GEOLOGY FOR THE YOUNG GENERATION

Geology is part of our everyday lives-look around at your homes and offices. Every piece of equipment and articles are connected to natural resources e.g., microchips, drinking glasses, and bricks, etc.

Based on arial photographs, we can predict what type of soil, trees and plants grow on. To have good agriculture, we need to have good knowledge of soil, which leads us back to geological processes that are responsible for formation of soil.

To build and extend cities, knowledge of geology comes to play role again. You should not build on faults and earthquake areas. We as humans heavily depend on geology knowledge. Without knowledge of geology in the past, there would have been no progress of our civilization.

Our transportation would be halted if gas and oil production ceased. Think of the consequences to the local and global economy. As oil is transported and mines are built, we need to protect our environment in such way that we limit our environmental damage.

Recruitment of new geologists is becoming critical. We need to educate our young people in schools. We need to attract them early enough so that they may consider geology and earth sciences as a potential career. The curriculums in schools need to have more earth science units. This should start in elementary schools and with expanded units in junior high. We need to make sure the younger generation has enough understanding of earth and its processes to make sound judgements and decisions with regard to environmental and economic issues. It’s the responsibility of educators and geologists to ensure that our younger generation is well prepared for the tasks ahead.