introduction essay about environmental awareness

Environmental Awareness Essay

Environmental awareness is discussed and studied by many. However, to make an impact, we must be aware of the problems and solutions. We will start with what we are doing wrong and move toward what needs to be done to improve our environment . Some ways to take care of our environment are to practise recycling, follow proper garbage disposal protocol, avoid using our cars too much and rely more on public transportation instead.

Every day we hear about how our planet is changing. The need for environmental protection arises from the changes in rising carbon dioxide levels, which causes drastic changes in our environment. The rising levels of carbon dioxide result in changes in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide traps heat, which leads to a rise in atmospheric temperature. When a plant dies, more carbon dioxide is released into the air. This can cause more temperature changes and less oxygen in the air. To help slow down this process, we have to take care of the environment before it is too late. Now, let us read BYJU’S essay on environmental awareness and understand the importance of protecting the environment.

Importance of Environmental Awareness

We wish to have a good life for our children. We can ensure our children and future generations enjoy the best quality of life by taking small steps every day towards protecting the planet. Let us read about environmental awareness by referring to BYJU’S environmental awareness essay .

One of the first steps to becoming more environmentally conscious or environmentally aware is by reducing our energy usage. This may also mean driving less polluting vehicles.

Environmental awareness is critical because it can help us to become aware of the impacts on the Earth created by human activities, leading to global warming. It can also help us to create a more sustainable world by promoting renewable resources, such as solar, wind and water .

Causes of Environmental Pollution

The environmental pollution that we face today is caused by many factors. A major cause of environmental pollution is mismanagement of oil production and transportation. Due to this, there are oil spills worldwide that destroy aquatic life. Another issue related to environmental pollution is global warming . The increase in greenhouse gases causes a rise in the planet’s atmospheric temperature. Hence, it is important to be environmentally aware and protect the environment. To understand more about this cause, read BYJU’S environmental problems essay.

To conclude, being environmentally aware is essential. We must ensure not to pollute our precious nature and exploit natural resources. For more kids learning activities, such as GK questions and stories , visit BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions on Environmental Awareness Essay

Why should we protect the environment.

Environmental protection is so vital that each person can make a difference. Whether it’s recycling, lowering your carbon footprint, or driving electric cars, there are many ways to reduce pollution. By reducing pollution and keeping the Earth healthy, we can continue to live on the planet for years to come.

What are the causes of environmental pollution?

The causes of environmental pollution are many, but the most common is improper disposal of waste and overconsumption. We must take care of our planet and use resources wisely not to leave future generations with a polluted Earth.

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Essay on Environmental Awareness | Importance & Ways to Promote it

Essay on Environmental Awareness | Concept, Importance & Measures to be taken to Promote Environmental awareness

The place we live in forms the environment. Environment is sum total of all the things that surround us. It is a set of relationships between and among all these things. The environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the importance of its protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to become an environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future for our children.

Concept of Environmental Awareness:

Environmental awareness is the ability to perceive and understand the environment around us. It is the understanding of how our actions impact the environment and how the environment impacts us. It includes an understanding of environmental concepts, principles, and laws. It also includes taking action to protect the environment.

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Importance of Environmental Awareness

Our environment is under constant threat. Our actions have a direct impact on the environment and the health of our planet. We need to be aware of the consequences of our actions if we want to protect our environment.

Environmental awareness is important for multiple reasons. Firstly, it is necessary for the survival of humans and other species. We depend on the environment for our food, water, and air. If we do not take care of the environment, we will not be able to survive. Secondly, environmental awareness is important for the health of our planet. The Earth is facing many environmental problems, such as climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

These problems are caused by human activity, and they are having a negative impact on the Earth’s ecosystems. If we do not take action to protect the environment, these problems will get worse and the Earth will become less habitable for humans and other species. Thirdly, environmental awareness is important for the future of our planet. Our actions today will have an impact on the future of the Earth. If we do not take care of the environment, we will leave a legacy of environmental problems for future generations.

How Can We Promote Environmental Awareness?

There are many ways to promote environmental awareness. Here are some suggestions:

1. Educate yourself and others about environmental issues. 2. Advocate for policies that protect the environment. 3. Support businesses that are environmentally responsible. 4. Reduce your own environmental impact. 5. Recycle and compost as much as possible. 6. Save energy by conserving resources. 7. Avoid products with excessive packaging. 8. Buy eco-friendly products. 9. Plant trees and support forest conservation. 10. Participate in citizen science projects.

Responsibilities of Students to promote environmental awareness

There are a number of things students can do to promote environmental awareness, firstly, we need to educate ourselves about the issues and then educate others. We can support businesses that are environmentally responsible, reduce our own environmental impact and recycle as much as possible. Planting trees is also a great way to promote awareness as well as helping to conserve forests. Finally, we can participate in citizen science projects which help to collect data on the environment.

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Environmental awareness is important for the survival of humans and other species, the health of our planet, and the future of our planet. We can promote environmental awareness by educating ourselves and others about environmental issues, advocating for policies that protect the environment, supporting environmentally responsible businesses, reducing our own environmental impact, recycling and composting as much as possible, saving energy, avoiding products with excessive packaging, buying eco-friendly products, planting trees and supporting forest conservation, and participating in citizen science projects. Let’s take action to protect our environment!

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Essay on Environment: Examples & Tips

Updated on
May 30, 2022

In the 21st century, the Environmental crisis is one of the biggest issues. The world has been potentially impacted by the resulting hindrance in the environmental balance, due to the rising in industrialization and urbanization. This led to several natural calamities which creates an everlasting severe impact on the environment for years. To familiarize students with the importance environment, the subject ‘Environmental Studies’ is part of the curriculum in primary, secondary as well as higher school education. To test the knowledge of the students related to Environment, a question related to the topic in the form of essay or article writing is included in the exam. This blog aims to focus on providing details to students on the way, they can draft a well-written essay on Environment.

This Blog Includes:

Overview on environment, tips on writing an effective essay, format (150 words), sample essay on environment, environment essay (100 words), essay on environment (200-250 words), environment essay (300 words), world environment day.

To begin the essay on Environment, students must know what it is all about. Biotic (plants, animals, and microorganisms) and abiotic (non-living physical factors) components in our surroundings fall under the terminology of the environment. Everything that surrounds us is a part of the environment and facilitates our existence on the planet.

Before writing an effective essay on Environment, another thing students need to ensure is to get familiarised with the structure of essay writing. The major tips which students need to keep in mind, while drafting the essay are:

Research on the given topic thoroughly : The students must research the topic given in the essay, for example: while drafting an essay on the environment, students must mention the recent events, so to provide the reader with a view into their understanding of this concept.
Jot down the important points: When the students research the topic, students must note down the points which need to be included in the essay.
Quote down the important examples: Students must quote the important examples in the introductory paragraphs and the subsequent paragraphs as well.
Revise the Essay: The student after finishing writing students must revise the content to locate any grammatical errors as well as other mistakes.

Essay on Environment: Format & Samples

Now that you are aware of the key elements of drafting an essay on Environment, take a look at the format of essay writing first:

Introduction

The student must begin the essay by, detailing an overview of the topic in a very simple way in around 30-40 words. In the introduction of the essay on Environment, the student can make it interesting by recent instances or adding questions.

Body of Content

The content after the introduction can be explained in around 80 words, on a given topic in detail. This part must contain maximum detail in this part of the Essay. For the Environment essay, students can describe ways the environment is hampered and different ways to prevent and protect it.

