Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

Jonathan Lohr wrote this great Eco Kid essay for Chaa Creek's Eco Kids Summer camp.  He has a great quote in there too.

"I want to be an eco-kid because I want to save the environment and our earth...  I will quote a passage from a famous Sioux Indian poem, 'how can you buy or sell the sky, every part of this land is sacred to my people every shining pine needle is sacred every sandy shore every mist in the dark woods every clearing and humming insect is holy to me…' Chief Seattle."

Bullet Tree Falls' Vivica Jakeway sent in a great Eco Kid essay, entitled 'Clean and Green.'

"I believe that this summer camp is very important and is a great opportunity to learn about how to protect our environment and I also believe that everyone should make small organizations such as our organization called the Bullet Tree Environmental club.  The Bullet Tree Environment Club make rules with the Village Council such as no littering in the river, no killing of birds and other creatures that are endangered in the village of Bullet Tree Falls.  As a young teen I can see that we the younger generation can learn and encourage everyone to join in a movement to protect Mother Earth.  Being part of this Eco- kid program can teach me more about how to protect the environment and we should educate each other on how to protect and conserve our planet as well, because earth is full of marvelous creatures, exotic natural creations and we humans should learn how to appreciate it how to keep it clean and green."

Yo Creek's Andrea Carillo submitted a good essay for Chaa Creek's Summer camp.

"Water is also very important to everyone.  Water is needed for us to live without it we all will die.  We all need water to drink, to wash dishes, to wash clothes, to cook and to bathe.  So as an Eco kid I will help conserve water since it is very valuable.  I have observed that a lot of Belizeans like to buy and eat Chinese foods like: chowmein, chop suey, fried rice and soups.  Usually when these foods are cooked a lot of water is used for the boiling of vegetables and water is wasted in this way.  I have seen my mother using other methods to cook these same foods and not wasting so much water as others do.  As an eco kid I will share the method my mom uses to cook and not wasting the valuable water."

Maslin Hanson wrote a great Eco Kid essay for Chaa Creek's Eco Kid Summer Camp essay competition.  She starts it off strong.

"I believe that since I am a nature lover, I would make an excellent Eco Kid 2013.  As young citizens of this beautiful jewel we call home, there is a lot that it offers to us.  We have the prestigious barrier reef and atolls, the magnificent Maya mountain and rain forest and numerous ancient monuments, too many to mention.  As compared to other Central American countries we are blessed with a lot of wondrous beauty. Now, as very proud citizens of this jewel we need to encourage everyone to protect and take care of our natural heritage.  There is no need for us to waste and destroy what we have.  Instead we should be focus in building and preserving what we are blessed with.  We have the rich tropical rain forest filled with unique flora and fauna.  We should not allow anyone to cut our trees but encourage them to cut and plant trees back trees which would replace the ones they cut."

Chaa Creek's Eco Kids arrived yesterday, and today is their first full day of fun and learning.  Emir Pineda's submission is the last Eco Kid essay, and he'll surely be a great park ranger after being an Eco Kid.  Have fun!

"Since I like hiking, I think a good way to contribute in the preservation of our forest, birds and marine life is to become a Park Ranger.  Being a Park Ranger will give me the opportunity to help avoid activities like what happened at Nohmul and help to stop the distraction of endangered species of birds and other animals.  I will help save the green parrot, the scarlet macaw, the toucan, rose wood, mahogany tree and many more."

Here's an Eco Kid essay from Brianne Rash.  Chaa Creek's Eco Kids Summer Camp starts this Saturday, and goes for 9 days.  The group will learn about biodiversity, natural resource conservation, traditional healing, and recycling too. 

"An eco-kid uses land wisely so I can teach others that cutting down too many trees is a threat to many species and their habitat.  But to us as well because we need the trees.  The oxygen we breathe comes from the trees and without it we will die.  Slash and burn causes mudslides which is very dangerous because loose mud may fall on houses, kill people so it is dangerous to the environment."

Javier Bol submitted a nice Eco Kid essay.

"While I was reading a book on ecosystem I became interested in the biodiversity, natural resource, conservation and the three ‘r’ reduce, reuse and recycle.  I am very concerned about our ecosystem because we need to find a way of living, one that creates less pollution of the earth’s atmosphere and can lower the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the earth called global warming."

Lucas Hunt has a good essay for this year’s Chaa Creek Eco Kids Summer Camp.

"I am an eco warrior.  I love animals especially sea animals.  I sometimes get to go diving with my dad.  I have my junior PADI and I got certified in Mexico.  I also have swum with wild manatees, bull sharks, sea turtles, and all those kind of things.  My house is located in the middle of the jungle.  In Belize they burn a lot of things, including the jungle, and I am against that because it is bad for the air and bad for nature."

11 year old George Hanson has a nice Eco Kid essay, and the title asks a question.

"When we turn off lights when there is no need to use it, we are saving energy. That is how we should be thinking.  We have no need to allow electricity to be burning because it will only create an additional expense for our families.  Secondly, water is life. It is a valuable resource.  If there is no water; then, there is no life.  We have no need to waste water we need to use it wisely.  While you are brushing your teeth turn off the water until you are ready to rinse your mouth and so forth."

Juan Espat submitted an Eco Kid essay for Chaa Creek's Summer camp.

"From since I was a child my parents thought me about conserve water and energy.  I had never put importance then, but now I thank them for being an inspiration and have influence me to become and ECO-boy.  Nothing beats nature.  Ever since the birth of technology man with his intelligent has built great and powerful things.  Unfortunately nature has paid the price.  We have global warming which is a result of massive deforestation the burning of toxic fumes witch has now destroyed a big portion of the ozone layer."

Rember Cerón has an essay submission for this year’s Chaa Creek Eco Kids Summer Camp.

"The rainforest is home to numerous species such as The Tapir, Scarlet Macaw, Toucan, etc.  It is the home of a wide variety of flora and fauna. In the anxiety of developing the world, and expanding to provide dwellings, humans are destroying nature.  When someone builds a house or a building, they destroy many animal species and plants; thus, contributing to the destruction of the rainforest.  Another way that humans are destroying the forests is through fires.  Being careless can cause any forest fire and so it destroys nature.  The only way how the rainforest can develop or grow more is by us taking care of it and planting more trees."