Pittsburgh Zoo visits Poland North

April 26, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

By NATALIE SCOTT

Amy Feinstein and Brea Stephen from the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium visited North Elementary School April 11 with a few animals to teach about conservation and protecting the world from becoming contaminated beyond repair.

The program they brought, titled “The Choice is Ours,” used a game show-style format to get students involved with the program while teaching different tactics to conserve resources and decrease littering.

Throughout the game, students guessed the number of gallons of water are used to make one Sunday newspaper (280), the weight of garbage the average American throws away daily (4.4 pounds), which cleaners are the best (baking soda based), what plants do not belong in your garden (loosestrife), and whether or not drive-through car washes were better for the environment than washing cars from home (they are). Students also learned about endangered animal and insect species and that wild turtles belong in the wild, not as a pet.

One of the most exciting parts of the presentation was seeing the live animals Feinstein and Stephen brought from the zoo. As long as students could remain calm and quiet, they got to meet Jasmine the opossum, Fiona the American Kestrel, and Bill the Eastern Box Turtle.

“We’ve been doing this presentation for about six years,” said Feinstein. “I have always loved animals and I really enjoy getting to work with them and with children so these presentations are just amazing.”

To learn more about the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, visit www.pittsburghzoo.org.