In the essay on Environment, students can focus on summing the essay in 30-40 words, by writing its aim, types, and purposes briefly. This section must swaddle up all the details which are explained in the body of the content.

Below is a sample of an Essay on Environment to give you an idea of the way to write one:

The natural surroundings that enable life to thrive, nurture, and destroy on our planet called earth are referred to as an environment. The natural environment is vital to the survival of life on Earth, allowing humans, animals, and other living things to thrive and evolve naturally. However, our ecosystem is being harmed as a result of certain wicked and selfish human actions. It is the most essential issue, and everyone should understand how to safeguard our environment and maintain the natural balance on this planet for life to continue to exist.

Nature provides an environment that nourishes life on the planet. The environment encompasses everything humans need to live, including water, air, sunshine, land, plants, animals, forests, and other natural resources. Our surroundings play a critical role in enabling the existence of healthy life on the planet. However, due to man-made technical advancements in the current period, our environment is deteriorating day by day. As a result, environmental contamination has risen to the top of our priority list.

Environmental pollution has a detrimental impact on our everyday lives in a variety of ways, including socially, physically, economically, emotionally, and cognitively. Contamination of the environment causes a variety of ailments that can last a person’s entire life. It is not a problem of a neighborhood or a city; it is a global issue that cannot be handled by a single person’s efforts. It has the potential to end life in a day if it is not appropriately handled. Every ordinary citizen should participate in the government’s environmental protection effort.

Between June 5 and June 16, World Environment Day is commemorated to raise awareness about the environment and to educate people about its importance. On this day, awareness initiatives are held in a variety of locations.

The environment is made up of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, water bodies, fish, humans, trees, microbes, and many other things. Furthermore, they all contribute to the ecosystem.

The physical, social, and cultural environments are the three categories of environments. Besides, various scientists have defined different types and numbers of environments.

1. Do not leave rubbish in public areas. 2. Minimize the use of plastic 3. Items should be reduced, reused, and recycled. 4. Prevent water and soil contamination

Hope the blog has given you an idea of how to write an essay on the Environment. If you are planning to study abroad and want help in writing your essays, then let Leverage Edu be your helping hand. Our experts will assist you in writing an excellent SOP for your study abroad consultant application.

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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Essay on Environmental Awareness

Environmental awareness is a powerful force that encourages us to understand and care for the world around us. It’s about recognizing the importance of our environment, the challenges it faces, and the actions we can take to protect it. In this essay, we will explore the significance of environmental awareness, its impact on our planet, and why it is crucial for our future.

Understanding Environmental Awareness

Environmental awareness is the recognition that our actions have consequences on the natural world. It involves being conscious of the environment’s value, the threats it faces, and the responsibility we bear to safeguard it for ourselves and future generations.

The State of Our Environment

Our planet faces numerous environmental challenges, including climate change, deforestation, pollution, and habitat destruction. These issues affect not only our ecosystems but also human health, food security, and quality of life. Understanding the gravity of these challenges is the first step toward addressing them.

Promoting Responsibility

Environmental awareness promotes a sense of responsibility toward our planet. It encourages us to make choices that minimize harm to the environment and reduce our ecological footprint. By being mindful of our actions, we can contribute to a healthier world.

Environmental Education

Environmental awareness goes hand in hand with education. Schools, museums, and organizations play a crucial role in teaching us about the environment and its complexities. Environmental education equips us with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed decisions.

Advocacy and Action

Being aware of environmental issues empowers individuals to become advocates for change. When we understand the problems our environment faces, we can take action by supporting conservation efforts, participating in community cleanups, or advocating for eco-friendly policies.

Connection to Nature

Environmental awareness fosters a deeper connection to nature. When we appreciate the beauty and importance of our natural surroundings, we are more likely to value and protect them. This connection enriches our lives and enhances our well-being.

A Global Perspective

Environmental awareness extends beyond our local communities; it has a global perspective. It reminds us that environmental issues are interconnected, and solutions often require international cooperation. Climate change, for example, is a global challenge that demands a collective response.

Positive Impact

Environmental awareness leads to positive changes in behavior. People who are environmentally conscious are more likely to conserve energy, reduce waste, recycle, and support sustainable practices. These actions collectively reduce the strain on our planet’s resources.

Health Benefits

Caring for the environment is not just about protecting the planet; it’s also about safeguarding human health. Clean air and water, as well as access to green spaces, contribute to our physical and mental well-being. Environmental awareness reinforces the need for a healthy environment.

Conclusion of Essay on Environmental Awareness

In conclusion, environmental awareness is a vital force for positive change in our world. It encourages us to recognize the challenges our environment faces and the role we play in either exacerbating or alleviating them. By understanding the significance of our natural surroundings and the impact of our actions, we become stewards of the Earth, working together to protect and preserve it.

Environmental awareness is not a passive concept; it’s a call to action. It empowers us to make choices that benefit both the environment and ourselves. As we move forward, let us embrace environmental awareness as a guiding principle in our lives, fostering a deeper connection to nature and a commitment to a sustainable and harmonious future for all living beings on our precious planet.

Also Check: List of 500+ Topics for Writing Essay

Environmental Issues Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on environmental issues.

The environment plays a significant role to support life on earth. But there are some issues that are causing damages to life and the ecosystem of the earth. It is related to the not only environment but with everyone that lives on the planet. Besides, its main source is pollution , global warming, greenhouse gas , and many others. The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth.

Source of Environment Issue

There are hundreds of issue that causing damage to the environment. But in this, we are going to discuss the main causes of environmental issues because they are very dangerous to life and the ecosystem.

Pollution – It is one of the main causes of an environmental issue because it poisons the air , water , soil , and noise. As we know that in the past few decades the numbers of industries have rapidly increased. Moreover, these industries discharge their untreated waste into the water bodies, on soil, and in air. Most of these wastes contain harmful and poisonous materials that spread very easily because of the movement of water bodies and wind.

Greenhouse Gases – These are the gases which are responsible for the increase in the temperature of the earth surface. This gases directly relates to air pollution because of the pollution produced by the vehicle and factories which contains a toxic chemical that harms the life and environment of earth.

Climate Changes – Due to environmental issue the climate is changing rapidly and things like smog, acid rains are getting common. Also, the number of natural calamities is also increasing and almost every year there is flood, famine, drought , landslides, earthquakes, and many more calamities are increasing.

Above all, human being and their greed for more is the ultimate cause of all the environmental issue.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Minimize Environment Issue?

Now we know the major issues which are causing damage to the environment. So, now we can discuss the ways by which we can save our environment. For doing so we have to take some measures that will help us in fighting environmental issues .

Moreover, these issues will not only save the environment but also save the life and ecosystem of the planet. Some of the ways of minimizing environmental threat are discussed below:

Reforestation – It will not only help in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem but also help in restoring the natural cycles that work with it. Also, it will help in recharge of groundwater, maintaining the monsoon cycle , decreasing the number of carbons from the air, and many more.

The 3 R’s principle – For contributing to the environment one should have to use the 3 R’s principle that is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Moreover, it helps the environment in a lot of ways.

To conclude, we can say that humans are a major source of environmental issues. Likewise, our activities are the major reason that the level of harmful gases and pollutants have increased in the environment. But now the humans have taken this problem seriously and now working to eradicate it. Above all, if all humans contribute equally to the environment then this issue can be fight backed. The natural balance can once again be restored.

FAQs about Environmental Issue

Q.1 Name the major environmental issues. A.1 The major environmental issues are pollution, environmental degradation, resource depletion, and climate change. Besides, there are several other environmental issues that also need attention.

