Children tackle conservation at Cape Girardeau library

The hawk got sick because it ate the snakes that got sick because they ate the mice that got sick because they ate plants that were sprayed with chemicals to foster plant growth.

That's the lesson children learned at the Cape Girardeau Public Library session on environmental ethics. Amber Glenn taught youngsters about environmental ethics with a program featuring conservation methods and a food chain game.

In the game, children were designated as mice, snakes or hawks. Mice ran around the room first, picking up scrap pieces of paper for food and placing them in plastic bags representing stomachs. After a few seconds the snakes were let lose, tagging mice and taking their stomachs. Then the hawk was released to catch the snakes and take all the stomachs they had gathered.

The game was a fun way for children to visualize how a food chain works and how pesticides and harmful contamination can effect many animals that don't even eat plants.

"Nowadays kids need to know more about the environment because they are the next generation," said Keiki Patterson of Cape Girardeau, who attended with her two children. "They need to know how to respect it."

Every child in attendance was challenged to become a conservationist in their own home by doing something as simple as turning off the water faucet while they brushed their teeth. This simple act can save a lot of water over time, Glenn said.

"I'm very interested in the education of my children about the environment around them," aid another parent, Teresa Sundstrom. "They need to learn to show respect and appreciation for the environment."

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133