Climate Change Education Programme in Coastal Schools of Thanjavur District
Causes, Impacts and Adaptation
Climate Change, its impacts and mitigation steps that can be taken in coastal areas of northern Palk Bay is the theme of OMCAR environmental awareness in 2009-2010. 20 Coastal Schools in Thanjavur District are selected to conduct the programme through LCD presentation and by exhibiting a solar cooker. The students understand the value of tree planting that already started by OMCAR Foundtion in their schools. After an hour of LCD presentation by Dr. Balaji, students have cooked vegetables and eggs using solar cooker.
The content of the Presentation is as follows…
The earth's climate is generally defined as the average weather over a long period of time. A place or region's climate is determined by both natural and anthropogenic (human-made) factors. The natural elements include the atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, while the human factors can include land and resource uses. Changes in any of these factors can cause local, regional, or even global changes in the climate. 
Weather is the current atmospheric conditions, including temperature, rainfall, wind, and humidity at a given place. If you stand outside, you can see that it's raining or windy, or sunny or cloudy. You can tell how hot it is by taking a temperature reading. Weather is what's happening right now or is likely to happen tomorrow or in the very near future.
There are many different climates around the world, divided into climate zones. They inlude tropical, desert, temperate and polarclimates. These exist because different parts of the Earth receive different amounts on sunlight. The Sun is stronger nearer the equator and weaker nearer the poles. The strength of sunlight also varies with the seasons. Most places outside the tropics experience winter and summer. The tropics are warm all the year round and instead experience wet and dry seasons. Different climates have different patterns of temperature and rainfall. Rainfall is highest in the tropics, and lowest in the deserts and near the poles. Temperature varies hugely across the Earth. The highest temperatures occur in the hot deserts where values of over 50°C have been recorded. In contrast, temperatures in polar climates have been known to fall below -80°C. The average temperature of the global climate is about 15°C. Climate change has long-since ceased to be a scientific curiosity, and is no longerjust one of many environmental and regulatory concerns. As the United Nations Secretary General has said, it is the major, overriding environmental issue of our time, and the single greatest challenge facing environmental regulators. It is a growing crisis with economic, health and safety, food production, security, and other dimensions.
Explaining the Solar Equipment in School (January 2010)
Fixing the EG Solar Cooker to demostrate in Rajamadam School (January 2010)
Dr.Balaji is explaining the EG Solar Cooker Techology to Students
Students are conducting an experiment in EG Solar Cooker