Q.2 What is the cause of environmental change? A.2 Human activities are the main cause of environmental change. Moreover, due to our activities, the amount of greenhouse gases has rapidly increased over the past few decades.

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Persuasive Essay: Environmental Issues

Resources & Preparation
Instructional Plan
Related Resources

Critical stance and development of a strong argument are key strategies when writing to convince someone to agree with your position. In this lesson, students explore environmental issues that are relevant to their own lives, self-select topics, and gather information to write persuasive essays. Students participate in peer conferences to aid in the revision process and evaluate their essays through self-assessment. Although this lesson focuses on the environment as a broad topic, many other topics can be easily substituted for reinforcement of persuasive writing.

Featured Resources

Persuasion Map : Your students can use this online interactive tool to map out an argument for their persuasive essay.
Persuasive Writing : This site offers information on the format of a persuasive essay, the writing and peer conferencing process, and a rubric for evaluating students' work.
Role Play Activity sheet : Give your students the opportunity to see persuasion in action and to discuss the elements of a successful argument.

From Theory to Practice

The main purpose of persuasive texts is to present an argument or an opinion in an attempt to convince the reader to accept the writer's point of view.
Reading and reacting to the opinions of others helps shape readers' beliefs about important issues, events, people, places, and things.
This chapter highlights various techniques of persuasion through the use of minilessons. The language and format of several subgenres of persuasive writing are included as well.

The inquiry approach gives students the opportunity to identify topics in which they are interested, research those topics, and present their findings. This approach is designed to be learner-centered as it encourages students to select their own research topics, rather than being told what to study.

The Saving Black Mountain project highlighted in this article exemplifies critical literacy in action. Students learn that, in a democratic society, their voices can make a difference.
Critical literacy goes beyond providing authentic purposes and audiences for reading and writing, and considers the role of literacy in societal transformation. Students should be learning a great deal more than how to read and write. They should be learning about the power of literacy to make a difference.
Endangered species and the environment are compelling topics for students of all ages and excellent raw materials for literacy learning.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Materials and Technology

Chart paper and writing materials
Computers with Internet access

Role Play Activity sheet

Preparation

Student objectives.

Students will

Develop a critical stance in regard to environmental issues
Research information to support their stance
Write persuasive essays
Participate in peer conferencing
Evaluate their writing through self-assessment

Independent Work

Students should complete their revisions and prepare a final draft of their persuasive essays to be submitted on the established due date. In addition, students should self-assess their essays using the “Persuasive Essay Rubric.” Finished essays should be submitted, along with the ”Conferencing with a Peer” handouts, the self-assessment rubrics, the persuasion map printouts, and any notes or information printed off the Internet that was used to support the writing.

Have students share their essays with the class and discuss or debate the topics. Students can also examine the essays to see which ones do the best job of persuading the audience and why.
Encourage students to write their essays in the form of a letter and send them to a particular person or organization that has an interest in the specified topic. For example, it may be appropriate to send letters to politicians, corporations, the President, etc. Students can use the interactive Letter Generator to compose their letters.

Student Assessment / Reflections

The “ Conferencing with a Peer ” handouts should clearly show that the writer followed the persuasive essay format. If any elements were missing from the conference sheet, the final draft should reflect that revisions were made to incorporate comments and suggestions from the peer conferencing session.
The “ Persuasive Essay Rubric ” can be used as a guide to determine whether the student understands all the elements of writing a persuasive essay. Weak areas should be discussed with each individual student for future writing pieces. Strong areas should be reinforced and commended. Individual conferences between the teacher and student would allow for discussion of particular strengths and weaknesses, as well as future goals for the student as a writer.
Evaluate the completed persuasive essay to assess each student’s ability to compose a thesis statement and to use appropriate language and voice in the essay. Does the essay include an introduction, body, and conclusion? Does it include supporting information to support the student’s stance in the essay?
Engage students in thinking about how they envision they will be able to use this style of writing in the future. Do they feel this skill will benefit them and in what ways? (This reflection can be completed during individual conferencing, through journal writing, or added to the self-assessment rubric.)
Calendar Activities
Lesson Plans
Student Interactives

Students analyze rhetorical strategies in online editorials, building knowledge of strategies and awareness of local and national issues. This lesson teaches students connections between subject, writer, and audience and how rhetorical strategies are used in everyday writing.

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

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Student Engagement and Environmental Awareness : Gen Z and Ecocomposition

NANCY G. BARRÓN teaches courses on the rhetoric of sustainability, diversity, and climate change as well as professional writing. Her research interests include the rhetoric of sustainability, identity, culture, and transdisciplinary writing. She also designs student symposia and conferences for a public exchange of research findings.

SIBYLLE GRUBER is a teacher with the Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies Program at Northern Arizona University. She has published on the positionalities of international faculty, feminist rhetoric, environmental literacy, and composition theories and practices. She teaches courses that focus on the social and cultural aspects of environmental literacy practices.

GAVIN HUFFMAN graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a certificate in rhetoric. His research interests include the rhetoric of fear, sustainability, and the language of legislation.

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Nancy G. Barrón , Sibylle Gruber , Gavin Huffman; Student Engagement and Environmental Awareness : Gen Z and Ecocomposition . Environmental Humanities 1 March 2022; 14 (1): 219–232. doi: https://doi.org/10.1215/22011919-9481528

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This article collaboration addresses the importance of contextualizing current climate change discussions in twenty-first-century ecocomposition classrooms. It specifically focuses on the practical significance of what students’ writing and research can accomplish in and outside the classroom, and on how student involvement in the research process can create spaces for new awareness and renewed interest in active engagement with climate change discussions. The article references student projects exhibited at ClimateCon 2020, including one project that focused on Rachel Carson’s ability to persevere despite the many challenges she faced. With ecocomposition as an entry point, the article shows the importance of continued education about the environment and climate change, getting involved with sustainable practices, engaging with environmental awareness campaigns, and, when needed, lobbying for readjusting corporate business practices to include sustainability efforts.

Starting the Conversation: Learning about the Environment in the Writing Classroom

Rachel Carson concludes “A Fable for Tomorrow,” published in her influential 1962 book, Silent Spring , by pointing out that “a grim specter has crept upon us almost unnoticed, and this imagined tragedy may easily become a stark reality we all shall know.” 1 No longer a fable, tragedies include vast forest fires across the globe, hurricanes, floods, and global pandemics. These tragedies are also played out at a local level in northern Arizona where we as the study’s authors live, teach, and learn. Here, increased cancer rates on the Navajo reservation are associated with uranium mining, and a nearby forest fire cost the lives of nineteen firefighters. 2 These tragedies, and many like them, have caused ecoanxiety, ecophobia, and climate depression. 3 Students tell us that they feel powerless and paralyzed in the face of a rapidly advancing climate crisis. 4 Many young people have confirmed that their fears about climate change, quite similar to the fears about COVID-19, are connected to an uncertainty over what is yet to come, which, according to Caroline Hickman, a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance, creates an “out-of-control feeling.” To address such debilitating experiences, Hickman argues, we need to take action, either individually or collectively, to create a sense of agency and reduce anxiety levels. 5

In this article we, as a collaboration between two professors and one undergraduate student, discuss the results of taking action and incorporating opportunities for contextualizing current climate change discussions. We show teachers how the principles of ecocomposition can be used to combine current narratives focused on fear and overwhelming anxiety about the climate crisis with a growing awareness, curiosity, and willingness to explore creative solutions to transform a currently unstable and uncertain future. Specifically, we focus on the practical significance of what students’ writing and research can accomplish, and on how student involvement in ClimateCon 2020, a collaborative student conference, can create spaces for new awareness and renewed interest in active engagement with climate change discussions. We conclude by pointing out the need to combine teacher, students, and citizen roles to create a call to action that expands current narratives about the environment and that realigns public opinion in favor of sustainability and climate change action. With ecocomposition as an entry point, we show that we can participate in education about the environment and climate change, get involved with sustainable practices, engage with environmental awareness campaigns, and, when needed, lobby for readjusting corporate business practices to include sustainability efforts.

