challenges in environmental education

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Managing complexity and valuing science, responding to demographic changes, responding to the new “geography of childhood”, activity-based learning, sidestepping the psychology of despair, references cited.

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Challenges for Environmental Education: Issues and Ideas for the 21st Century: Environmental education, a vital component of efforts to solve environmental problems, must stay relevant to the needs and interests of the community and yet constantly adapt to the rapidly changing social and technological landscape

Stewart J. Hudson is president of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, 290 Pratt Street, Meriden, CT 06450.

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Stewart J. Hudson, Challenges for Environmental Education: Issues and Ideas for the 21st Century: Environmental education, a vital component of efforts to solve environmental problems, must stay relevant to the needs and interests of the community and yet constantly adapt to the rapidly changing social and technological landscape, BioScience , Volume 51, Issue 4, April 2001, Pages 283–288, https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0283:CFEEIA]2.0.CO;2

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As we enter a new century and millennium, environmental educators must come up with new knowledge and techniques that address the demands of a constantly evolving social and technological landscape, while ensuring that environmental education stays relevant to the needs and interests of the community. These challenges to environmental education require that we reexamine the way we do research and train environmental professionals and educators, as well as the way we communicate environmental information to the general public.

Great strides have already been made in strengthening environmental education for the general public. This is particularly true in terms of defining environmental education and its objectives ( Ruskey and Wilkie 1994 ). In the past few years, the North American Association for Environmental Educators has spearheaded an effort to develop mechanisms both to strengthen standards for environmental education and to make it possible to achieve them. A solid base for environmental education already exists. In the United States, there are many leaders in the field, and these individuals have had an extraordinary impact on environmental education. There is also a plethora of organizations and material available for all age groups and most learning situations (see the box on p. 287), which can be incorporated in broad-based environmental education efforts to meet diverse needs. As scientists and educators, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to utilize and expand this resource base.

The way we plan today for public education on the environment will have dramatic effects on the future quality of life. Effective and meaningful environmental education is a challenge we must take seriously if we and future generations are to enjoy the benefits of our natural heritage. This article identifies some of the current and future challenges to environmental education in the United States and offers suggestions on how best to address them. Although some of the examples and education models involve freshwater systems, the concepts behind the educational strategies can be applied to most other environmental settings. Some of the information presented here may be applicable in other countries struggling with the challenges of environmental education.

Environmental problems have become increasingly difficult to understand and to evaluate, yet environmental issues are more often expressed in “sound bites” than explained by sound reasoning. Moreover, reasonable treatment of environmental concerns often falls prey to the political agendas of those who have a vested interest in an unsustainable, resource-extractive approach to economic development. The challenge, then, is to express the complexity of modern environmental issues in ways that are understandable and inviting, and at the same time to ensure that science continues to play an important role in explaining and evaluating environmental issues and in forging solutions to environmental problems.

For example, there is a large gap between what members of the general public hear and what they understand about environmental problems related to aquatic resources. Everyone knows that Americans are concerned about safe drinking water. However, a survey conducted by the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) showed that only “about one in four American adults knows that the leading cause of water pollution is surface water running off the land, from farm fields to city streets” ( NEETF 1997 ). In referring to “Consumer Confidence Reports” that will soon be provided by water companies and utilities, NEETF reports that “even if the bill-payer reads the report, its technical nature may be daunting” ( NEETF 1997 ).

Nor does the gap narrow for other environmental issues. Some measure of scientific acuity is necessary for comprehending these issues, and there is some evidence that the United States lags behind other industrialized countries in science and math education. As an article on the “ABCs of Science Education” reports, “Even our best and brightest are falling behind—the top scoring 20% of US eighth graders are taught what seventh graders are taught in high-scoring nations” ( Tibbets 1997–1998. .

Moreover, at times there have been efforts to “dumb down” the existing scientific underpinnings of environmental knowledge as a means of advancing an agenda that depends on an unsustainable, resource-extractive approach to economic development. This movement attacks environmental education almost across the board, claiming that the loss of biological diversity, declining health of aquatic resources, and human-induced climate change, among other issues, are not worth worrying about. The general thrust of these contrarian attacks is that there is no science behind the environmental concerns shared by a majority of the American public; additionally, the argument goes, environmental education materials that fail to point this out are unduly biased ( Manilov and Schwarz 1996–1997 ). Although this anti-ecoeducation movement has abated somewhat, it will always be a critical factor in shaping environmental education in the United States.

Environmental education must teach about science itself and about the use of the scientific method—an important supplement to belief systems and value judgments—to help evaluate and respond to environmental threats. Educational materials that omit the important role of science and the general rules of scientific inquiry are damaging to the field of environmental education.

The need to include science in educational efforts does not, however, excuse educators from the obligation to communicate in an understandable way that invites further inquiry from those who might be intimidated by scientifically complex subjects. The case of Pfiesteria is a good example. When the first reports came out about the effects of Pfiesteria on fish stocks and humans in and around the Chesapeake Bay and coastal North Carolina, this toxic organism quickly became a hot-button issue discussed in the form of sound bites in a variety of media sources. Those who knew the most about the subject (including JoAnn Burkholder, internationally recognized expert on Pfiesteria ) struggled valiantly both to express the problem in understandable terms and to identify areas of certainty and uncertainty. The National Wildlife Federation also became deeply involved in the issue; coverage in the organization's magazine and in activist materials was objective, backed by science, and communicated in understandable terms and, perhaps most important, in ways that invited further inquiry ( Broad 1997 , Carroll 1998 , Davis 1998 , Dolan 1998 ).

This last aspect of the Federation's involvement with the issue—the production of materials that both explain scientific inquiry and provide mechanisms for further exploration—is a critical component of environmental education. Various materials evidence this kind of approach, but two that deserve special mention are the National Wildlife Federation's NatureScope volumes Diving into Oceans and Wading into Wetlands ( Braus et al. 1989a , 1989b ). These publications describe activities that can help sharpen scientific learning skills and provide resources and suggestions for obtaining further information about aquatic resources. An extraordinary array of leading experts in the scientific community contributed to both volumes through the peer review process and editorial comment.

Science has provided the greatest evidence, to date, of the damage we have done and are doing to the planet. The need to rely on science to support environmental education programs and materials continues nonetheless, obligating scientists to learn new skills for communicating and making complex subjects understandable to the public.

Obviously, planning for environmental education must take into account significant demographic changes in the United States. What are those demographic trends, and how will they most likely affect the nature of environmental education? First, minority populations dominate population growth; the number of non-Hispanic whites is expected to begin declining in the third decade of this century. Another noteworthy demographic change, in addition to greater cultural diversity, is that the number of aging but active baby boomers will increase over the next several decades. A third important societal shift concerns the nature of the family—namely, changes in its traditional constitution and in the amount of time that family members spend with one another ( Crispell 1995 , Kate 1998 ).

An increasingly diverse society, larger numbers of older Americans, and family life that is geared around schedules rather than free time all have important implications for environmental education. Clearly, environmental education must be of interest to, and available to, diverse audiences. Fortunately, some pioneering efforts show how this process might be initiated. One of the nation's leading environmental education organizations, the National Audubon Society, has built a partnership with the United Negro College Fund and the CSX Corporation to create a scholarship program for minority students who wish to become more involved in environmental programming ( CSX Corporation 2001 ). The Earth Tomorrow program of the National Wildlife Federation is targeted specifically at inner-city, largely African–American, student populations, and a recent edition of the Federation's National Wildlife Week was issued in both Spanish and English ( Flicker 1998 , Rogers 1998 , Tunstall 1998 ). The Roots & Shoots program of the Jane Goodall Institute has adapted a curriculum packet for diverse audiences with the help of numerous local organizations in Los Angeles with a particular focus on at-risk and culturally diverse communities ( McCarty et al. 1998 ).

Designing programs for diverse audiences is not an easy process. It involves much more than mere linguistic translation, although language is important. It requires the involvement of the potential audiences in program design. Moreover, programs must be designed to be sustainable within the communities they seek to involve.

Other trends in US demographics—the rapidly aging population of the country and the harried nature of family life—also need to be addressed. The Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement (EASI) takes an interesting approach: It enlists senior citizens as well as young people to monitor the quality of aquatic resources in Pennsylvania and other states by appealing to their commitment to volunteerism and to the environment. (The EASI Web site is shown in the box on p. 287.)

In terms of reaching families, one of the strategies employed by the National Wildlife Federation is to create opportunities for parents and other caregivers and adult family members to interact with children through the NatureLink program, which was developed in conjunction with the Canon Clean Earth Campaign. Often associated with fishing and other uses of aquatic resources, the program has produced Natural Fun, a guide that suggests nature education activities that allow families to spend time together ( NWF 1997 ). What these and other outdoor-oriented programs share is an understanding that the constitution of families and the nature of “family time” have changed. Outdoor education programs in particular must be designed to provide opportunities for families with increasingly crowded schedules to spend time together. Most important, these programs have to be fun and engaging to compete with other demands on families' time, and their outcomes must be both obvious and rewarding to the program participants.

Demographic changes in the United States in the 21st century will dramatically change the potential audience for environmental education. If environmental education keeps pace with this changing audience, the overall environmental movement will benefit by staying relevant to future generations and by inspiring individuals to take action to conserve natural resources and protect the environment. Lessons learned in the United States may well prove useful in the growth of environmental education in other countries as well, particularly those concerning materials and programs that effectively reach ethnically and culturally diverse populations.

In a 1992 survey of fifth and sixth graders in the United States, 9 percent of the children said that they learned environmental information from home; 31 percent reported that they learned from school; and a majority, 53 percent, listed the media as their primary teacher. Such media-inspired children may become fierce in their desire to save condors and whales. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, each May the children of as politically correct a group of yuppie parents as one is likely to find don the costumes of endangered animals for All Species Day and parade proudly through the downtown streets.... Contact with even common wild creatures has become rare for most American children.

The challenge this pattern presents is not to supplant newer information sources but to complement them with a menu of linked opportunities that promote a continuum of experience, as well as learning that incorporates outdoor education and hands-on activities.

In addition to serving the ends of environmental education, making an extra effort to promote outdoor experiences to a generation whose first encounter with a mouse is likely to be with the one sitting next to the computer is important for significant developmental reasons. Mary Rivkin (1995) , an expert in early childhood development and author of The Great Outdoors: Restoring Children's Right to Play Outside, believes that children have to experience nature directly in order to learn and develop in healthy, appropriate ways. The variety and richness of natural settings all contribute more than do manufactured indoor environments to physical, cognitive, and emotional development ( Rivkin 1995 ).

In short, the changed geography of childhood means that environmental education programs must provide a continuum of experiences from online to hands-on. The Animal Tracks program of the National Wildlife Federation ( NWF 2001 ) is one good example. A recently issued kit on water quality issues provides online resources, but it also suggests various activities, including the creation of aquatic habitats at schools that encourage hands-on, inquiry-based learning. This approach does not denigrate the newer sources of information; it merely ensures that they are part of a continuum that incorporates learning in nature as a necessary way of learning about nature. This philosophy is also evident in the programs of the Massachusetts Audubon Society (see the box on page 287), which couples its online and media-focused programming with more hands-on activities, such as those promoted in its Pondwatchers guide, a brochure about aquatic systems in the northeastern United States (Massachusetts Audubon Society n.d.).

