Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - As in other cities throughout the world, Puerto Vallarta's children are all too often disconnected from the natural environment around them.

As part of the ongoing community efforts made by Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña, the Department of Environment and Ecology has been teaching a series of Environmental Awareness workshops at elementary schools throughout the municipality.

This training program not only seeks to increase awareness about preserving the planet and its natural resources, but also encourages our children to lend a hand in the care and preservation of Puerto Vallarta's natural environment.

María del Rosario Valencia Vargas, who is in charge of the environmental education program, said that 1600 students at ten primary schools in rural areas of Puerto Vallarta, including, Tebelchia, Las Palmas, El Ranchito, La Desembocada and El Colorado, have already taken this course.

On Monday, the course was presented to students at the Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez primary school in Ixtapa, where the training program will continue before moving on to Las Juntas.

"One of the program's goals is to "talk trash" to students so that they understand the damage that we cause when we do not separate our garbage properly. This is one of the biggest environmental problems that exists in Puerto Vallarta, so we are teaching them about recycling and why it's important not to mix organic and inorganic trash," she said.

Through these workshops, students are also learning about other important environmental issues, such as keeping our beaches clean; the biology and importance of the turtles and crocodiles that inhabit the region, and what to do if they are seen outside of their habitats; and the importance of the conservation of these species.

"These programs," said Maria del Rosario Valencia, "are important because they make students aware of the importance of taking care of the environment, and they go home and explain it to their to parents... and there it begins. As we know, our children are the future of Puerto Vallarta and the world, so if we start with them, they will do their best to care for our planet and make the world a better place for future generations."