The Reason for Ecocomposition and Environmental Awareness in the College Classroom

“Why isn’t there more of an outrage?” asked Maria Welch, a Navajo field researcher with the Southwest Research Information Center in an interview with Laurel Morales, a senior field correspondent for Fronteras Desk and NPR. 6 Welch, whose parents grew up next to uranium mines on the Navajo reservation and played in contaminated water, studies the impact of uranium mining on Navajo families today. Welch’s questions about the silence surrounding the environmental destruction caused by uranium mining are indicative of a history of discrimination faced by Native Americans, communities of color, and low-income communities. George McGraw, a human rights advocate and founder and CEO of DigDeep 7 —an organization that focuses on bringing running water to communities such as the Navajo Nation—puts it bluntly: “This is a community that has found themselves voiceless.” 8

Such voicelessness, and political, racial, and economic marginalization, are not new in the United States, nor are we surprised that the environmental struggles of communities of color, working-class communities, and communities considered to have little economic and political power are often left out from discussions on climate change. Nancy G. Barrón and Sibylle Gruber, both identifying as Gen X professors, embraced the challenge of breaking the silence and using ecocomposition to incorporate climate change into class discussions and to create ClimateCon, a public space to address environmental action opportunities. Gavin Huffman, a Gen Z English major who was enrolled in a capstone rhetoric and writing course and participated in an undergraduate research projects course, embraced the challenge to explore possible approaches to the environmental crisis and to provide insights from and for Gen Z students on how to move beyond feeling scared, angry, and overwhelmed. Barrón and Gruber have lived and worked for more than twenty years near the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona where they teach rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies through theory-based application projects grounded in ecocomposition practices. Huffman applied his rhetorical knowledge to discussions on climate change and sustainability that could lead to social change and action.

The increasing urgency of climate action, and growing student concerns about the environment, 9 encouraged Barrón and Gruber to focus three junior/senior-level rhetoric and writing courses on historical, local, national, and global discussions surrounding the environment and climate change, especially how they influenced Gen Z. We focused our teaching practices on principles of ecocomposition, 10 which emphasize the interdisciplinary nature and the “ecological pursuit” of writing, 11 in which any writing activity has to be seen in its historical, political, or ideological context. 12 We also incorporated process pedagogy, Paulo Freire’s concept of democratizing education and knowledge, and feminist principles as a way to “teach students an appreciation for diversity that can prepare educated citizens to shape and participate in a multicultural, democratic, and ecological society.” 13 Even though many of the studies on the impact of an ecocomposition curriculum on student learning focus on short-term results of specific situational practices, 14 we were encouraged to apply these practices in our own localized environments and contribute to the growing work of ecocomposition scholarship.

After students in previous rhetoric and writing courses told us about feeling paralyzed and powerless because of media portrayals of the current and impending climate crisis, we created course curricula and learning environments for three junior- and senior-level courses that focused on environmental literacy, climate change, and sustainability, and that also provided opportunities to map the connections between the environment and human actions. With this, “the ecological dimensions of selfhood,” in which “the whole spectrum of the nonhuman physical environment is embedded in each of our identities,” 15 became part of the curricula we introduced to students. The end results were student-directed projects that were focused on environmental developments and climate change actions, and that provided spaces for the “discovery and articulation” 16 needed to gain well-rounded knowledge about necessary educational approaches to climate change discussions.

In addition to providing students with a rhetorical foundation, 17 we introduced work by such authors as Rachel Carson, Ward Churchill, Barbara Kingsolver, and Winona LaDuke. 18 Our closeness to the Navajo Nation was especially important in our course design and in our decision to create spaces for transformative actions. Because of the social injustices and the unwillingness or inability by a normative system to communicate these injustices, many activists who live and work outside this normative system have experienced pushback and threats when trying to write about or discuss the cultural, political, social, and economic complexities of environmental developments. We incorporated texts that addressed environmental justice, the contributions of Indigenous peoples to climate discussions, and the need for a renaissance of thought that acknowledges Indigenous contributions to educational thought. 19

To our students, and to us as well, the opposition often seems insurmountable, and belittling comments, refusing to listen to arguments, undermining justified actions, and detracting from scientific facts have become politically accepted tactics. 20 To show that individuals and groups can participate in climate change action, we included talks on guerilla gardening in South Central Los Angeles, urban agriculture, and stories and podcasts on the impact of climate change on Native American communities. 21 We developed the course curricula with room for student input, and we encouraged them to bring in additional materials that they could introduce to their classmates. In each course, students worked on conceptualizing projects related to climate change. They also crafted a research paper with an action plan for countering climate change, and they developed a presentation that highlighted the rhetorical situation for creating the application project.

Gen Z Sensibilities and Transformative Action: The Need for Climate Change Discussions

When we first discussed creating a common space for students that would allow them to “build their own environmental ethics through a process of exploration,” 22 we saw it as an opportunity to expand classroom spaces and promote open discussions about normative systems, environmental racism, environmental policies, the climate crisis, and environmental activism. The contextual nature, and the importance of purpose and audience in ecocomposition, combined with a critical pedagogy that focuses on democratizing education and questioning ideologies, norms, and social conventions, provided the starting point for student explorations of how environmental concerns were and are being brought to the forefront of US consciousness. This way, education and knowledge, as Freire points out, are “processes of inquiry” 23 that create opportunities for developing critical consciousness and encourage us to reflect on and revise our pedagogical strategies. 24

The need for “a process of exploration” 25 and a place for “true reflection and action upon reality” 26 resulted in a collaborative research conference to provide students from the three redesigned junior- and senior-level rhetoric and writing courses a forum for public discussions on climate change action. Organized around panel discussions, poster presentations, and breakout sessions, ClimateCon provided many opportunities for focusing on the escalating climate crisis. Before the conference, students had read, discussed, and presented on sustainability, environmental justice, and climate change action as part of the weekly assignments. In addition, students in each class used their experiences as members of Gen Z to research a topic related to climate change, create a project that showed opportunities for transformative action, and present their findings at ClimateCon. The conference was designed for formal and informal interactions in a meaningful setting,” 27 with scheduled and “unscheduled” learning opportunities. These unscheduled learning opportunities, as Boyan Slat pointed out in his discussion of relaunching an unsuccessful ocean clean-up system, are part of revisiting failed attempts and creating spaces for future success. 28

We knew that ClimateCon had potential for encouraging students to see their work as an opportunity to influence a public audience and to engage in hopeful climate action in small and large ways. We were not prepared, however, for the overwhelming enthusiasm and the positive atmosphere that surrounded the event. The participation in brief panel discussions was animated and included sustainability in baseball, China’s garbage classification system, addressing climate denier arguments, and environmental narratives in game design. The conversations were even more dynamic when students mingled in the hallways of the Liberal Arts Building where participants elaborated on their posters, showed their videos on iPads, and provided details on three-dimensional projects, and where audience members surrounded presenters, asked questions, talked about their own experiences, and provided feedback on what they found especially eye-opening. A student’s project on “Growing Sustainability on Campus and Reducing Single-Waste Use” showed what specific campus efforts were already in place at Northern Arizona University, including the elimination of serving trays, the push for bringing your own drinking flasks, and the use of multi-use carry-out containers. This led to spirited debates on how these efforts could be advertised more fully and publicized across campus.