This generation of children also gets more knowledge about nature from television documentaries than from actual experience of the natural world. That kind of change in the geography of childhood should not be taken as cause for attacking some incredibly valuable forms of educating people about the environment, including IMAX films, programming by the Discovery Channel and others, and online resources such as Jubilee's Journey, a CD-ROM available from the Jane Goodall Institute. Instead, there is ample opportunity for ensuring that educational materials relating to, say, aquatic resources couple traditional cognitive learning materials with hands-on experience, whether it involves water quality testing, restoration of streamside habitat, or the creation of wetlands as part of a schoolyard habitat project. Two organizations involved in this kind of work are the Izaak Walton League and the National Wildlife Federation.

One of the greatest challenges for education generally is to produce measurable results. Unfortunately, reaching this goal is neither easy nor devoid of the politics of testing and the endless philosophical debates over what constitutes marked increases in learning and knowledge. Environmental education, though not exempt from these issues, provides some exciting opportunities for enhancing learning, sharpening observation and problem-solving skills, and producing measurable outcomes.

A clear understanding of what we are educating our children for will give us guidelines on the structure of educational programs. There is a fair consensus among all involved in debates about educational reform that one of the principal goals of education is to enhance the ability of children to become productive members of society, as well as to advance a variety of skills that are productive for the development of children. It is in teaching children to become responsible and productive members of society that we are most likely to find significant and tangible benefits from environmental education.

In many school systems across the United States, students must devote a certain amount of time to community service as a prerequisite for graduation. This requirement is not something that is added to the learning experience for purely altruistic reasons, but rather because community service is part of the learning-by-doing philosophy that has guided US education for almost a century. Likewise, teaching about the environment is most effective if it incorporates activities that seek to produce tangible results.

For example, a number of organizations, including the Izaak Walton League, the Missouri Conservation Foundation, the Riverwatch Network, and GREEN (see the box on p. 287), have developed programs that involve children and adults in monitoring the environmental quality of streams and other bodies of water. Although testing water quality by itself does not directly enhance the environment, inevitably these programs lead to other results, such as streamside restoration, improved industrial practices, and policy changes, all of which deliver measurable and effective outcomes ( Middleton 1998 ). One very successful and widely used program for stream protection, restoration, and education, sponsored by the Izaak Walton League of America, is called Save Our Streams ( Middleton 2001 ).

Other programs, such as Cascadia Quest, which is based in Seattle, Washington, are even more closely focused on service activities. Indeed, Cascadia Quest students have restored salmon habitat, replanted eroded slopes, worked on urban streams, and made other improvements to water resources in and around the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere in the world. The Roots & Shoots program of the Jane Goodall Institute also is service oriented: It requires participants to undertake activities to protect animals, enhance the environment, and help develop their local community. Activities in these three areas have helped enhance the quality of local aquatic resources on behalf of people, wildlife, and the environment ( Cascadia Quest 1997 ).

This kind of activity-based learning often produces economic as well as environmental benefits. For example, the Campus Ecology program of the National Wildlife Federation published a study entitled “Green Investment, Green Return.” The study lists projects undertaken on college campuses across the United States that both improve the environment and save money. These campus “greening” activities address problems ranging from water conservation to reductions in the use of pesticides and other toxic substances in landscaping and other campus activities. To reiterate, if one of the goals of education is to nurture the growth of productive members of society, then these kinds of programs are most certainly viable and valuable ( Keniry and Lyon 1998 ).

Effective education requires the recognition of appropriate and meaningful strategies to help students discover more about the natural world, assemble information and facts, and solve problems. Detailed analyses are needed to more fully evaluate different learning styles and different areas of knowledge. Howard Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard University, posits several distinct types of intelligence, including one that relates directly to intelligence about the natural world. He therefore asserts the need to create different approaches to evaluate the impact of educational programs on these distinct forms of learning and knowledge.

Problem solving, for example, is an important, requisite objective of the educational process, and research by Gardner and others suggests that hands-on environmental activities are an effective means of enhancing problem-solving skills ( Knox 1995 ). Moreover, William Hammond, an environmental education expert, adds that a new approach to education and action “does not require the abandonment of technology and scientific rationality. It permits the blending of the best of the industrial modern world with the most useful and constructive post-industrial thought. When students are invited to move their education beyond the walls of the classroom and engage in genuine action, they are given the opportunity to synthesize knowledge, skill, and character; to test their preconceptions and misconceptions against real experience; and to learn both to follow and to lead as members of a learning organization” ( Hammond 1997 ).

As Hammond suggests, the positive benefits of hands-on learning can enhance students' ability to become more conversant with the array of new technologies now being developed. There are many exciting and successful programs already in place. The Roots & Shoots program provides recognition to clubs that work on substantial projects in three different areas—protecting the environment, caring for animals, and helping communities. The NatureLink program at the National Wildlife Federation calls for participants to complete an “Earth Pledge,” and the Federation's Schoolyard Habitat program measures its success in terms of the number of schools that create habitats on school grounds.

Environmental educators should embrace the need for results as a particular strength of environmental education, especially those programs that can produce materials and experiences that cover a broad range of hands-on learning. Environmental education can—must—lead from awareness to action. That message should be reflected in program design and implementation, as well as in the way environmental education is defined and valued.

Learning more about the environment generally means learning more about what we have done to the environment rather than what we have done to care for it. Although environmental education certainly requires learning about the resilience of nature, it is the catalog of harm that will seem most evident to educators and students over the next several decades. The danger is that this catalog of harm will contribute to a psychology of despair—a loss of hope for the future and a sense that we as individuals cannot make a difference. The danger of despair is especially true for would-be educators who have been in the environmental trenches fighting for years, even decades.

Without underestimating the magnitude of the environmental challenges that we face globally as well as locally, and while noting the limits to what can be accomplished in the short run, we must realize there are ways to sidestep the psychology of despair. One is to recognize those who are making a difference in the world, especially young people, and to celebrate their accomplishment. Two of the most socially responsible (and profitable) corporations that are doing just that are Stonyfield Farm of Manchester, New Hampshire, and Tom's of Maine. The Planet Protectors program of Stonyfield Farm recognizes the achievement of individuals who have made substantial contributions to environmental protection. Tom's offers a Lifetime Achiever's Award to individuals who benefit the environment.

Another important way to avoid the psychology of despair is to promote the belief that individual responsibility and action can make a difference. Certainly the extent of environmental harm that the world-renowned Jane Goodall has witnessed firsthand over the last 40 years would give her ample excuse to be downcast and pessimistic about the future. Nevertheless, while fully acknowledging the challenges before us, it is her message of hope that is one of the most effective and best remembered parts of her frequent lectures. In public venues around the world, Dr. Goodall demonstrates her point by offering examples of individuals who have made a difference. JoAnn Burkholder is a great example of the kind of person Dr. Goodall cites. Despite threats and intimidation from those who opposed her efforts—agricultural and other interests—Dr. Burkholder uncovered threats to aquatic resources through her codiscovery of Pfiesteria, a deadly bacterium. Burkholder continues to educate people across the country about this dangerous organism and the man-made pollution that allows Pfiesteria to flourish. Dr. Goodall's overall message is one of hope. She offers four forces that provide hope for the future: the power and creativity of the human brain to solve problems; the resiliency of nature once we approach it from a position of respect; the strength and vitality of young people around the world; and the indomitable human spirit ( Goodall 1999 ).

To become involved in respecting nature and protecting the environment over the long term, people need to have a sense of hope and gratification from environmental education. Building programs that merely catalog harm without advancing the sense that accomplishments can be made will not offer the kind of fun and enriching learning environment that creates a sustainable commitment to environmental protection. While the study of nature would be incomplete without discussing the threats to the natural world, an appreciation of nature should not be lacking in environmental education programs. It is teaching about the miracles of the natural world, more than anything else, that will engender a sustainable and creative learning environment.

Although great strides have been made in protecting aquatic resources, human population growth and industrial use will continue to pose significant challenges to the protection of these basic resources. While environmental education is sometimes characterized as “soft” and gets less attention than other aspects of environmental protection, it is through environmental education that future environmental advocates and problem solvers are created. To generate new leaders in the environmental field over the new century, and to foster the general public's knowledge and concern for the environment, environmental education should recognize and begin responding effectively to several major challenges. These include changes in demographics and experience, effective integration of newer sources of information with experiential learning opportunities, the effective communication of environmental issues to the public, and the avoidance of the psychology of despair.

Braus J . 1989a. Diving into Oceans. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

Braus J . 1989b. Wading into Wetlands. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

Broad WJ. . 1997. Battling the cell from hell. National Wildlife Magazine (August–September): 10.

Carroll G. . 1998. Are our coastal waters turning deadly? National Wildlife Magazine (April–May): 42.

Cascadia Quest . 1997. A World of Young Leaders in King County. Seattle (WA): Cascadia Quest.

Crispell D. . 1995. Generations to 2025. American Demographics (April).

CSX Corporation . 2001. CSX Scholars Program. (20 Mar 2001; www.csx.com/aboutus/employment/scholars ).

Davis C. . 1998. Pollution Paralysis. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

Dolan K. . 1998. Saving Our Watersheds. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

Flicker JD. . 1998. Building diversity at Audubon. Audubon (March–April).

Goodall J. . 1999. Reason for Hope. New York: Warner Books.

Hammond WF. . 1997 . Educating for action. Green Teacher . 50 : 7

Kate TN. . 1998. Two careers, one marriage. American Demographics (April).

Keniry J Lyon J. . 1998. Green Investment, Green Return. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

Knox RA. . 1995. Brainchild. Boston Globe Magazine, 5 Nov, p. 23.

Manilov M Schwarz T. . 1996–1997. An assault on eco-education. Earth Island Journal (winter): 36.

McCarty J . 1998. Roots & Shoots LA. Washington (DC): Jane Goodall Institute.

Massachusetts Audubon Society. n.d . Pondwatchers: Guide to Ponds and Vernal Pools of Eastern North America. Lincoln (MA): Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Middleton JV. . 1998. Stream Doctor Project: Community Driven Stream Restoration. Presentation at workshop on Environmental Education Outreach for Aquatic Resource Conservation, ESA–ASLO meeting; June 1998; St. Louis, MO.

Middleton JV. . 2001 . The Stream Doctor Project: Community-driven stream restoration. BioScience . 51 : 293 – 296 .

Nabham GP Trimble S. . 1994. The Geography of Childhood: Why Children Need Wild Places. Boston (MA): Beacon Press.

[NEETF] National Environmental Education and Training Foundation . 1997. Annual Report. Washington (DC): NEETF.

[NWF] National Wildlife Federation . 1997. Natural Fun. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

[NWF] National Wildlife Federation . 2001. Animal Tracks. (21 Mar 2001; www.nwf.org/animaltracks/index.html ).

Rivkin MS. . 1995. The Great Outdoors: Restoring Children's Right to Play Outside. New York: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Rogers CS. . 1998. Earth tomorrow: Meeting the urban challenges. Michigan Natural Resources Magazine (May–June).

Ruskey A Wilkie R. . 1994. Promoting Environmental Education. Stevens Point (WI): National Wildlife Federation and the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Press.

Tibbets J. . 1997–1998 . The ABCs of science education. Coastal Heritage, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium . 12 : 4

Tunstall M. . 1998. 1998. Nature's Web: Caring for the Land. Vienna (VA): National Wildlife Federation.

