SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Assignment 2:Environment, Issues and Aims of School Subjects
5 June 2020
, PGCE ASSIGNMENT 2: Environment, Issues and aims of school subjects
This assignment is linked to the work we have covered over the past few weeks. It is
divided into three parts and covers a) environmental issues and problems, b) dimensions of
the environment and c) environmental aims for various school subjects. The assignment is
based on a short text related to a particular environment and also the CAPS document for
schools.
Read the text provided on the Zeekoevlei environmental problems and answer the
questions that follow for parts a) and b) of the assignment.
VLEI THREATENED BY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Almost a million fish recently died in the Big Lotus river canal due to a lack of oxygen in the
water because the water hyacinth (an exotic plant) prevented them from swimming into the
vlei.
The residents of the surrounding areas started the Zeekoe Vlei Environment Forum (ZEF)
to identify and address environmental problems in the vlei. The group was started amidst a
crisis about raw sewerage being pumped into the vlei by the municipality. They were
concerned about possible health problems and also that the values of their properties would
be negatively affected by the crisis. The chairperson of the ZEF also indicated that the poor
water quality of the vlei had negative implications for the potential of the area as a tourist
and recreational area. They informed the minister of water affairs and he promised to
investigate the matter. A spokesperson for the minister indicated that the minister had not
received any reports to date and the minister was not available for comment.
Besides the raw sewerage the vlei is also threatened by poisonous herbicides and fertilizer
runoff from neighbouring farms. The Zeekoevlei also receives most of the storm water from
the Cape Flats as far afield as Cape Town International Airport. The municipality also
regularly sprays flourishing water hyacinths with poisons which contain carcinogenic
(cancer causing) chemicals which can remain toxic for up to forty years.
If the current rate of contamination continues Zeekoe Vlei will not remain in existence for
another twenty years.
Section 2a – Environmental Issues
Read the text on Zeekoe vlei and identify / choose an issue you think can form a point of
departure for a learning programme. Briefly explain why you see it as an issue in the
context of the report about the condition of the vlei.
(4)
Assignment 2:Environment, Issues and Aims of School Subjects
5 June 2020
, PGCE ASSIGNMENT 2: Environment, Issues and aims of school subjects
This assignment is linked to the work we have covered over the past few weeks. It is
divided into three parts and covers a) environmental issues and problems, b) dimensions of
the environment and c) environmental aims for various school subjects. The assignment is
based on a short text related to a particular environment and also the CAPS document for
schools.
Read the text provided on the Zeekoevlei environmental problems and answer the
questions that follow for parts a) and b) of the assignment.
VLEI THREATENED BY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Almost a million fish recently died in the Big Lotus river canal due to a lack of oxygen in the
water because the water hyacinth (an exotic plant) prevented them from swimming into the
vlei.
The residents of the surrounding areas started the Zeekoe Vlei Environment Forum (ZEF)
to identify and address environmental problems in the vlei. The group was started amidst a
crisis about raw sewerage being pumped into the vlei by the municipality. They were
concerned about possible health problems and also that the values of their properties would
be negatively affected by the crisis. The chairperson of the ZEF also indicated that the poor
water quality of the vlei had negative implications for the potential of the area as a tourist
and recreational area. They informed the minister of water affairs and he promised to
investigate the matter. A spokesperson for the minister indicated that the minister had not
received any reports to date and the minister was not available for comment.
Besides the raw sewerage the vlei is also threatened by poisonous herbicides and fertilizer
runoff from neighbouring farms. The Zeekoevlei also receives most of the storm water from
the Cape Flats as far afield as Cape Town International Airport. The municipality also
regularly sprays flourishing water hyacinths with poisons which contain carcinogenic
(cancer causing) chemicals which can remain toxic for up to forty years.
If the current rate of contamination continues Zeekoe Vlei will not remain in existence for
another twenty years.
Section 2a – Environmental Issues
Read the text on Zeekoe vlei and identify / choose an issue you think can form a point of
departure for a learning programme. Briefly explain why you see it as an issue in the
context of the report about the condition of the vlei.
(4)