Audience members also practiced with a student-developed app called “Gamifying Sustainability,” and they provided suggestions on how to market the app to Gen Z. They wanted to know more about recycling and reducing carbon emissions on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, where climate change is no longer a far-off threat and rising sea levels are predicted to cause severe coastal flooding. The immediacy of the current climate crisis led to a brainstorming session that included possible individual actions of reducing single-car use, moving to sustainable eating practices, and encouraging social media use to create or join action networks. And because the presenter and the audience had learned about ecoanxiety and social media from another presenter, they were encouraged to discuss the futility of social media “dooms-scrolling,” an activity that many of them had engaged with. Instead, this presenter pointed out that information on Greta Thunberg’s commitment to climate strike actions and Fridays for Future were accessible because of social media, and that young people could easily find out about climate change actions because social media provided an easily available forum for distributing information.

In addition, posters on sustainable eating, fast fashion and sustainability, renewable energy on the Navajo Nation, sustainable gaming, the effects of climate change on wildlife, and generational differences in climate change discussions provided students with multiple opportunities to engage with one another and to show their knowledge of current discussions on climate change. As one student pointed out, her research on climate change and the discussions with the audience led her to further explore the connections between racial inequality, sustainability, and conservation efforts.

Gen Z and History: Contextualizing Climate Change Action

Many of the presentations encouraged spirited exchanges. We highlight one of them because it was especially influential in showing the need for remembering and addressing critical moments in history. Huffman, an undergraduate English major, decided to explore the life and work of Rachel Carson, a historical figure that he knew little about, and that most of Gen Z had never heard about. Huffman’s research, in other words, rediscovered Carson for Generation Z and showed why she was successful not only as a scientist but also as a writer whose personal and professional lives were far from ordinary. In this presentation, Huffman could show that Carson was able to apply her professional skills as a marine biologist and conservationist to change how we now understand the intricate connections between humans and natural environments, and how detrimental the use of pesticides is to the ecosystem. Specifically focusing on Rachel Carson and Silent Spring , with its attention to narrative style and scientific soundness, Huffman discovered that Carson, despite many adverse forces in her personal and professional life, gave voice to the concerns of many who suffered the effects of the chemical industry. His research, and his poster presentation at ClimateCon, were especially powerful as a way to reestablish Carson’s influence on current discussions on the environment and climate change.

Huffman’s enthusiasm, and the attention he received during ClimateCon, showed us that Carson’s life story and her writing on environmental pollution resonates with young adults. Carson’s ability to persevere because she believed that silence would be detrimental to the planet was especially powerful for Gen Z. Students related to Carson’s initial training as an English major, her literary publications that focused on the environment, and her studies in biology. Carson applied what Lloyd Bitzer called the rhetorical situation—“the nature of those contexts in which speakers or writers create rhetorical discourse.” 29 As Bitzer put it, and as Carson so skillfully shows us in Silent Spring , “rhetoric is a mode of altering reality, not by the direct application of energy to objects, but by the creation of discourse which changes reality through the mediation of thought and action.” 30 Carson knew that her readers needed to be convinced that the current environmental damage affected the human and nonhuman world. She also knew that she needed to include more than scientists to create a widespread appreciation for the devastating impact of DDT on the environment. 31

One of the important points for Huffman to show was Carson’s seamless fusion of science and the art of storytelling to create a narrative that does not discriminate against the nonscientist and can be understood by a general audience. Her readers, he pointed out to his audience of Gen Z students, were able to imagine the urgency of Carson’s plea for preserving the earth. Instead of focusing on the separation of the arts and sciences, splitting audiences as specialists and nonspecialists, and creating divisions based on subject-knowledge, 32 he showed his peers that Carson focused her writing on multiple stakeholders with and without disciplinary knowledge.

Huffman wanted his audience to understand that Carson challenged readers of Silent Spring to take action. In Carson’s case, this meant that rather than simply informing the public that DDT was harmful to the environment and its inhabitants, she offered ways to combat it. Students who participated in the exchange pointed out that, without solutions to mitigate the dire predictions, Carson would not have been able to convince her audience that they can participate as change agents. They specifically pointed out Carson’s use of questions throughout the book, which encouraged readers to think more critically about the ways they are affecting the planet and how they can change the environmental narrative. In other words, students were particularly impressed that Carson was able to change her audience’s behaviors and become more environmentally conscious. Huffman and his Gen Z peers attributed this to Carson’s emphasis on showing her audience the possibility of a brighter future despite an uphill battle instead of presenting a doomsday narrative. Through the impassioned discussions in the hallway, students concluded that a solid argument, a well-written narrative, and a convincing presentation need to be followed by perseverance in the face of adversity, ridicule, and dismissal.

ClimateCon created an enthusiasm for participating in climate change action that the preceding class activities—readings, discussions, analytical writing exercises, and a proposal centered around climate change action—could not garner. Once students started to work on creating solutions for localized problems, an important point emphasized by Thomas Hothem in “Suburban Studies and College Writing,” 33 and after they received feedback from audience members at ClimateCon, their commitment to participating in climate change action increased. The final weeks in class were spent on refining their projects and writing a final paper that incorporated theory and application and that outlined the exigence for creating the project and the climate change action that students would embrace. The work they submitted showed engagement, a willingness to leave their comfort zones, and an ability to “shape a rhetorical position for themselves,” 34 and it helped them “acquire a sense of context with which to gauge their relationship to their surroundings, their backgrounds, their education, and hence their future.” 35

Changing Public Opinion: Hope for the Future of Gen Z

Young climate change activists are part of a global movement. Deborah Adegbile from Lagos, Nigeria; Ayakha Melithafa from Cape Town, South Africa; Greta Thunberg from Stockholm, Sweden; Alexandria Villaseñor from New York City; and Ridhima Pandey from Haridwar, India; are just a few of the engaged activists who organize protests, take legal action, and work with farmers affected by climate change. 36 When students learn about the commitment of their Gen Z contemporaries, and when they are encouraged to question “the shape of choices, the structure and distribution of power and authority, the participatory process of decision making,” 37 climate change discussions can become part of a participatory and transformative curriculum for Gen Z students. Instead of remaining a temporary academic exercise, using the principles of ecocomposition provided opportunities for students to see the connections between historical events and current discussions on climate change. Changing “doomsday scrolling” and doomsday narratives to narratives of opportunity prompted Barrón, Gruber, and Huffman to embrace the following motto for ClimateCon2020: “If we agree that today’s climate change crisis is human-made, then we can make the changes necessary to reverse it.” ClimateCon2020 showed that we could become agents of change, and that we could encourage those around us to move toward transformative action, whether it’s on a small or large scale. 38

This article is a reminder for teachers that we need to bring the principles of ecocomposition—“the study of the relationship between discourse, nature, environment, location, place” 39 —to the forefront of our teaching and learning environments. This is especially important when science is often discredited, politics is focused on a consumer mentality, and social media platforms are used to attack climate change activists. This Machiavellian approach to the environment—what can be described as a disinterest in ethical concerns by politicians and big corporations deploying power for their own gain—encourages complacency of the powerful. ClimateCon2020 provided the setting for expanding narratives about the environment, sustainability, and climate change. It encouraged a shift away from self- and media-induced lethargy to a belief that each one of us can and needs to participate in our fight for slowing climate change. As one student said, ClimateCon2020 “was about our futures and not about our homework.” To continue the momentum, it is important to promote ecological literacy by continuously creating spaces for public exchanges and by combining our roles as teachers and students with our roles as citizens to create a call to action that encourages an expansion of current narratives about the environment, changes our anthropocentric worldview, and begins to realign public opinion in favor of sustainability and climate change action. 40 With this article, we show that we can participate in continued education about the environment and climate change, get involved with sustainable practices, engage with environmental awareness campaigns, and, when needed, lobby for readjusting corporate business practices to include sustainability efforts.