Among popular Web sites for information on environmental education are the following:

www.janegoodall.org

www.nwf.org

www.wwf.org

www.earthforce.org

www.naaee.org

www.easi.org

www.massaudubon.org

www.riverwatch.org

www.igc.apc.org/green

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Education We Need for the World We Want

Environmental education has the power to transform lives and society. It informs, inspires, and influences attitudes. It motivates action. EE is a key tool in expanding the environmental movement and creating healthier and more civically-engaged communities.

About EE and Why It Matters

What Is Environmental Education?

Environmental education (EE) is a process that helps individuals, communities, and organizations learn more about the environment, and develop skills and understanding about how to address global challenges. It has the power to transform lives and society. It informs and inspires. It influences attitudes. It motivates action. 

Why Do We Need Environmental Education?

The environment sustains all life on earth. It provides us with nourishment and inspiration. Our economy thrives on a healthy environment. A growing body of research tells us that time spent in nature provides physical and psychological benefits. Our personal and cultural identities are often tied to the environment around us. At the same time, it’s impossible not to be deeply concerned about the unprecedented environmental, social, and economic challenges we face as a global society—from climate change and loss of species and habitats, to declines in civic engagement, decreasing access to nature, a growing gap between the haves and have nots, and other threats to our health, security, and future survival.

Demonstrating the Power of Environmental Education

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The Tbilisi Definition of Environmental Education: 1977

EE is a learning process that increases people’s knowledge and awareness about the environment and its associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations, and commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action.  Learn about the history of EE through the History of EE eeLEARN module , exploring some of the milestones and people who have influenced the field.

EE is built on the principles of sustainability, focusing on how people and nature can exist in productive harmony. As the Brundtland Report stated (Our Common Future, 1987), “to create a more sustainable society, we need to determine how to meet the needs of the present without compromising our ability to meet the needs of the future.” The work in this field focuses on building ecological integrity, and environmental health, and creating a fair and just society with shared prosperity.

Key Underpinnings of the Field

The field of EE is characterized by key underpinnings, including a focus on learners of all ages—from early childhood to seniors. It focuses on the importance of experiential, interdisciplinary education, and helping all learners develop problem-solving and decision-making skills, understand how to be a civically engaged citizen, and how to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable society. EE also advances key societal issues—from the Next Generation Science Standards to STEM to climate change education.

• Focus on systems thinking
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Environmental Education Professionals

Environmental education is a broad umbrella that is focused on creating a more sustainable future using the power of education. In addition to being a process for learning, it is a profession that is focused on using best practice in education to help create societal change to address the social and environmental issues facing society. Environmental educators work in all segments of society. They work with students, teachers, administrators, and school boards to green schools—focusing on curriculum, professional development, schoolyards, and school buildings, and more. They work with businesses to educate managers, employees, and vendors about environmental, health, and economic issues. They are facilitators of citizen science programs to help people understand the scientific process and use the data to help protect species, habitat, communities, and ecological processes. They are professors in universities who train the next generation of teachers, environmental professionals, business leaders, and others. They work with journalists to tell the story about the value of environmental education and with decision makers to advocate for environmental education. They work hand-in-hand with conservation professionals to help engage people and communities in finding solutions to conservation issues—from loss of biodiversity to climate change. And they work with health professionals who educate doctors, nurses, and other health professionals about the critical link between health and environment and how to increase time in nature to address health issues. They are naturalists helping to connect more people to nature and build stewardship values that last a lifetime. 

More about environmental education: EE Briefing for Grantmakers Across the Spectrum Guidelines for Excellence Framework for Assessing Environmental Literacy

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The Importance of Environmental Education for a Sustainable Future

Environmental education is vital to winning the fight against climate change. Without it, the leaders of tomorrow will be ill-equipped to overcome the environmental challenges the world will face. Parents and teachers can help students understand their role as environmental stewards by encouraging student outdoor learning programs and supporting young folks who engage in student activism. To celebrate World Teachers’ Day 2023, which every year falls on October 5, we take a look at the importance of environmental education and how to address climate change in classrooms.

Education can make a difference in the fight against climate change. Recent surveys show that people with more education were more likely to view climate change as a threat and that, today, most people see climate change as a major threat to our planet.  

However, promoting environmental education in schools can be tricky. Climate change is seen as a bipartisan “political” issue in some countries, and many educational bodies push against climate education entirely. 

More must be done to ensure that young people have access to environmental education. Robust climate education will give the decision-makers of tomorrow the skills they need to advocate for nature, protect vulnerable environments, and mitigate the effects of global warming. 

The Importance of Environmental Education

Education is often overlooked in the fight against climate change. While policy changes and global commitments are necessary to prevent global warming from further worsening, improved education is the first step toward achieving our goals. 

Environmental education can help alleviate climate anxiety , too. This is broadly defined as a “chronic fear of environmental doom” and may be exacerbated by a lack of understanding. Educational resources that clearly explain the mechanisms behind global warming equip students with the knowledge they need to do something about climate change. This can help them feel empowered and foster a greater appreciation for the planet’s resources. 

Environmental education can also promote critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. This is particularly important today, as students need to be able to evaluate the long-term impact of social, economic, and ecological policies. Combating climate change effectively requires a global effort and activism often relies heavily on a thorough understanding of the issue and the ability to persuade others that something must be done. 

Improvements in public education may also promote a sense of stewardship and aid conservation efforts. In particular, environmental education programming can make a real difference to researchers who are advocating for policy changes. 

For example, recent public programmes like the BBC’s Planet Earth II and Wild Isles appear to have significantly impacted researchers at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. Reflecting on the public program, Professor Callum Roberts states that the “UK must now deliver genuine protection for wildlife,” and should focus on building resilience against climate change. 

Connecting Students with High-Quality, Reliable Resources

Environmental education can empower the decision-makers of tomorrow and improve the public understanding of climate change. However, connecting students with the resources they need to understand global warming can be difficult – particularly if students live in a nation like the US, where climate change is seen as a partisan “political” issue. 

Climate-aware parents can introduce their children to climate change with outdoor play in natural environments. Natural playgrounds, like those built from sustainable materials and found objects, are the perfect place to discuss environmental protection and the importance of stewardship over the Earth’s resources. 

Living a sustainable lifestyle at home can be an important part of children’s environmental education. Parents can help their kids understand the importance of sustainability by reducing their home’s carbon footprint together, by implementing and practicing environmentally friendly habits in the home. Simple sustainable activities — such as upcycling furniture and composting leftover food scraps as well as teaching children how to recycle – help reduce our own emissions and promote a sense of responsibility for the environment. 

You might also like: How to Live a More Sustainable Life in 2023

Student Activism

A sense of stewardship is vital for the long-term preservation of the Earth’s natural resources. However, students who care about climate change should be empowered to engage in activism, too. Youth activism has a meaningful impact on policy and shows politicians that climate change is a hot-button issue for future voters. 

Successful activism begins by educating students about the issues. Teachers can strengthen their students’ understanding of climate change and ecological protection by hosting student projects that encourage outdoor learning . By building eco-systems on school grounds or signing up for community clean-ups, students will learn to take pride in the world around them and become well-equipped to share their knowledge with others.

Most high schools and universities have a climate advocacy group that young people can join to amplify their voices and make a difference. Students can further their climate advocacy by joining groups that have partnered with the Climate Action Network (CAN). The CAN helps 1900+ organisations get the support and funding they need to prevent environmental degradation and fight climate change. 

Climate-conscious students can also partner with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like: 

• African Conservation Foundation
• Born Free USA
• Break Free From Plastic

These NGOs tackle the biggest environmental issues today and can put students in a position to maximise their impact and gain important professional development skills. 

You might also like: How Youth Climate Action Is Shaping a More Sustainable Future

Professional Development

Preventing climate change requires more than goodwill and public understanding. The decision-makers of tomorrow need to be equipped with interdisciplinary skills to tackle the challenges that climate change presents. However, many teachers are ill-equipped to teach environmental education in their classrooms. 

More must be done to empower climate-conscious teachers. Professors should feel comfortable discussing the facts of climate change in their classrooms. They should be able to identify the transferable skills that their class can give to climate-conscious students. Fortunately, teachers today can find plenty of free resources from sites like: 

• Our own environmental news website dedicated to our younger audience, Kids.Earth.Org
• NASA’s Vital Signs of the Planet
• WWF’s Science that Affects Our World
• British Council’s Climate Resources for School Teachers

These resources are entirely free and can be weaved into any class. A climate-inspired project will help students connect with the importance of environmental education and give them the skills they need to take on skeptics in the future. 

Conclusion  

Environmental education is key to understanding and preventing climate change. A robust climate education can empower students and help them engage with advocacy and activism groups. Even minor education experiences, like participating in a community clean-up, can help students understand the importance of stewardship and build the interdisciplinary skills they need to advocate for environmental protection. 

In case you didn’t know, we have a Kids’ website aimed at explaining a wide range of environmental topics to younger generations. Visit Kids.Earth.Org to learn more about climate change

About the Author

Charlie Fletcher

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Green Failure: What’s Wrong With Environmental Education?

Marine conservationist Charles Saylan believes the U.S. educational system is failing to create responsible citizens who consider themselves stewards of the environment. To do that, he says in a Yale Environment 360 interview, educators need to go beyond rhetoric and make environmental values a central part of a public education.

By Michelle Nijhuis • May 26, 2011

In a new book, Charles Saylan, co-founder and executive director of the California-based Ocean Conservation Society, and his co-author pose a key question: What can the U.S. educational system do to improve students’ understanding of the environment and its importance in their lives?

The environment is often seen as a political issue and pushed to the margins of school curricula by administrators and parents, note Saylan and Daniel Blumstein, a biology professor at the University of California-Los Angeles, in The Failure of Environmental Education (And How We Can Fix It) . But at its core, the authors contend, environmental responsibility is a broadly held, nonpartisan value, much like respect for the law. As such, they believe, it deserves a central place in public education, with lessons on the environment permeating every student’s day. Environmentally active citizens, they say, should grasp everything from an understanding of tipping points to the “capacity to see intangible value in things: forests simply for the sake of the forest; the expanse of wilderness simply because it is alive, primal, and fiercely beautiful.”

In a Yale Environment 360 interview with journalist Michelle Nijhuis, Saylan emphasized his conviction that raising awareness is only half the job of environmental education. Students, he said, should be encouraged to tackle environmental problems in their own communities and should learn how the political process works and how they can act at the local, state, and national levels to turn individual beliefs into policy.

Saylan also talked about the frustrations and rewards of his own experiences as an environmental educator and laid out his vision of what must be done to fundamentally overhaul environmental education. If environmental education is to be truly effective in creating responsible citizens who will help stop human degradation of the environment, Saylan insists, it must go well beyond platitudes and the occasional class trip. Yale Environment 360: You’ve dedicated your personal life to marine conservation. What were some of your early experiences with environmental education? Charles Saylan: When I was growing up, there wasn’t any formal environmental education per se — at that time, we didn’t know we were messing things up as badly as we are. I grew up in California spending most of my time outdoors, either climbing or sailing. Nature was where I wanted to be — I felt quite at home in the wilderness — and as I grew older, I saw those areas where I’d grown up dwindling, and increasingly being encroached upon. It made me want to do something to protect those places. e360: Was there a person or an experience that initially drew you into nature? Saylan: Not really, but I was fortunate to grow up in a time when people had a different perception of their kids’ safety. When my friends and I were 12 years old, my parents dropped us off in Yosemite and left us there for three weeks to walk the John Muir Trail. I can’t imagine that happening these days. But it was a different time, and the world seemed a less dangerous place. e360: Your book has a provocative title: The Failure of Environmental Education . How has it failed?

