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.

The components of environmental education are:

 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.

IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Education is the most powerful and dominant influence which one can use to change the world,
perhaps proven by many other scholars around the world which is why we need to educate
ourselves about the importance of environmental education in order to make the world a better
place to live in. Before going deep into environmental education, we will understand the concept
behind it all together.
When we talk about education, it is very important to understand why environmental education
is important? Let us remind ourselves that we are responsible for how we shape our environment
because only by creating awareness about the harmful effects of environmental damage can help
us build a safe and secure future for our children.
When we are educated about the environment, we must identify our responsibility as global
citizens and make a positive change for our planet earth which will help us utilize our resources
more efficiently and without harming our environment as well.

The need of environmental education for children

Below are major points of imparting Environmental Education to our children-
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
 Educational Achievements – By providing environmental education to students they will
engage problem-solving techniques of the outer world to their subjects to understand a
particular problem by implying outdoor environmental solutions.
 Health Benefits – Environmental Education gives students a new meaning to exploring
mother nature to see and resolve the issues which are harmful to the environment and this will
also help them in maintaining their own health by doing physical work so that their bodies
will be immune from some serious health issues such as short-sightedness, obesity and in
some cases even lack concentration.
 Future proof planning – This is one of the issues which we need to deal with because if we
don’t educate our kids about the hazardous effects of environmental damage there will be no
future of the world.
 Education in this field will give students a new meaning to problem-solving techniques as
they will solve real-world problems. They will also think beyond today for becoming future
proof and investigate the situation carefully and take preventive measures in the future for
environmental safeguarding.
 Managing teams – Working in teams is another example of Environmental education as it
gives kids a new meaning to solve a certain problem by doing teamwork.
 This will also bring out the leadership qualities in them as they will lead the path for their
team to stop people from throwing garbage anywhere and also spread awareness to other
people that use only non-plastic goods for the betterment of the environment.
 The use of plastic is one of the big environmental issues in the past few decades. We can
reduce the plastic accumulation to some extent if we stop using at least single-use plastic.
This small step can make a big difference to deal with this environmental issue.
 Producing Environment Activist – When we educate students about the environment and
motivate them to take initiative to protect it as a major part of their life they will become
activist for the environment and stop others from harming the environment by creating
platforms for the awareness of the need and importance of environmental education in
every part of the society.
 Improving concentration – Nowadays there are a lot of distractions in a society which
diverts the attention of students from their education to some other side. By educating them
about the environment they will be able to focus more on real-world problems as they are the
ones who will be analyzing and solving the problems of the environment to promote more
greenery everywhere.
 Benefit for Schools – It is a very beneficial plan for schools because it will help them in
promoting real-life learning and also help in understanding their surroundings. Schools can
make environmental education as a mandatory subject for every student so that it will help
everyone to focus more on different situations of real life.
 The teacher and students can also run various projects that spread awareness in children about
environmental issues. These projects should also include measures that can be followed to
save the environment. These projects will also help to encourage children about how they can
cooperate in environment conservation.
 Participating in Outdoor activities – This is perhaps very useful for the health of children
because it has been proven that kids who have a green playground in their school premises are
more likely to get less sick and be more active and energetic in daily life.
 Now a day’s children love to spend more time on indoor activities like playing video games.
Unfortunately, indoor activities act as an obstacle in children’s mental and physical growth.
Parents should take initiative and encourage their kids for outdoor activities by joining them.
Children always follow the footprints of their parents, hence try to be their role models.
 Promoting New Educational methods – Environmental Education is more of the
responsibility which is to be done every day by students as well as teachers which will
encourage them to go out and take practical activities as to how to conserve energy and
environment. It will also help them to explore and learn new innovative techniques that will
help them understand conservation more easily.
 Cutting back on expenses – By learning how to protect the environment students need to
participate in maintaining the school premises as well because it is better to start first where
you actually belong i.e. school and home.
 It will be very beneficial for schools as it will reduce the maintenance cost of the surrounding
which will automatically cut back on the annual cost of overall expenses.
 For example – Motivate your kids to switch off the electric switches and other appliances
when not using it, make your kids aware of the 3 R’s i.e. Reduce Reuse & Recycle, encourage
them to close the taps after use to save water, etc.
 Encouraging more institutions – If more organizations will adopt environmental education
as their priority then there will be more kids as well as adults who will help in conserving the
environment and also help in creating more awareness amongst others.
 The global youth is playing an important role in spreading awareness about environmental
issues worldwide. For example– In 2017, a student activist from the University of Sussex
 named Paris Palmano had set up “Climate Action Movement”. The main objective of this
movement was to spread awareness of climate crisis and possible preventive measures to deal
with climate change.
 There is another example from India where the students of Great-men International School,
Madhya Pradesh has taken initiative in 2010 to plant almost 1100 sapling to save the
environment. There are many other examples where the students from different schools have
taken the initiative to protect mother Earth.
 It is very important for educational institutes to start teaching students how to safeguard our
environment and save natural resources.
 Adapting technology – There are various measures that are used by organizations by using
the latest technology and advancement in conserving the environment and also help them in
promoting the huge online campaign to create awareness on this matter, which will bring
people together on the environment education promotion.
 As per the present scenario, there are various major environmental issues that require
advanced technologies to save nature. For example- technologies to develop renewable
energy, to save endangered animals, energy-saving technologies, to deal with climate change
& global warming, etc.
 Promoting Sustainability -Environmental Education helps in building the natural world,
gives knowledge and method to solve complex environmental issues which also gives
advancement to productive economies and harmony among communities. Being constant in
promoting awareness is the key.