We end this article by reminding our readers of Wangari Maathai, a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of the Green Belt Movement who emphasizes the connections between environmental and social justice actions. As she put it in her Nobel Lecture: “I would like to call on young people to commit themselves to activities that contribute toward achieving their long-term dreams. They have the energy and creativity to shape a sustainable future. To the young people I say, you are a gift to your communities and indeed the world. You are our hope and our future.” 41 Our experiences confirm Maathai’s description of young people. Recent climate change actions such as Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, and Earthjustice 42 led by committed members across the globe show us that they have the strength and creativity needed to prompt global action on climate change. Our responsibilities as teachers and students include continuous critical and analytical learning about current climate change discussions to end an immoral silence and acknowledge environmental degradation as a social justice issue. With knowledge and understanding of the climate crisis, we are hopeful that we can participate in and design successful climate change action for a safer and healthier natural environment.

Carson, Silent Spring , 3 .

Steinbach, “Six Years Later.”

See Estok, “Theorizing” ; Estok, “Introduction” ; Christman, “I Have a Dream” ; Alex and Deborah, “Ecophobia” ; Deyo, “Eophobia” ; and Pikhala, “Environmental Education.”

See Plautz, “Environmental Burden” ; Richardson, “Climate Trauma” ; Wallace-Wells, Uninhabitable Earth .

See Nugent, “Terrified of Climate Change?”

Morales, “For the Navajo Nation.”

Dig Deep, “Our Work.”

See, for example, Plautz, “Environmental Burden” ; Winston, “Young People Are Leading the Way.”

See, for example, Dobrin, “Writing Takes Place” ; Weisser, “Ecocomposition and the Greening of Identity” ; Gaard, “Ecofeminism and Ecocomposition.”

Dobrin, “Writing Takes Place,” 18 .

See Plevin, “Liberatory Positioning of Place” ; Hothem, “Suburban Studies and College Writing.”

Gaard, “Ecofeminism and Ecocomposition,” 176 .

See Goggin and Waggoner, “Sustainable Development” ; Hembrough, “Engaging” ; Hembrough, “Case Study” ; Geary, “Writing about Wolves” ; Heiman, “Odd Topics.”

Weisser, “Ecocomposition and the Greening of Identity,” 81 .

Gaard, “Ecofeminism and Ecocomposition,” 166 .

Bitzer, “Rhetorical Situation” ; Burke, Grammar of Motives ; Burke, “Ideology and Myth” ; hooks, Teaching ; Foucault, Discipline and Punish ; Anzaldúa, Borderlands .

Carson, Silent Spring ; Churchill, Struggle ; Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer ; LaDuke, All Our Relations .

See Kincheloe and Steinberg, “Indigenous Knowledges in Education” ; Battiste, “Struggle and Renaissance” ; Price, “Indigenous Leaders.”

See, for example, Williams and Treadaway, “Exxon and the Valdez Accident” ; Whyte, “Dakota Access Pipeline” ; Nakamura and Wagner, “Trump Mocks Sixteen-Year-Old Greta Thunberg.”

See Finley, “Guerrilla Gardener” ; Davison, “How Urban Agriculture” ; Carter, “Greening” ; Flatow, “How Native American Communities” ; Jones, “How Native Tribes” ; US Department of the Interior, “Climate Change” ; Laduzinsky, “Disproportionate Impact” ; Bryce, “Indigenous Leaders” ; Morales, “For the Navajo Nation” ; Whyte, “Dakota Access Pipeline” ; Ibrahim, “Indigenous Knowledge Meets Science.”

Gaard, “Ecofeminism and Ecocomposition,” 174 .

Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed , 72 .

Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed , 84 .

Illich, Deschooling Society, 29 .

Slat, “System 001B.”

Bitzer, “Rhetorical Situation,” 1 .

Bitzer, “Rhetorical Situation,” 4 .

See Griswold, “How Silent Spring Ignited” ; DeMarco, “Rachel Carson’s Environmental Ethic” ; Wills-Toker, “Environmental Rhetoric of Rachel Carson,” 293 .

See Gartner, “When Science Writing Becomes Literary Art.”

Hothem, “Suburban Studies.”

Hothem, “Suburban Studies,” 35 .

Hothem, “Suburban Studies,” 38 .

See Dillen, “Time to Listen” ; Reynolds, “Star Student on a Mission” ; Varagur, “Meet India’s Teen Climate Advocate” ; and Galvez-Robles, “Nineteen Youth Climate Activists” ; Leung, “Swedish Teen Climate Activist.”

We acknowledge that organizing a conference and incorporating collaborative learning is not easy. We are full professors who do not teach a 5/5, and our research agenda includes the rhetoric of climate change, science writing, ecofeminism, and ecocomposition.

Dobrin, “Writing Takes Place,” 14 .

See Plumwood, “Androcentrism and Anthrocentrism” ; Plumwood, Environmental Culture ; Boddice, Anthropocentrism ; Quinn, Castéra, and Clément, “Teachers’ Conceptions of the Environment” ; Leonard, “Why Lakes and Rivers” ; Marchesini, Beyond Anthropocentrism ; Dobbins, Piga, and Manca, Environment, Social Justice .

Maathai, “Nobel Lecture.”

Fridays for Future, “What We Do” ; Extinction Rebellion, “What Is XR?” ; Earthjustice, “Our Work.”

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The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures pp 1–10 Cite as

Increasing Young People’s Environmental Awareness

Javier Esquer 2 ,
Nora Munguia 2 &
Luis Velazquez 3
Living reference work entry
First Online: 14 July 2022

116 Accesses

1 Citations

5 Altmetric

Introduction

With the release of the Agenda 2030 (United Nations 2015 ), and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the concern for environmental problems, like climate change crisis and water pollution, has aroused. Moreover, even the current COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to Climate Change, and thus, to sustainability, highlighting both biodiversity’s vulnerabilities and humanity’s vulnerabilities (Perkins et al. 2020 ). Youth involvement in sustainable development topics has been crucial. The way environmental initiatives are put in practice provides a way to demonstrate that sustainability is not a merely theoretical issue and that barriers in doing so must be addressed to deter them properly (Płonka and Dacko 2019 ). Additionally, with the increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), education and environmental awareness among young people has been strengthened (Estevao Goulart 2017 ).

A Way of Visualizing Young’s People Thoughts Environment

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Esquer, J., Munguia, N., Velazquez, L. (2022). Increasing Young People’s Environmental Awareness. In: The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51812-7_121-1

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Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Environmental Education in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

Introduction.

Environmental education is a key aspect of learning. It helps us understand our surroundings and how our actions affect the planet.

Why Environmental Education is Important

Environmental education is crucial as it teaches us the importance of conservation. It helps us learn about renewable resources and the role we play in preserving them.

Benefits of Environmental Education

By studying the environment, we can develop solutions to environmental issues. This knowledge can lead to a healthier planet for future generations.

In conclusion, environmental education is a vital part of our learning. It equips us with the tools to protect and sustain our planet.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

Environmental education is an integral part of contemporary society’s educational framework. It plays a pivotal role in shaping the attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary to understand and appreciate the interconnectedness among humans, culture, and the physical environment.