Environmental education has failed because it’s not keeping pace with environmental degradation.”

Saylan: When we talk about failure, we’re being very pragmatic about it. We believe that environmental education has failed because it’s not keeping pace with environmental degradation, with human impacts on the environment. I also think that it’s failed to provoke action. We have this idea that environmental education should provide us with the tools we need to make informed decisions, but I don’t believe we’re making informed decisions as a society commensurate with the pace of our consumption of the environment, our destruction of the environment. So if one looks at environmental education from the standpoint of getting bang for the buck spent, so to speak — and we think that bang for the buck should be measured in tangible impacts such as reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions — it’s just not happening. e360: Was there a moment when you realized that environmental education was failing in this sense? Saylan: At the Ocean Conservation Society , we’ve done a lot of environmental outreach. And because we’re located in an affluent area, in west Los Angeles, we work with a lot of private schools. We also work with the city of Santa Monica, which is kind of the poster child for sustainable municipalities. In our book. we talk a lot about public education and how the standards on which public education is based don’t include environmental education. In private schools, especially these private schools, there’s a heavy emphasis on environmental education, and it’s a significant and strong part of the curriculum. And we didn’t see a lot of motivation in these kids. They knew the material and said what was expected of them, but we didn’t really see a change in behavior or a willingness to give something up for the benefit of the environment. Environmental education, typically, is based on this idea that if we make people aware, they’ll do the right thing. We were working with a highly aware community that wasn’t doing the right thing. I started to question whether awareness translates to action at all. e360: So what was missing? Saylan: Well, a lot of things, I think. In the book, we say clearly that we don’t have all the answers, that we don’t know the exact steps required for change, especially because the problems are different in every location and venue. But I think the biggest thing that’s lacking is relevance. I don’t think that environmental education as it’s currently taught directly affects the lives of the students we’re teaching.

At the Ocean Conservation Society, we did some environmental presentations on marine conservation at inner city schools. I went to a school in east L.A. where you had to go through metal detectors to get in, where the playground was filled with trash. And I felt very hypocritical giving a presentation to these kids, most of whom had never seen the ocean.

The affluent kids are oversaturated — they can quote Aldo Leopold, but it’s just academic to them.”

Why should they care? I don’t think environmental education asks that often enough. So we initiated a cleanup program on the water. We partnered with a local kayak manufacturer and took these kids out on the water, which was engaging and exciting for them — most of them had never been on water, much less paddled in a kayak. We trained individual teachers and parents in the use of the equipment and then gave them open access — they could bring their students whenever they wanted. At the same time, we provided open access to other programs that offered hands-on experience — whale watching, marine-mammal rehabilitation — things that kids could get interested in and then take part in as much as they liked. e360: Did you see those kids engage? Saylan: We had kids coming back weekly, not only because we were giving them a good time, but also because they were pulling trash out of the water, and they couldn’t ignore the mountain of junk that was coming out. That was a real object lesson.

In that program we worked with a lot of different schools, both inner city and highly privileged schools. We saw a lot of growth in motivation in the students, but interestingly, while most of the inner city schools continued the program, the affluent schools, for the most part, abandoned it. The affluent kids are oversaturated — they can quote Aldo Leopold, they know this stuff, but it’s just academic to them. e360: Another reason given for the failure of environmental education is the politicization of environmentalism in general. Saylan: Somewhere along the line, the environmental movement became synonymous with the hippie counterculture — in the media’s portrayal of it, and in some cases in environmentalists’ portrayal of themselves. As our world became more polarized, and as professional organizations began to manufacture doubt about science in the public mind, I think that association was increasingly used to politicize and marginalize environmentalism and environmental protection. Nowadays, environmentalism is often seen as simply an encroachment on the free market. That’s completely wrong — wrong in the sense that environmentalism is a responsibility of being alive, of our need to drink water and eat food. It’s an individual and collective responsibility, whether we acknowledge it or like it or not. e360: You say that the term “environmentalism” should be abandoned. What should it be called instead? Saylan: Responsible citizenship. e360: What are some of the first concrete steps that parents and teachers might take toward improving environmental education?

“Students need to learn what moral systems are so that they understand what makes a good society.”

Saylan: It’s easy to theorize — of course, the toughest thing is implementation. I think top-down reforms are necessary for change, but I’m not sure that we’ll be able to develop and put them in place in time to mitigate environmental degradation. I do think that locally and individually, parents and teachers can help. I hear kids in grocery stores telling their parents not to buy this or that product because of its environmental impacts — and I think those lessons come from individual teachers, because that’s not an institutional approach. We don’t teach externalities. e360: I think many classroom teachers would say that they’re already overwhelmed by trying to keep kids in school, preparing them for standardized tests, and teaching them essential skills. How can they fit environmental education into an already crowded school day? Saylan: Teachers are underpaid and undersupported, and they’re asked to do a very difficult, even impossible job. But I know at least 20 teachers I’ve worked with in the past 10 years whose classes are more motivated than the average, and who are themselves more motivated. They find a way to teach the importance of social engagement, and to insert some relevance for their students into the material they’re required to teach. I think we need to identify who those people are and support them as much as possible. e360: How specifically have teachers managed to teach these values in the classroom? Saylan: We’ve worked with Animo Leadership High School, which is a Los Angeles magnet school run by the teachers’ union. Its curriculum is full of community action and engagement — the kids go out in the community and set up gardens, or help people save energy and money by insulating their houses. They pick their own projects and stay with them from inception to completion, over the course of several semesters if not through their entire stay at the school. The kids are highly motivated, highly engaged in the community, and highly successful in the No Child Left Behind sense — the vast majority go to college.The teachers and administrators at that school are also unusually motivated — they don’t let the system beat them down, which the system tends to do. e360: You’ve emphasized that it’s impossible to write a general prescription for reform. But if the LA Unified School District were to adopt your suggestions, what might a typical high schooler’s day look like? Saylan: Well, it might not look that different than it does today, but the content might change. I would hope that some part of it would be spent outside. I would hope that students would get involved in changing their schools — physically changing the buildings — to make them more sustainable and more appealing to them, places where they wanted to spend time. Again, I think educational projects that involved community action would be a good thing. School gardens have proven to be a good idea on a lot of different levels — they have very direct, practical teaching potential.

I also think that schools should restore some of the programs they’ve begun to give up, like literature, poetry, and aesthetics. I think students need to get beyond this intense focus we have now on economic performance, and learn why we need to perform economically, why our society is the way it is. They need to learn about moral systems — they shouldn’t be taught a particular system of morality, but they need to learn what moral systems are so that they understand what makes a good society. e360: Speaking broadly, beyond the three R’s, what do you think every graduating senior in the United States should know? Saylan: They need to be scientifically literate — it’s hard for people to understand climate science if they’re not scientifically literate. They need to read about and understand the political process, and understand why discourse and compromise is important to that. If the public education system were to provide those kinds of skills — John Dewey types of skills — we’d have a healthier society. We’d all be more likely to sacrifice for the greater good, which is what we’ll need to do if we’re going to mitigate some the environmental problems that we have, and that are coming down the line.

e360: We’ve talked a lot about the problems with environmental education. Do you have a favorite moment from your own teaching experience where you saw environmental education really work in the way you envision it working? Saylan: The Ocean Conservation Society had a mentorship program in which we helped groups of middle-school students develop their own plans for environmental outreach or action. One group decided to give a presentation to the Culver City council in support of a ban on plastic bags. We coached the students, but they approached the city council and did the presentation on their own, and they were phenomenal. It was truly democratic action. e360: And did the bag ban pass? Saylan: Nope. But they learned how to find the right audience for their ideas and to make their voices heard. And they learned that if they didn’t succeed, they needed to go at it again.

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Global Education Monitoring Report

Education and climate change

Despite strong evidence on the impact of education on other development outcomes and the role it plays in developing professional capacity for sustainable development transitions, education is often absent from other sectors’ strategic, policy, planning and financing considerations. The Global Education Monitoring Report is introducing a new policy paper series to advance dialogue on the interrelationship of education with the other Sustainable Development Goals. 

The first paper in the series focuses on climate change. It starts by reviewing the growing impact of climate change on education development before turning to the role of education. Education has a somewhat underappreciated contribution to developing professional capacities for the transition to a green, circular and regenerative economy. Formal, non-formal and informal learning are also commonly believed to be playing a critical role in motivating actions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

Yet a positive association between education attainment and unsustainable consumption levels, as well as inconclusiveness of much research on the direct impact of education on climate change adaptation and mitigation actions has contributed to education receiving low priority in the global and national climate change agendas.

This paper argues that climate change education needs to adapt to fulfil its potential. The education paradigm cannot rely solely on knowledge transfer but needs to focus on social-emotional and action-oriented learning. 

Much of the inconclusive large-scale research has focused on the impact of education attainment and cognitive learning.  More research is therefore needed to assess those other drivers through which education can influence behaviours and motivate climate change action. Such research is needed to formulate viable education reform packages that improve the curriculum, strengthen climate-readiness of schools and education systems, engage learners and prepare teachers accordingly. 

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Environmental Education (EE)

Environmental education.

This website provides information about EPA activities and programs that support environmental education, including professional development, youth and educator recognition, and grants.  Environmental education increases public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues or problems. In doing so, it provides the public with the necessary skills to make informed decisions and take responsible action. 

Learn about EE

• What is EE?
• National Environmental Education Advisory Council
• Contact your Regional Environmental Education Coordinator .

• National Environmental Education Training Program
• Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators
• President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA)
• PEYA winners

Funding Opportunities

• 2023 Environmental Education Grant Solicitation Notices
• EE grants and how to apply

Join our mailing list to receive EE updates, announcements and more . 

• PEYA and PIAEE application period is now  open 
• EPA Selects Educational Organizations to Receive Over $3.1 Million to Support Environmental Projects Nationwide
• Environmental Education Resources - Learning Adventures at Home or at School

Related Information

• Support healthy and productive learning environments
• Learn about children's health and the environment
• National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)  and  EE Week
• Lesson plans, videos, project ideas, student awards and more
• EE guidelines
• Supporting Healthy Houses of Worship - Effective, affordable measures to protect the health of congregations and staff.
• Frequent questions about education and student activities at EPA .

What is Environmental Education? 

Environmental education is a learning process that increases people's knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations, and commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action.

Why Does Environmental Education Matter?

Did you grow up catching fireflies, playing in the creek, or building forts in your backyard?   Most children in today’s world won’t , which means that when they grow up, they may not have a vested interest in protecting our natural resources and natural spaces.  Environmental educators across North Carolina are working to change that. 

Environmental education is critical for a sustainable future. It provides time in, and a connection to, the outdoors which research has shown to improve academic p erformance and physical, mental, and emotional health - making it just as important for our participants as it is for the planet.  More than ever, children and adults need to know how ecological systems work and why they matter. The health of the environment is inseparable from humans’ well-being and economic prosperity . People require knowledge, tools and sensitivity to successfully address and solve environmental problems in their daily lives. 

