solve environmental problems. (Here I have provided an example of a recent environmental issue for the Toronto area; you are welcome to adapt this activity to a real issue in your area.)
Materials
A checklist for each group with a few important points they may want to bring up in the debate.
Hammer and block of wood for the judge.
Introduction
Ask the campers to give you some examples of big environmental problems (e.g., pollution, deforestation, hydroelectric projects, overpopulation, etc.) Why are these issues important to us? How can people solve such complicated problems, when there are so many important factors to be taken into consideration?
One method that people use to solve big problems is to invite all the interested parties to participate in a debate, in order to present their side of the argument. Each group that participates in the debate is called an interest group, and has its own point of view and its own agenda. In a town hall debate, generally the town council and any concerned citizens and businesses are represented.
Rules for the Town Hall Meeting
The group will be split into different interest groups who all have a stake in the issue. Each group is given a sheet of paper with some important points they may want to bring up during the debate. Give the groups about 10 minutes to discuss their position and come up with an opening argument – have a counsellor sit with each group to act as a facilitator, although the ideas should spring from the campers if at all possible. This speech should be about one minute long. After each group has had a chance to give their opening remarks, allow a couple minutes for each group to come up with questions to ask the other groups. Each group will have an opportunity to both ask and answer questions.
After this question period, the interest groups will have another few minutes to reconvene and decide if they want to shift their policies or add more facts and arguments to their position in order to gain support. Each group will give a second speech, and a second round of questioning will follow. Finally, each interest group will have some time to come up with a closing argument.
A Council made up of the Counsellors will be the final judges as to which interest group will “win” the debate. After each round of questioning has been completed, the Council will be given the opportunity to ask questions of any interest group they wish to. Because each interest group is made up of a number of people, it is important to ensure that everybody’s voice is heard. Ensure that within each group, the responsibility of giving speeches and answering questions is shared equally. Try to encourage all group members to participate.
I (Becky) will act as mediator for the debate. When the Council is in session, campers may only speak once the mediator has recognized them. Anyone who speaks out of turn will be warned once, then ejected from the proceedings for a five-minute “cool-down”.
Debate!
Following the procedure outlined above, debate a local or fictitious environmental issue such as the recent Adams Mine garbage debate. You will want to allow at least 40 minutes for the debate.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
Who won the debate? Why did the hearing end the way it did? How do you think this works in Real Life?
Interest Groups
Townspeople from Kirkland Lake
You are opposed to the proposed garbage deal with Toronto for the following reasons:
Even though the dump would bring in jobs, you don’t feel that’s a good trade-off for the damage to the environment.
There are many small children in Kirkland Lake whose health could be affected by the dump.
Many of you are farmers and are worried about run-off from the dump. You are concerned that poisons from the dump will get in to the ground water and poison your animals and crops.
Mayor and City Council from Kirkland Lake
You are in favour of the garbage deal with Toronto for the following reasons:
It will bring in much needed jobs to the town of Kirkland Lake. Some of these jobs will be at the dump itself, and many more will come from support services (for example, gasoline, machine maintenance, railroad jobs, etc.)
You feel it is a good way to use the land which used to be the Adams Mine.
It will bring a lot of money to the town.
Mayor and City Council from Toronto
You are in favour of the Adams Mine garbage deal for the following reasons:
It is the least expensive way you’ve found to deal with Toronto’s garbage problem.
The Kirkland Lake mayor really wants your business!
You have explored other ways of dealing with the garbage problem but feel that the other solutions are too expensive.
Environmental Activists
You are opposed to the proposed garbage deal with Toronto for the following reasons:
You are seriously concerned about the danger of poisons leaking from the Adams mine if it is used as a dump. These poisons would get in to the groundwater and end up making farmers’ cows and crops sick.
You are upset that the Federal Government didn’t have an environmental assessment done at the site. You feel that this assessment would have shown that the site is unsuitable for a dump.
You don’t think that Toronto is doing enough to recycle.
You have investigated a new high-tech garbage sorting system from Edmonton that you think would be better for Toronto.