The Need for Environmental Education

As the world grapples with climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, the need for environmental education has never been more critical. It equips individuals with the understanding required to make informed decisions about environmental issues. It fosters an awareness and appreciation of the natural world, promoting sustainable practices and conservation efforts.

Implications for Sustainability

Environmental education is a key driver of sustainability. It encourages individuals to engage in sustainable practices like recycling, energy conservation, and sustainable consumption. These practices contribute to the preservation of our planet, ensuring its viability for future generations.

Environmental Education and Social Responsibility

Moreover, environmental education instills a sense of social responsibility. It emphasizes the role each individual plays in preserving the environment, encouraging active participation in environmental conservation. This sense of responsibility promotes a culture of environmental stewardship, fostering a more sustainable society.

In conclusion, environmental education is essential in today’s world. It not only equips individuals with the knowledge and skills to address environmental challenges but also promotes a sense of social responsibility and a commitment to sustainability. As we face increasingly complex environmental issues, the importance of environmental education cannot be overstated.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

Environmental education is an integral part of the modern education system. It is a multidisciplinary field that integrates subjects such as biology, ecology, geography, and even social sciences. Environmental education is essential as it fosters an understanding of how individual decisions impact the environment, teaches individuals to lead sustainable lifestyles, and encourages them to become proactive stewards of the environment.

The Role of Environmental Education

Environmental education plays a critical role in creating environmentally literate citizens. It provides the necessary knowledge about the environment and its systems, the issues and challenges it faces, and the impact of human activities on it. This knowledge is vital for individuals to comprehend the intricacies of environmental problems and to develop informed opinions about them.

Understanding the environment is not just about accumulating facts. It also involves developing a sense of respect for nature and all forms of life. Environmental education facilitates this by promoting empathy and respect for the diversity of life on Earth.

Environmental Education and Sustainability

Environmental education is the key to achieving sustainability. It empowers individuals with the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions that consider the long-term economy, ecology, and equity of all communities. It promotes a sense of responsibility to reduce personal consumption and waste, encouraging sustainable practices like recycling and conservation.

Moreover, environmental education fosters critical and creative thinking in addressing environmental issues and finding sustainable solutions. It encourages problem-solving, decision-making, and action-taking skills, which are essential for the transition towards a more sustainable society.

Environmental Education and Climate Change

In the face of the escalating climate crisis, environmental education has never been more important. It equips individuals with the knowledge to understand climate change and its impacts, and the skills to mitigate and adapt to these changes. It fosters resilience in communities and promotes a transition to low-carbon lifestyles.

Environmental education also plays a crucial role in climate change communication. It helps to demystify complex climate science and translates it into a language that is understandable to all, thereby promoting informed discussions and actions on climate change.

In conclusion, environmental education is a powerful tool for fostering environmental literacy, promoting sustainability, and addressing climate change. It empowers individuals to make informed decisions and take action to improve and protect the environment. As we face an escalating environmental crisis, the importance of environmental education cannot be overstated. It is not just an optional extra, but a necessity in our education system.

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Environmental Education Essay

Introduction, definition of terms, history of environmental education for sustainable development, why environmental education is indispensable, how institutions can incorporate sustainable development into their agenda, environmental education in australia, recommendations.

Studies indicate that it is necessary to apply perspectives from various disciplines in order to solve environmental problems.

Since all human beings depend on the environment for sustenance, then it makes sense to equip them with the skills needed to make the environment sustainable.

Education unites technology, nature and society in a way that leads to development of society.

A sustainable society is one in which people can satisfy their present needs without impeding the ability of future generations to do the same. Humanity can achieve this objective by using renewable resources and stabilising the world population.

Man can also use energy efficiently so as to leave the biosphere unharmed. The use of technology in environmental management is also a tenable solution. Besides these, stakeholders ought to know how to conserve the biological diversity of their environment.

Sustainability encompasses all the political, economic and social pressures that can either hinder or help individuals to care for their environment.

This phenomenon attempts to promote stewardship as well as custodial responsibilities over the environment.

Environmental education for sustainability refers to a form of education where members of society take up responsibility for producing a sustainable future.

This is an interdisciplinary effort in which people develop an environmental ethic. It also recognises the importance of incorporating different needs in society.

In this school of thought, a person’s worldview cannot be delinked from the way they relate to their environment. It should be noted that this is a holistic view of the environment.

Stakeholders realised a while back that when striving for sustainability, it is not sufficient to focus on the natural environment alone.

People must inculcate political, social and economic issues in matters of the environment that will ensure a holistic approach.

Ideas about interdisciplinary education for a sustainable future started as far back as 1972. Attendants of a United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm asserted that education could foster a sustainable future.

These individuals signed a declaration that called for environmental education from lower school levels to adulthood (UNESCO 2004). They believed that such a move would change people’s opinions about the environment, and hence their ability to protect or improve it.

Five years later, stakeholders signed an international declaration at Tbilisi. They committed themselves to promotion of teaching, training and research on the environment. Vocational and technical education would also be part of this effort (UNESCO 1998).

In the 1990s, a Rio Summit for environmental development led to the expansion of what environmental education means.

Attendants felt that environmental education for sustainability should encompass environmental equity, international development and cultural diversity.

Many stakeholders associate the Rio Earth Summit with Agenda 21. In the conference, attendants decided that education has the potential to unite decision making capabilities in order to foster ecological development.

By bringing together information from governments, businesses, institutions, companies as well as individuals, Agenda 21 would ensure that social, economic and security decisions encompass environmental issues.

Therefore, education for sustainable development involves teaching people about the economic, social and ecological issues affecting them through interdisciplinary structures.

In the agenda, stakeholders suggested a number of strategies that countries could use to achieve sustainable development.

First, countries ought to broaden the scope of education that they teach in order to bring about sustainable development. Governments have the mandate to unite developmental and environmental goals at all levels of education, including primary, secondary and tertiary.

Countries need to foster partnerships amongst independent business persons or members of the private sector so as to foster cross-disciplinary work. The same degree of cooperation ought to be extended across a country’s borders to regional partners.

It is only through strong networks that governments can create a common approach to matters of ecological sustainability. A number of years after the Rio Summit, some international organisations felt that higher education offers a unique platform for teaching environmental education; one such organisation is UNESCO.

During the World Conference on Higher Education held in 1998, nations declared that education would be the fundamental pillar for sustainable development.

Participants of higher education have the moral duty to ensure that sustainable development occurs (Michelsen 2000).

Australia has also made a serious commitment to the goal of environmental education over the past decades. In 1999, the Education Minister, through the Adelaide Declaration, stated that students should have a concern for and an understanding of the natural environment when they leave school.

He also stated that this knowledge would foster sustainable development. The Adelaide Declaration also stated that schooling should teach children skills on how to solve and analyse environmental problems (Department of Education, Science and Training 2004).

Further, education should sensitise students about social justice, ethics and morality in their world. This information should enable them to make rational decisions about their lives and their actions.

Mankind has used the earth’s resources for an extended period of time. The development of technology has accelerated consumption rates and altered the availability of these resources in the future. Despite all this, man’s livelihood still depends on a flourishing environment.

Therefore, societies around the world should gain knowledge about how to keep the environment in a healthy state so as to meet their present and future needs. The human species has degraded waterways and land wherever it inhabits it.

Furthermore, population growth leads to several environmental issues that stem from high water, energy and land use (University Leaders for a Sustainable Future 1990). Man has polluted many natural water sources, including coastal waters, rivers and lakes.