Environmental education...has the power to transform lives and society. It informs and inspires. It influences attitudes. It motivates action. Environmental education is a key tool in expanding the constituency for the environmental movement and creating healthier and more civically-engaged communities. -North American Association for Environmental Education

Environmental education works.

Over the last few decades, thousands of studies have been completed to analyze the effectiveness of EE.  “The studies clearly showed that students taking part in environmental education programming gained knowledge about the environment. But the studies also showed that learning about the environment is just the tip of the iceberg.” (NAAEE)    

This research has demonstrated that environmental education:

Has widespread public support

Improves standardized test sc ores and academic performance

Promotes 21st century skills such as critical thinking, oral communication, analytical skills, problem solving, and higher-order thinking

Supports STEM topics and is interdisciplinary

Bolsters civic engagement and empowerment

Sparks stewardship behavior and environmental actions

Encourages students’ personal growth including teamwork, confidence, autonomy, and leadership

Increases motivation and interest in learning

Is an “equalizer” allowing educators to cater to multiple student interests, skills, abilities, and special needs,Helps improve teacher skills and classroom engagement

Is a cost-effective investment, promoting multiple environmental and societal benefits, and

Strengthens communities by connecting schools to local organizations and agencies.

To learn more about the original research, you can check out eeWorks and the Children’s and Nature Network’s Research Library.

Environmental Education Promotes

Environmental literacy.

“Environmental education is a resource that transcends the classroom—both in character and scope. In the classroom and beyond, the desired outcome of environmental education is environmental literacy.  What is Environmental Literacy? In North Carolina, environmental literacy is defined as the ability to make informed decisions about issues affecting shared natural resources while balancing cultural perspectives, the economy, public health and the environment. 

An environmentally literate citizen: 

Understands how natural systems and human social systems work and relate to one another,

Combines this understanding with personal attitudes and experiences to analyze various facets of environmental issues,

Develops the skills necessary to make responsible decisions based on scientific, economic, aesthetic, political, cultural and ethical considerations; and 

Practices personal and civic responsibility for decisions affecting our shared natural resources.

Environmental literacy is dependent upon formal education opportunities as well as nonformal education about the environment that takes place in settings such as parks, zoos, nature centers, community centers, youth camps, etc. It is the combination of these formal and nonformal experiences that leads to an environmentally literate citizenry.  North Carolina requires an environmentally literate citizenry who make informed decisions about complex environmental issues affecting the economy, public health and safety, and shared natural resources, such as the water, air and land on which life depends.” - North Carolina’s Environmental Literacy Plan

Ways to Get Involved in Environmental Education

Learn more about the organizations and research supporting environmental education. Increase our efforts to support North Carolina’s classroom teachers, naturalists, park rangers, nonformal educators, government employees, students and volunteers by contributing to EENC . Spread the word. Encourage your kids’ teachers to get involved.  Volunteer at your local environmental education center. Become an environmental educator. Join our community .

Want a printable copy of this information to share?  We have two PDF versions available:

With citations

With clickable links

Introduction to Environmental Education

• Open Access
• First Online: 30 September 2022

Cite this chapter

You have full access to this open access chapter

• Wei-Ta Fang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4460-0652 4 ,
• Arba’at Hassan 5 &
• Ben A. LePage   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3155-7373 4 , 6  

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development Goals Series ((SDGS))

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The concept of education is changing and that of the environment is also becoming different. Is environmental education: (1) a type of education to improve the environment; (2) education to improve the environment of education; or (3) a type of education to improve the education of people? In this chapter we focus on the ontology of the environment. In epistemology, we try to understand the nature and identity of the world around us and what environmental education is about. The purpose of environmental education is to cultivate citizens that: (1) have a working knowledge of environmental systems; (2) have concerns about environmental problems; and (3) have the capabilities to solve and actively participate in implementing solutions. Environmental problems must be solved through a root cause process, and environmental educators need to change the public’s mind on environmental issues using realistic and attainable education targets to establish environmentally friendly behaviors. Through outdoor, classroom, and nature-centered education programs, our goal is to establish important curriculum goals and novel learning methods for environmental education. Our goal is to have stakeholders consider environmental issues with open minds, understand the needs of other stakeholders, take a leadership role recognizing the existing and emerging environmental issues, and internalize them into specific environmental protective action plans.

All education is environmental education. By what is included or excluded, we teach students that they are part of or apart from the natural world. To teach economics, for example, without reference to the laws of thermodynamics or those of ecology is to teach a fundamentally important ecological lesson──that physics and ecology have nothing to do with the economy. That just happens to be dead wrong. The same is true throughout the curriculum. David W. Orr, What is Education for? 1991:52.

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Environmental Education

Learning Environments in Higher Education

1 introduction.

There are many definitions of education, but for education theory, Albert Einstein, who was a leader in pioneering educational reform point, had a unique point of view. He said: education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school (Fig.  1.1 ). Before the nineteenth century, education was the process of remembering or memorization. The  San Zi Jing  (Three-character Sutras) 《三字經》 that had been passed down to the people since the Southern Song Dynasty in China-proposed:

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school (Einstein 1879–1955) (Cheng-Jun Fang at the Busan National Science Museum, Busan, Republic of Korea, 2019) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

Recite them with the mouth, and ponder over them in your hearts. Do this in the morning; do this in the evening.

Sun Zhu (孫洙) (1711–1778) of the Qing Dynasty once said:

After reading three hundred Tang poems, you can at least in tone poems even if you can’t write them.

It has always been the case that students learn as much as possible until they become familiar. However, there are other theories that have always been disgusted with learning. Einstein believed that real learning is the process of internalizing information. Wang Yangming (王陽明) (1472–1529) of the Ming Dynasty stated in the Book of Instructions for Practical Living and Other Neo-Confucian Writings 《傳習錄》 that the most important things reading requires is self-mindedness, understanding second, and finally memorization. A friend once asked him, “How can I read a book but I can’t remember,” Yangming’s response was:

As long as you know, how do you remember? To know that it is the second meaning, you need to know your own self-ontology. If you want to remember, you do not know; if you want to know, you don’t see your own identity in your mind.

In other words, the more a human learns, the more they have yet to learn. If the purpose of learning information is because of a test requirement, then the information stored in our short-term memory serves the purpose of taking the examination, but recalling the information is often not possible because the information is not true memory. As students we’ve all experienced memorizing an amazingly large amount of information for an exam and flushing these data from our minds as soon as the exam was over. However, there are instances where information can be recalled for no apparent reason. These remnants of information that we internalized is what was really learned. Therefore, education and learning were intended to convey human thought through books; however, history shows that we’ve endured at least seventeen global pandemics since the 1300’s (Piret and Boivin 2021 ) and two world wars in the twentieth century. Since then, all established education methods are constantly being recast. Recitation no longer has a place in the original meaning of education. Yuval N. Harari (1976–), the author of Sapiens : A Brief History of Humankind (2011), and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2016), argued in 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) that the existing education system should use critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, and creativity to replace the current emphasis on intellectual indoctrination (Harari 2018 ).

If the concept of education is changing, then the definition of the environment is also changing. David W. Orr (1944–), a professor of environmental and political studies at Oberlin College, once said: All education is environmental education (Fig.  1.2 ; Orr 1991 :52).

All education is environmental education (Cheng-Shun Fang at Fulong, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2020) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

When we teach environmental education, we often ask our students and ourselves: Is environmental education , the process to improve the environment , to improve the educational environment , or to improve the education of people? We need to understand the own body of human beings and to enhance the thinking from the original human engraved thinking. In the process of interpretation, we understand epistemology to understand the nature of matter and understand what the environment is.

1.1 The Environment is a Concept

The environment refers to the space in which human beings can perceive their surroundings. In space, you can perceive all things that change in structure and function over time. In other words, the true nature of all things must be in a certain environment, even a vacuum is regarded as an environment (Baggini and Fosl 2003 ). Therefore, the environment is a concept that is bounded by space. However, in phenomenology, the environment incorporates the concept of time. The Austrian philosopher Edmund Husserl (1859–1938) believes that the human impression of the environment and the world will not gradually disappear due to the evolution of time, and because of the memory function of the brain, the human impression of the deceased. Therefore, the existence of the deceased can persist in perpetuity in the world as long as the living still remembers those that came before because they are stored in the brain as a living impression. These existing memory phenomena gradually change the human imagination of the dead over time. The concept of the environment means different things to different people because every person has their own interpretation or understanding of their environment, which is based on the spatial and temporal elements that they’ve experienced. In an ideal world, the definition of environment would mean the same to everybody, but inevitably, each person’s view of the environment is different.

For phenomenon scholars, existence is a base on self-awareness of all phenomena. Therefore, the person’s environment is the perceptual medium of a living being to an external stimulus, including the systemic sum of space and time of the instinctive response to the external stimulus (Crowther and Cumhaill 2018 ). What a living organism understands about its environment includes the perception of elapsed time and distance in its space. Therefore, to understand the nature of things, we must also recognize or be cognizant of the changes in our environment through space and time (Baggini and Fosl 2003 ).

The definition of environment varies with context and discipline. For biological/ecological systems, the natural environment refers to the sunlight, climate, soil, hydrology, and other ecosystems in which animals and plants coexist and within which we live. The social environment refers to the constitutive state formed by the social, psychological, and cultural conditions associated with human life and culture. From the perspective of environmental protection, the environment refers to the earth on which human beings depend. Therefore, the effectiveness of achieved protection is a critical indicator for revealing environmental quality in a region (Huang et al. 2014 ). In addition, we also need to understand the definition of environment in terms of regulations.

1.2 Lost in Translation

As it turns out the words environment and education were originally considered nouns and verbs and later translated and adopted into Asian cultures about one hundred years after appearing in English culture. We began to think about the concept of environmental education after World War II. In their 1947 book Communitas , the Goodman brothers talked about the planning of urban space where they discussed the idea of establishing green belts around cities and the design of industrial spaces, which at the time were utopian concepts (Goodman and Goodman 1947 ). They believed that a large part of the environmental education of the children would be based on technology; whereas a child brought up in a modern suburb or city might not even know what work papa does at the office . They also criticized the idea of environmental education because they felt environmental education was very close to the construction education of a built environment. In fact, it was far from the concept of environmental education.

From 1965 to 1970, US industrial production grew at a rate of 18% and at the same time, it boosted the economies of its World War II allies. However, the over-emphasis on development led to increased environmental pollution and since the 1960s, environmental problems arising from industrial development continue to emerge (e.g., love canal, Fowlkes and Miller 1987 ). The green agricultural revolution widely used chemical fertilizers and pesticides and among them, Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) hindered the reproductive ability of birds and reduced biodiversity. The book, published by Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring ( 1962 ) pointed out the consequences associated with the use/abuse of pesticides, which become incorporated into food chains and webs, negatively impacting natural ecosystems and human health. Carson believed that human beings should treat the surrounding environment and animals with a life-loving vision. She said: The public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road, and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts (Carson 1962 :30). In the post 1960s, the slogan of environmental protection rang through the sky and the concept of the environmental protection movement gradually espoused the definition of environmental education in conservation.

2 Definition of Environmental Education

The term environmental education appeared in 1947. So, when did the earliest definition of environmental education come into being? The concept of environmental education in terms of modern pedagogy and its evolutionary history feels closely tied to our understanding and development of human psychology, sociology, and how humans learn. In this context, environmental education is a relatively recent field of study and predicated on the acceptance of our hypotheses by a small community of scholars.

