Massachusetts school curriculums are usually inclusive of many environmental topics and issues that contribute to the global climate change. But, when the Elementary curriculum is observed, we can all see that children at the Pre-k and Elementary level are not learning about deforestation. It is as simple as teaching the mass cutting down of trees and why it is bad to do that. Children don't need to be taught in extreme detail about deforestation at a young age, but they should at least be informed and gain knowledge about it in some capacity at this age. We know from recent studies that the more children learn and know, the more likely they are to teach others and apply what they know into their lives and their futures. So, teaching the effects of deforestation would educate the children on the topic and future generations would more likely be inclined to want and stop deforestation and reverse the effects of climate change. 

Deforestation is a contributor to climate change. The cutting down of trees reduces the amount of carbon being absorbed and the amount of oxygen put out. We know that forest store carbon within them that the trees end up using as a resource during photosynthesis. When mass amount of trees are cut down, not only is that one less storage area for the carbon we emit, but it also releases carbon as it is cut or decomposes, adding even more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. 

Governor Charlie Baker could help spread awareness to children on this topic by making it mandatory for all public schools in Massachusetts to educate children on deforestation starting at a preschool to young elementary school age. This would provide children with basic knowledge of the problem, ways we can help, and would ultimately encourage children to want to reverse this damage as they grow older. 

Resources for further information:

https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/whats-redd-and-will-it-help-tackle-climate-change/ 

https://massmees.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/MassELP-Phase-I-Summary-FINAL-REV-March2017.pdf

https://massmees.org/environmental-literacy/mass-elp/   

https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/USA/22/?category=biodiversity