If we look further back in time at the development of human cultures at a time when formal education systems did not exist, our ancestors then need to be recognized. In many/most indigenous cultures, the people learned about the environment within which they lived and passed their knowledge and skills to future generations, otherwise, they all died.

We, therefore, also need to identify several elements in indigenous cultures that are related to their knowledge base and resource management systems that could be of value to western science, but the semantic issues associated with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Traditional Ecological Management (TEM) can be overwhelming (Song et al. 2021 ). We may regard that TEK and TEM should be considered to be an element of the environment associated with indigenous cultures that is defined by their relationship and interactions with the environment, including all of the other biotic, abiotic elements present in their habitats. So, let’s take the definition way back and show how we used TEK and TEM to develop our knowledge systems relative to western science.

2.1 Initial Definition of Environmental Education

In 1962, Carson explained the importance of environmental protection and hoped to learn the ecological balance of nature through human awakening would achieve the purpose of harmonious coexistence between human and nature. In 1965 at an education seminar at the University of Keele environmental education was proposed as a theme, becoming the first conference in the UK to use the term environmental education (Palmer 1998 ). The meeting participants agreed that environmental education should become an essential part of all citizens , not only because of the importance of understanding aspects of their environment , but because of its immense educational potential in assisting the emergence of a scientifically literate nation . The meeting emphasized that teachers’ participation in basic education research should be strengthened to accurately determine the teaching methods and content of environmental education that are most suitable for modern needs. Therefore, the United Kingdom held a Council for Environmental Education in 1968.

In 1969, William Stapp (1929–2001), a professor at the University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), first defined environmental education as a process producing a citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the biophysical environment and its associated problems , aware of how to help solve these problems , and motivated to work toward their solution (Stapp et al. 1969 :30–31). According to Stapp, the purpose of environmental education was to cultivate citizens who had environmental knowledge, were concerned about environmental problems, and had the ability to solve and actively participate in the resolving the issues. Environmental problems should be resolved using root cause analyses and environmental educators should change the minds of the existing education targets and establish environmentally friendly behaviors.

Stapp is considered the father of environmental education in the United States of America (USA). He helped plan the first Earth Day in 1970, drafted the National Environmental Education Act, served as the first director of United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the first director of the Environmental Education at UNESCO, and promoted the first inter-governmental meeting of 146 countries and territories in Tbilisi, the former Soviet Union, in 1978. In 1984, Stapp assisted students to investigate cases of hepatitis infections from the Huron River, identify the cause of the problem, and worked with the local government to find a solution. In view of the importance of river surveys, he founded the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN) in 1989. He cooperated with elementary schools in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA and conducted many field trips with local elementary students and they investigated and taught students about problems in the natural environment and how to interact with them. He cared about academic research and more about social services, and led college students to promote environmental monitoring programs and successfully rehabilitate the Rouge River. In western science, the roots of environmental education can be traced back 1960s as early as the eighteenth century when Jean-Jacques Rousseau stressed the importance of an education that focuses on the environment (Rousseau and Bloom 1979 ).

2.2 The Extended Definition of Environmental Education

Stapp and his colleagues promoted the definition of environmental education, which was based on American pragmatism. They believed that emphasizing environmental knowledge could change reality through the power of action. Therefore, practical experience in environmental education was considered important because it emphasized taking knowledge and using that knowledge and/or experience to solve problems on natural resource management (Disinger 1985 ; 1990 ). Thus, environmental action or doing was better than dogma, and environmental experience was better than rigid principles. Therefore, the concept of environmental education had evolved to become a critical and creative clarification for research questions and value clarification (Harari 2018 ), interpreting environmental knowledge as a process of assessing the real environment, and scientific exploration (Fig.  1.3 ). The spirit of humanity, the standard of conduct was then incorporated into the real environment of human beings.

Academic institutions need to provide environmental education-related courses such as basic environmental research and environmental science such as a study camp, Taipei, Taiwan, 2019 (Photo by Yi-Te Chiang)

To promote environmental protection, academic institutions needed to provide environmental education-related courses such as basic environmental research, science, planning, management, economics, society, culture, and engineering. At the grade school level, the students should be taught the history of environmental protection and environmental protection measures. The aforementioned courses are meant to be broad because the environment and the associated issues are complicated. The environment and its associated ecosystems are not one size fits all. Not only are ecosystems different from one another the variation within each is vast. As such, Wals et al. ( 2014 ) considered the learning content of environmental education to be multi-disciplinary, based on environmental problem assessment, critical thinking, morality, creativity, and make judgments on environmental issues. The process of environmental education helps observation and problem-solving, with the opportunity for individuals to promote environmental improvement actions to ensure positive environmental behaviors (Fig.  1.4 ). Therefore, environmental education includes the social, abiotic, and biological aspects, of the environment including natural resource conservation, environmental management, ecological principles, environmental interactions and ethics, and sustainability (Fig.  1.5 ).

Environmental education helps develop observation and problem-solving skills and provides opportunities for individuals to promote environmental improvement actions to ensure positive environmental behaviors (Audubon Nature Center, Rhode Island, USA, 2015) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

The target of environmental education should include a continuum from primary school to the university and include theoretical, practical, indoor, and outdoor experiences. This is a group of people enjoying nature in a Swiss environmental education program in 2009 (Matterhorn, Great north faces of the Alps, Valais, Switzerland) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

Environmental Education is defined in many ways, but each definition considers it to be a discipline or process that teaches us how to behave in a manner that promotes the responsible management of our environment and resources. This then helps the environment function in a more natural way, rather than healing anthropogenic wounds. We detected the Environmental Education Act in Taiwan (Republic of China), there is. …as a discipline that enhance the environmental awareness , environmental ethics , and responsibility of the nation taking as a whole, so as to safeguard the ecological balance of the environment , respect lives, promote social justice , and cultivate environmental citizens and environmental learning communities (The Environmental Education Act) (Ministry of Justice 2017 ). Therefore, in terms of education content, environmental education was intended to integrate aspects of biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and geography as an integrated discipline toward an education for sustainability (EfS) (Evans 2020 ). Methods of educational research include the applied social sciences such as psychology, sociology, culture, history, anthropology, economics, political science, and information science.

The First International Working Meeting on Environmental Education in the School Curriculum was organized by the UNESCO, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Nevada, USA in 1970. A participant resolution developed the statement that the elements of environmental education are not completely combined by any single discipline. It is the product of partnerships built on sound science, public awareness, environmental issues, and outdoor educational methods (Fig.  1.6 ). UNESCO specifically stated that environmental education programs taught students a respect for the nature and natural environments and raised citizens' environmental awareness (UNESCO 1970 ). Therefore, the organization emphasized the importance of environmental education in protecting the society’s quality of life in the future by protecting the environment, eradicating poverty, minimizing inequality, and ensuring sustainable development. Cerovsky ( 1971 , p. 4) defined environmental education as.

…a process of recognizing values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and attitudes necessary to understand and to appreciate the interrelatedness among man, his culture, and his biophysical surroundings. Environmental education is also entailed practice in decision-making and self-formulation of code behavior about issues concerning environmental quality.

Environmental education also includes the dissemination of environmental education with outdoor media (Wei-Ta Fang, Ben A. LePage, and their students at Dagouxi Riverside Park, Neihu, Taipei, Taiwan, 2021) (Photo by Yi-Te Chiang)

The target of environmental education includes education in the school system, and education from primary, middle, vocational, and technical schools, universities, and research institutes. However, environmental education also includes the dissemination of environmental education, including print, books, websites, and other media. In addition, aquaria, zoos, parks, and nature centers in social environmental education should all provide ways to teach citizens about the environment (Fig.  1.6 ) (see Box 1.1 ).

Box 1.1: The Legal Definition of Environmental Education, Republic of China (ROC)

The Article 3 of Republic of China’s Environmental Education Act stated as Environmental education : Referring to the adaptation of educational means by which to culminate the citizens to understand their ethnical relationship to the environment , enhance the citizens ’ environmental protection awareness, skills, attitudes and values , and steer the citizens to emphasize the environment and adopt actions to achieve a civility education process that harbors sustainable development .

2.3 The Goals of Environmental Education

The attendees of the Tbilisi Conference in 1977 endorsed goals for environmental education into five categories (UNESCO 1977 ). They are:

Awareness: to help social groups and individuals acquire an awareness of and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems;

Knowledge : to help social groups and individuals gain a variety of experiences in and acquire a basic understanding of the environment and its associated problems;

Attitudes : to help social groups and individuals acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment and the motivations for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection;

Skills: to help social groups and individuals acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems; and

Participation: to provide social groups and individuals with the opportunities to be actively involved at all levels in working toward resolving environmental problems (UNESCO 1977 , p. 71).

Hungerford et al. ( 1980 ) organized and suggested that these goals should be operationalized within the school curriculum and categorized into four (4) levels (Table 1.1 and Figs. 1.7 , 1.8 and 1.9 ).

Goals of environmental education (adapted and modified after Hungerford et al. ( 1980 ) and revised by Wei-Ta Fang)

Harold Hungerford (left), Trudi Volk (middle), Arba’at Hassan (right) (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

Harold Hungerford (left), mentor and advisor of Arba’at Hassan (right) (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3 Approaches to Environmental Education

In this section we discuss various methods/pedagogies used in the field of environmental education. Environmental education, like science education, is interdisciplinary and offers a variety of learning strategies, which are determined by learning resources, learning time, learning space, learning curriculum, and student attributes. These differences all affect education approaches in some way. We briefly describe outdoor education, classroom education, and nature-centered education. We include the following seven methods, including: school environmental education, school nature education, place-based education, and projects curricula; and nature center education in social and environmental education, science and environmental education in zoos and museums (Falk 2009 ; Falk and Dierking 2014 , 2018 ; Ardoin et al. 2016 ) or environmental education using surveys, assessments and actions on environmental issues (Hsu et al. 2018), and science-technology-society (STS) (Winther et al. 2010 ). Each approach addresses important curriculum goals and novel learning methods for environmental education. Therefore, environmental educators should choose and apply the most effective methods for their students and environment. We also explore sustainable development education from the perspective of environmental education. We also understand that a well-rounded curriculum aims to strengthen environmental awareness and environmental sensitivity, environmental knowledge, environmental ethics and values, environmental action skills, and environmental action experience. We explore values, topics, and learning in the context of Bamberg and Moeser ( 2007 ), Winther et al. ( 2010 ) and Dillion and Wals ( 2006 ).

3.1 Outdoor Education

Outdoor education is based on a place-based education and project curricula in the United States that include: the Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, and Project WET. In addition, surveys, assessments, and actions on environmental issues, as well as environmental education in STS that can be used for exploration, included the following methods (Braus and Wood 1993 ; Engleson and Yockers 1994 ).

3.1.1 Uses of the Senses

Let the learners use their senses to experience nature directly using their eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body to feel the environment over the four seasons (Fig.  1.10 ).

Use of the senses (Photos by Arba’at Hassan)

3.1.2 Physical Exercises and Explanations

By using real examples, objects that can be obtained, and through practical methods, the natural or scientific phenomena contained in the environment are directly explained by practical performance, allowing learners to observe directly or actual experience (Fig.  1.11 ).

Physical exercises and explanations (Photos by Arba’at Hassan)

3.1.3 Surveys and Experiments

Let learners think about environmental issues and environmental phenomena through the steps of generating a hypothesis, survey, data collection, experiments, data collection, analysis, writing of small papers, briefings, etc., and actually discuss what happens behind various environmental phenomena problem.

3.1.4 Attractions Travel

Let learners go to various attractions and actually visit forests, mountains, seashores, wetlands and other areas to observe and obtain first-hand tourism and observation experiences (Fig.  1.12 ). Each observation and survey is a purposeful activity, and learners can learn about certain topics in advance through books, the Internet, and scenic spot information.

Outdoor education is based on a place-based education and project. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), North American for Environmental Education (NAAEE), and Environmental Protection Administration of the Executive Yuan, Republic of China (Taiwan EPA) are the key to promote environmental education as partnerships. They jointly launched the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) in 2014, with the vision of creating a sustainable future where people and the environment prosper together through the power of education. The GEEP established the Asia–Pacific Regional Center (APRC) in Taiwan as a network center for environmental education in Southeast Asia in 2019 (Toucheng Leisure Farm, Ilan, Taiwan, 2021; please see https://geepaprc.org/en ) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

3.1.5 Research Questionnaires and Interviews

An issue questionnaire is performed through research methods for small papers. Through this approach, learners can obtain relevant environmental information. The perceptions and ideas of different interviewers, in addition to quantified research data, are to conduct interviews to understand qualitative information and to make more environmental issues for an in-depth discussion (Fig.  1.13 ).

Research questionnaire and interview (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3.1.6 Outdoor Observation of Nearby Places

Using the method of place-based education, selecting nearby places, conducting environmental surveys or observation activities, actually guiding learners to study in outdoor environments, and helping learners to understand the natural exploration, experience, and awareness (Fig.  1.14 ).

Outdoor observation at nearby mangrove places (Photos by Wei-Ta Fang)

3.1.7 Data Collection and Interviews

Let learners collect the data on specific environmental issues so that they can have a deeper understanding of related environmental issues or areas of study, through the library, Internet, photographs, and interview specific people to help clarify questions when facing environmental problems if more information is needed (Figs. 1.15 ).

Assembly photos. Left side: People need to help clarify questions when facing environmental problems (Yongchunpi Wetland Park, Taipei, Taiwan, 2021) (Photo by Yi-Te Chiang); Right side: Data collection and interview on the charcoal making from mangrove trees, 2008 (Photos by Arba’at Hassan)

3.2 Classroom Education

Classroom education in environmental education includes campus environmental education, which can develop place-based education, project curricula, and STS (Winther et al. 2010 ). During the learning process, teachers are encouraged to participate in professional learning sessions, and fully understand the learner’s learning role, that include:

3.2.1 Reading and Writing

In the classroom, students read environmental issues and events and write their thoughts and feelings in notebooks. Younger students can draw their thoughts and ideas (Fig.  1.16 ).

Reading and writing in the classroom (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3.2.2 Case Study

Let learners directly collect and integrate data on environmental issues or discuss and assess the environmental impact of related issues on our day-to-day lives and to think about how to deal with environmental damage (Fig.  1.17 ).

A case study of urban park (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

3.2.3 Value Clarification

Let learners use each other’s relationships between value and morality for discussion and communication. During the discussion, through mutual discussions, establish conclusions that everyone can accept to assist learners to establish correct environmental attitudes and values. That is, set up some ground rules so the environment remains safe.

3.2.4 Treemap and Brainstorming

Through brainstorming or treemap thinking, help learners connect different relationships, situations, ideas, and processes to understand the relationship of events (Figs. 1.18 and 1.19 ).

Value clarification (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

Treemap and Brainstorming session (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3.2.5 Debate

Through debate activities, learners can learn from different topics facing the environment, and learn to use data collection, communication, and critical thinking skills (Fig.  1.20 ).

Debate on an environmental issue (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3.2.6 Group Learning

Through the process of group learning, in addition to being able to face environmental issues more effectively and conduct more in-depth discussions, learners can learn to establish team tacit understanding, self-social ethics norms, and know the thoughts deep inside themselves. This illustrates the importance of diversity and inclusion in the program (Fig.  1.21 ).

The group learning activity (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3.2.7 Environmental Arrangement

Through the environmental arrangement activities of the beginning of school, festivals, or parent-teacher talks, let learners participate in the creation and arrangement of teaching space. In addition, to help learners have a complete learning space, they can also learn to judge the overall environmental learning.

3.2.8 Comprehensive Discussions

Scout courses covering aspects of integrated geography, mathematics, nature, health and hygiene, or Chinese language learning areas, and in-depth research and discussion on environmental issues and issues (Fig.  1.22 ).

All students take part in comprehensive discussions (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

3.2.9 Activity Workshop

Let learners guide the demonstration and teaching of personnel, learn to operate, or produce a kind of labor course that requires hands-on work, and use hands-on operations. The process of the drill included working experience in farming, forestry, fishing, insect hotel building, animal husbandry, and the creation of handicrafts (Figs.  1.23 and 1.24 ).

An activity workshop (Photo by Arba’at Hassan)

We are just another bug on this planet (Ben LePage at Taiwan Insect Hall, Taipei, Taiwan, 2022) (Photo by Swing Chan)

3.2.10 Game Learning

Game learning is different at different levels. This is important because it brings to mind what today’s youth think is important and fun. For example, we think memorization is boring and old school, what will the younger generation of student’s think about these new approaches in 50 years? 100 years? How do we keep our learning methods current in the face of rapidly changing technologies, norms, and values? In game learning, open-ended play is adopted. The rich teaching materials of games are the basis of learning. In modeled-play, learn using simulated creatures and playing with pets (Fig.  1.25 ). In purpose-framed play, games are used for experience and teacher-student interaction is used (Cutter-Mackenzie et al. 2014 ).

The outdoor game learning (Velsen Otte and the cat “Noodle”) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

3.2.11 Environmental Action

Use STS learning methods to allow learners to participate in practical environmental actions such as ecological management, persuasion, consumerism, political action, and legal action, and work together to improve environmental issues (Fig.  1.26 ).

The Environmental action on wetland (Keita Furukawa, front person, and Jung-Chen Huang at Taijiang National Park, Tainan, Taiwan) (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

4 Development of Environmental Education

The implementation of environmental education is to adopt an infusion method and conduct integrated curriculum across learning areas to connect the relationship between the surrounding their environment. Environmental education professionals generally believe that the environmental education be integrated into the school curriculum of each school year, from kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12). However, discipline integration of environmental education has not occurred in countries around the world. How to integrate environmental education into the subject in the school curriculum requires the use of teaching materials and methods (Fig.  1.27 ). This may be related to the type of teaching in each subject (Simmons 1989 ). If the core of environmental education is to incorporate the behavioral decisions of governments, enterprises, families, and individuals into the education process, then the development of environmental education from kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) needs to be considered and economic development, a parallel trend of environmental development that takes into account social development.

We have developed environmental education programs from kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) from the supports of Ramsar Regional Center–East Asia and National Geographic Society during 2018 (Taipei, Taiwan, 2018) (Photo by Yi-Te Chiang)

The teaching model of traditional environmental education is centered on environmental issues. However, this kind of teaching method only focuses on knowledge transfer. It does not consider social emotional learning. At the same time, it does not consider the formation of environmental attitudes, and it is difficult to cultivate responsibility—environmental behavior students. Furthermore, environmental education places too much emphasis on analysis of issues, so that students learn learned helpless. It has a sense of despair and helplessness about the future development of the global environment. It is impossible to learn through a position of control—motivation and perseverance to change the world. In addition, emotional changes in environmental education are not easy to change through indoor courses, students are easily frustrated in the classroom, and it is difficult to learn the true meaning of pro-environmental behavior. If we say that the past education focused on one-way narrative transmission, we should then look at environmental issues with a healthy mindset. By caring about environmental protection issues, based on teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and domain knowledge (Shulman 1986a , b ; 1987a , b ; Fig.  1.28 ), supporting the idea of ​​a sustainable worldview, strengthening the content of various disciplines in a common learning approach, and internalizing it into specific environmental protection actions.

The content of teaching content is a kind of comprehensive knowledge. It is the knowledge that teachers can use in teaching after integrating various kinds of knowledge (Illustrated by Wei-Ta Fang)

The so-called pedagogical content knowledge model, the content includes the teacher’s understanding of specific subject content, the teacher’s grasp and use of specific subject content representation, and the teachers ‘learning and learners’ understanding. The content of teaching content knowledge includes the content of subject knowledge and general teaching knowledge, and goes beyond the teaching material knowledge itself. The teaching content knowledge was proposed by an American educational psychologist, named Lee Shulman (1938–). He believes that the subject teaching knowledge goes beyond the scope of subject expertise and is subject matter expertise at the teaching level. Shulman pointed out that teachers’ knowledge can be divided into three categories, namely, pedagogical knowledge, subject matter knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman 1986a , b ; 1987a , b ). Teaching knowledge emphasizes the principles, methods, and strategies of teaching. Disciplinary content knowledge emphasized teachers’ knowledge on the facts, concepts, principles of the subject areas, and how they are organized. In addition, teaching content knowledge emphasizes that when teaching, teachers know how to use a systematic statement of their subject content knowledge, make it easy for students to understand the subject content through the most effective teaching method, and teachers can understand students’ previous concepts of the subject content, Reasons for learning difficulties and strategies for remedial teaching.

Shulman said: Teaching content knowledge means that teachers must be able to express what they are teaching. In the category of teaching content knowledge, teachers include the most taught topics and the most effective forms of expression in the subject.

They are the most powerful analogies, examples, illustrations, demonstrations, and clarifications. That is, teachers regroup in special subjects of the subject and behave in an appropriate way to promote students to understand the content of the teaching. Knowledge of teaching content also includes teachers understanding what factors make it difficult or easy for students to learn about specific concepts when learning, and to understand the concepts and prerequisite concepts held by students of different ages and backgrounds when studying these topics. (Shulman 1986b :9).

Communication environmental and educational concepts, goals, methods, and strategies are based on the concept of immersive environmental education. Explore the in-depth fields of environmental education according to the different cultural and social backgrounds of teachers (Fig.  1.29 ). Therefore, based on the critical analysis of the problem, the process of learning is more important than the outcome. Moreover, the limitations of environmental, social, and economic issues, are understood, thus the teaching content can be linked to the real world.

Exploring the in-depth fields of environmental education is crucial according to the different cultural and social backgrounds of teachers (Photo by Wei-Ta Fang)

Environmental education is not only about providing tools and technology but also necessary to cultivate students’ environmental literacy. Therefore, the teaching of environmental education, in addition to teaching knowledge, also needs to inspire students’ social responsibility. Therefore, environmental education needs to put forward values and strengthen the thinking of sustainable development in the curriculum. The main core lies in the fundamental values of “sustainable development education.” UNESCO defined the core according to the following topics:

Respect the dignity and human rights of all human beings worldwide and commit to social and economic justice for all;

Respect the human rights of future generations and promise intergenerational responsibilities (Kaplan et al. 2005 ; Liu and Kaplan 2006 );

Respect and care about the diversity of life in large communities, including the protection and restoration of the earth's ecosystem; and

Respecting cultural diversity and promising to build tolerance, non-violence, and a culture of peace locally and globally.

4.2 Exploration Topics

4.2.1 environmental orientation.

Environmentally oriented education needs to include attention on natural resources (like water, energy, agriculture, forestry, mining, air, waste disposal, toxic chemical treatment, and biodiversity), climate change, rural development, and sustainability. The purpose of mitigation and adaptation in the cities, disaster prevention, and mitigation are to strengthen the understanding of the fragility of resources and the natural environment, strengthen the understanding of the negative impact of human activities and decision-making on the environment, and include environmental factors. These factors must be considered in formulating socio-economic policies.

4.2.2 Economic Orientation

The Economic Oriented Education needs to focus on the issues of poverty eradication, strengthening the social responsibility of enterprises and universities, and strengthening the efficiency of the market economy. The purposes are to understand limitation, potential on an economic growth, and how they could affect the society, environment, and culture. The impact of environmental protection, culture, and social justice on the correct assessment of individual and social consumption behavior is consistent with the goal of sustainable development.

4.2.3 Social Orientation

Socially Oriented Education needs to include concerns about human rights, peace and human security, freedom, gender equality, cultural diversity, and cross-cultural understanding, as well as emphasis on social and personal health, and strengthening government management and people’s governance. Its purpose is to understand the role of social systems and environmental change in development and to strengthen models and institutions of democratic participation. The democratic participation system provides opportunities to express opinions, adjust conflicts, decentralize government, build consensus, and resolve differences. In addition, cultural assessments in society need to be strengthened to protect the values , practices, languages, and knowledge systems (Arenas et al. 2009 ). At the same time, the cultural foundations of social, environmental, economic, and the sustainable development, are seen as inter-connected. In other words, sustainable development emphasizes interrelationship through culture. In the process of sustainable development education, it is particularly necessary to pay attention to the diversity of culture and ethnic groups, and each ethnic group tolerates, respects, and understands each other in order to shape the values of equality and dignity.

We can know that the exploration of sustainable development education to embedding sustainability from environmental education can be an overlapping circle model, which is an intersecting system (Purvis et al. 2019 ). This model recognizes the intersection of economic, environmental, and social factors. Based on our research, we resized the circles to show that one factor has advantages over the other two. In the eyes of economists, economy is better than society and society is better than environment. This model means that economy can exist independently of society and environment. Therefore, we use the next more accurate system model for illustration (Fig.  1.30 ).

The environment-oriented, economic-oriented, and social-oriented rendezvous system (Illustrated by Wei-Ta Fang)

Because human beings cannot survive outside of their environment, they do not have an environment. It is just like a fish without water, which makes it difficult for them to survive. If we ask all the fishermen in the sea if overfishing the fisheries is a social disaster or an economic disaster, they will then say that it is all the above. Therefore, the nested dependency model reflects the reality of this common dependency. In other words, human society is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment. An economic society, without food, clean water, fresh air, fertile soil, and other natural resources, we are “cooked.”

Environmental Education in the twenty-first century and Education for Sustainable Development have also regarded as the key to reconstructing ecologically responsible citizens to embrace a pedagogy grounded in ecosocialism (Arenas 2021 ). With the adoption of the 2030 Global Education Agenda, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is now using the United Nation’s recently developed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to strengthen the Global Action Follow-up Program on Education for Sustainable Development (i.e., GAP 2030). In general, the purpose of environmental education is to cultivate citizens who understand the biophysical environment and related issues, how to help solve problems, and actively understand the ways to solve problems (Stapp et al. 1969 ). Currently, we provided a wider range of services, strengthened appreciation of the multicultural and environmental systems around humanity, and ensure the sustainable development of human society. Shin Wang (1945–), the emeritus professor of the Department of Geographical Environmental Resources, National Taiwan University, once said: “Hometown is the beginning of learning. You need to be based on Taiwan to look at the world.” The transformation of social environment and silent environmental changes to the environmental protection of the aboriginal people has produced their own views of environmental redemption (Fang et al. 2016 ).

At the beginning of the writing of this book, we always told ourselves in the heart: “The environment and ecology are extremely vulnerable, and only those of us who are not fame and fortune environmentalists will help the speechless environment.”

In light of today’s social consumerism, inequality has occurred in three areas: environmental, social, and economic. We strengthen our creativity sharing our experiences within the education system with others to develop a shared social imagination. We communicate the concepts of the environment and education based on the concept of immersive environmental education. Therefore, the environmental education concepts, implementation processes, and education policies listed in this chapter have achieved the feasibility of environmental education in various fields through teaching, research, and practice. Environmental education is not just about providing tools and technologies, it is important to cultivate a learners’ environmental literacy. Therefore, the teaching of environmental education, in addition to teaching knowledge, also needs to inspire students’ social responsibility.

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Fang, WT., Hassan, A., LePage, B.A. (2023). Introduction to Environmental Education. In: The Living Environmental Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4234-1_1

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A pending task: 5 reasons why we need environmental education, take advantage of and strengthen the potential of children, adolescents and young people to face the challenges related to climate change.

• Available in:

Climate crisis, environmental degradation and biodiversity are existential threats to children's ability to survive and thrive, and negatively affect access to water, sanitation and hygiene services. 

Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the world regions most affected by climate change and external meteorological phenomena, causing serious damage to health, life, food, water, energy and socioeconomic development in the region[1]:

• 55 million children are exposed to water scarcity;  
• 60 million children are exposed to cyclones; 
• 45 million children are exposed to heat waves; 
• 105 million children are exposed to air pollution.

Education plays a key role in climate action. However, what we have learned does not prepare us for the challenge we face as a society. It is imperative, then, to incorporate environmental education in schools.

But why do we need environmental education, here are five things you need to know:

• Environmental education is more than just information about the environment. Environmental education[2]: increases awareness and knowledge about environmental issues; teaches individuals to think critically; improves problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Access to environmental education for children will help them prepare to face the effects of climate change comprehensively from a responsible citizen's point of view, defending and being consistent with these values in all areas.[3]
• Environmental education bestows students with appropriate skills, knowledge, behaviours and attitudes to cope with a rapidly changing world and climate and promotes both personal and systemic transformation towards more sustainable lifestyles. 
• Through education, children can contribute to all aspects of climate change policymaking, mitigation, and adaptation.[4]  
• Schools are spaces to create and implement environmental solutions that generate more sustainable lifestyles and strengthen resilience to climate change. 

The potential of children and youth as agents of change must be seized and strengthened from the school level, placing education at the center of their empowerment to participate and lead processes, programs and policy initiatives that address the main challenges related to climate change, including ecosystem restoration and conservation processes, new patterns of production and consumption, as well as adaptation to sustainable lifestyles.  

Children are powerful agents for change. When access to essential services such as water and sanitation, health and education is improved, their ability to survive climate hazards can be greatly enhanced.

We need environmental education, it's a #PendingTask.

[1] https://www.unicef.org/reports/climate-crisis-child-rights-crisis [2]  https://www.epa.gov/climate-change/climate-change-resources-educators-and-students   [3]  https://www.unesco.org/en/education/sustainable-development/climate-change   [4] Climate change education for sustainable development: the UNESCO climate change initiative

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Students explore Ecuador's environment

Through a winter break study abroad program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, students connect with Indigenous communities to discuss environmental concerns.

• Tyler Bauguess

28 May 2024

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Alexa Marshall harvesting avocados at Hacienda Verde, a permaculture farm in the Andean dry forest. Photo by Morgan Harvey for Virginia Tech.

Immersive explorations of the Amazon rainforest, the Andes Mountains, and the Galapagos Islands are one of the ways College of Agriculture and Life Sciences  students can spend their winter breaks.

Led by Matt Eick , a professor at the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences , a group of students embarked on a journey to Ecuador to witness the intricate relationship between humans and the environment.

“The students experienced first-hand environmental issues such as climate change, plastic pollution, ecosystem degradation, and how our everyday actions and choices affect these issues,” Eick said.

Engaging with local traditions

At Hacienda Verde, a local organic farm outside of Ecuador's capital, students met with Lucia De La Torre, ethnobotanist and owner of Hacienda Verde, to discuss sustainable agriculture practices and the importance of medicinal plants deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. Torre demonstrated how aloe vera can be used as a natural toothpaste and shampoo. Students also saw how the Cochineal bug is used to create a red dye for products such as oil, soap, and cosmetics.

Visiting a local clinic for Indigenous Quichua that combines traditional and Western medicine, students had the opportunity to witness a local medicine woman, or yatchak, conduct a cleansing ritual using an egg and herbal plants on one of the students. The purpose of this ritual is to determine the individual’s ailments and is often used in conjunction with traditional Western medicine for Indigenous populations, especially those who are older and may be skeptical of Western medicine.

Artisanal weaving with Indigenous people from Otavolo also made its way onto the trip's itinerary. The group of students harvested reeds and weaved them into baskets to be sold at a local market. They also used natural dyes made from local plants to add color to the baskets.

Students also experienced Ecuador’s natural beauty and waterways with a kayaking expedition at Lake Lago San Pablo.

From left: Leo Zurita, Marina Eichenberger, Adam Clark, Maria Zurita, Bridget Crotty, Matt Eick, Alexa Marshall, and Ava Lambert on Lake Lago San Pablo. Photo by Matt Eick for Virginia Tech.

Witnessing environmental issues

"As an environmental science major and a nature lover, the most impactful part was seeing the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest firsthand," said Morgan Harvey, a student in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences.

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, students interacted with the Huaorani community. Discussions centered on the impact of oil drilling, deforestation for road construction, and the complex dynamics of Indigenous communities adapting to modern pressures while striving to preserve their heritage.

In the Andes mountains, students ventured into the Paramo, an alpine tundra with unique vegetation and soils. They witnessed the impacts of mining, agriculture, and grazing, highlighting the delicate balance between human activities and ecosystem health.

The expedition culminated in the Galapagos Islands, where students were immersed in the challenges facing marine ecosystems, including overfishing, tourism pressures, and plastic pollution. Students saw first-hand the effect of plastic pollution while snorkeling on the beaches of San Cristóbal.

Working with partners

Before the trip, students took part in six pre-departure meetings with Virginia Tech’s partners at the University of San Francisco Quito’s Office of International Programs. In addition to logistics, packing, health, and safety, students discussed environmental concerns, health issues, and the culture and history of Ecuador.

“This was the eighth time that I have conducted this study abroad program, and it continues to strengthen our relationship with the University of San Francisco in Quito,” said Eick. “Additionally, I have several students who are interested in returning to Ecuador to work at several of the places that we visited.”

Produce harvested at Hacienda Verde. Photo by Morgan Harvey for Virginia Tech.

Morgan Harvey weaving reeds into a basket with the help of a local Otavolo woman. Photo by Matt Eick for Virginia Tech.

Sam Herrin partaking in an indigenous cleansing ritual. Photo by Matt Eick for Virginia Tech.

Jordan Horral harvesting avacado from a tree in the Amazon rainforest. Photo by Morgan Harvey for Virginia Tech.

Tom Soladay

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• Global Education
• School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
• Study Abroad

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An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov . This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

What is Environmental Education?

Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.

• Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges
• Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges
• Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental quality
• Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges
• Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges

Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. Rather, environmental education teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving and decision-making skills.

The National Environmental Education Act of 1990  requires EPA to provide national leadership to increase environmental literacy. EPA established the Office of Environmental Education to implement this program.

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