He has also dilapidated energy resources and harmed the biodiversity of a number of areas. Human beings ruin habitats and ecosystems by clearing land, fragmenting habitats and introducing invasive species into various locations.

As a consequence, these environmentally irresponsible activities have contributed to a marked increase in greenhouse gases. Pressures of global warming are a reality for several nations around the earth.

Man’s ecological footprint is not sustainable unless he can find a solution for reducing his global footprint. As a matter of fact, studies indicate that the biggest problem is in developed nations. In the early 2000s, An African or Asian’s average ecological footprint was 1.4 hectares per person.

An average Australian’s ecological footprint was 7.1 hectares while the average American’s ecological footprint was 9.6 hectares. On average, the world consumer had an ecological footprint of about 2.3 hectares, yet the earth’s capacity is 1.9 hectares (Talbot 2000).

Currently, mankind has exceeded the planet’s resource capacity. Therefore, he must look for ways of minimising these ecological effects. Failure to do so will lead to the incapacity of future generations to meet their needs.

One of the ways in which man can reduce his effect on the earth is through an awareness of his actions. This can be facilitated through environmental education.

The above explanation focuses on a utilitarian perspective in which man’s main incentive to conserve the environment is to meet his needs and that of future generations.

However, such a viewpoint would only incorporate the needs of one species. Other species also exist on the earth and man must ensure that the natural environment is capable of meeting the needs of other species.

Therefore, humans must act as caretakers on behalf of other organisms that cannot do what he can (Tilbury 2005).

If environmental education is taken seriously by the various stakeholders in the curriculum, it is likely that it will teach students to understand the relationship and the interdependence of ecological, cultural, social and economic issues in local as well as global levels.

They will know about the impact of their actions on the planet and how this affects various stakeholders. Such an approach would also cause them to know the limits of knowledge; participants would realise that knowledge has its limits, and one must be cautious about one’s association with it.

Environmental education would also cause recipients to think about how the interrelationship of all levels affects families or communities so that they can make the right decisions.

Environmental education would lead to the development of skills and attitudes that are crucial to a sustainable future (United Nations 2002). For instance, people would know how to record information about the environment.

Furthermore, it would be possible to assess and identify environmental issues. When conflicts about the environment arise, it would be possible to solve them if people were educated about it. These individuals would also know the value of the environment as something sacred.

They would conserve their cultural heritage because of their full understanding of it. Environmental education would cause people to develop an ethic of stewardship towards the environment. Individuals can also learn about how to participate fully in the creation of a sustainable future.

This means caring for all life in order to preserve biodiversity. Resources would be managed and conserved appropriately for current and future generations.

Academic institutions are uniquely endowed with the ability to teach environmental education because they have the resources and responsibility of furthering education among members of society.

Therefore, the general requirements of their institutions can reflect sustainability issues (Buckley 2002). In certain ways, they can include topics about sustainability in their subjects or courses.

The curriculum can teach students about sustainable consumption and production. Members of academic institutions can also learn about globalisation and its relation to sustainable development.

Individuals should also acquire knowledge about social justice and how this relates to urban ecology. Additionally, because population growth affects the use of ecological resources, then members of learning institutions should know about populations and their relation to development.

Students should also understand how ecosystems within their institutions work. For instance, they ought to know where their institutions get food and water. They should be aware of the energy needs of their school as well as sites for waste disposal.

This would teach them to be aware of their own ecological footprint or how they can contribute to the well being of their environment.

If the learning institution specialises in tertiary education, then it can urge students to carry out research on sustainability topics such as environmental justice, renewable energy and sustainability in building design.

Institutions can also cultivate a sense of environmental ownership among staff members by reorienting rewards to reflect environmental issues. Operations within such schools would reflect the need to minimise one’s ecological footprint.

Members would see examples of how to purchase, paper, food and other supplies sustainability (Fie 2001). They would also learn what it means to reduce one’s carbon dioxide emissions, among other things.

Lastly, an academic institution can foster ecological sustainability through education by creating administrative posts that capture this objective. For instance, the organisation could have an Environmental Director or Task force for sustainability.

Schools have the prerogative to take a holistic approach to environmental education. They can do so by changing the way they organise and operate. They can also alter the design of the school, especially with regard to its structures.

A holistic approach also encompasses how the school manages and develops its grounds. Alternation of the curriculum to include sustainability issues should also be taken into account.

Additionally, issues revolving around the protection of heritage sites within school premises must also be considered (Brown 1998).

When teaching students about environmental sustainability, schools need to adhere to certain principles. They need to clearly outline the issues they are teaching.

Schools should have curricula that relate to students’ experiences as well as the skills and attitudes that they possess; materials should remain relevant to their surrounding.

It should also be flexible in a manner that incorporates developments in the rest of the world. A good system ought to have an evaluation system and should progress from basic levels to complex ones (Orr 1992).

The government of Australia takes environmental education seriously as outlined earlier in the history section. Stakeholders already realise that environmental education for sustainability should not merely encompass the school environment.

Several other non-formal settings have become a platform for teaching students environmental management. Several national organisations have promoted environmental education, such as the Natural Heritage Trust.

Development of local solutions to environmental issues is crucial in ensuring sustainable development. Many schools also acknowledge the significance of environmental education especially to their members.

These efforts have also been backed by legislations such as the Biodiversity Conservation Act as well the Environment Protect Act. It is also laudable how educators are willing to learn from indigenous communities about how to promote harmony within the environment.

This indicates that school representatives know the limitations of classroom knowledge and are willing to stretch themselves (Yencken et al. 2000).

Despite the progress that has been made in this area, a number of issues are still missing from the country’s environmental education plan. First, activities intended at educating the masses on the environment are poorly coordinated.

This implies that best practice models do not exist in the marketplace. Furthermore, it is difficult to improve on environmental education when every teacher is doing his or her own thing. Another major problem with environmental education in Australia is its focus on awareness-raising.

There is little to show for the serious skills or knowledge needed to handle sustainability issues. Additionally, although most institutions recognise the importance of environmental education, they are yet to give it the same priority as other economic and social issues (Wright 2002).

While school resources an important part of these efforts, other community-level organisations do not have adequate resources to carry out environmental education effectively.

The country is in need of better coordination efforts among environmental education participants; this should be done as soon as possible. Additionally, the profile of environmental education should be raised so as to give it equal prominence to other economic and social issues (Wals 2000).

The country needs a national framework on environmental education in addition to a national action plan. Participants should be given quality materials so as to foster efficient learning. Teachers dealing with this area ought to have access to more opportunities for professional advancement.

There is also a need to integrate educational principles with conventional education. It is necessary to fund community organisations that deal with environmental education more effectively.

If these recommendations are adopted then Australia could become a model for effective environmental education in all institutions.

Environmental education is imperative in fostering sustainability because it teaches individuals how to integrate environmental issues with their economic, social and cultural lives.

It can equip recipients with the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to act as stewards in the environment.

Furthermore, man has exceeded his global ecological footprint and unless something dramatic is done to minimise these excessive consumption rates, then current and future generations will be unable to meet their needs.

Education is the platform for fostering this much-needed change. It can be done through academic institutions as well as through community organisations.

Currently, Australia recognises the importance of environmental education. However, it still needs to focus on long term education, empower environmental educators and strengthen community resources to achieve the gaol of sustainability.

Botkin, D. 1989, Changing the global environment: Perspective on human involvement , Academic Press, New York.

Brown, L. 1998, A worldwatch institute report on progress toward a sustainable society , Norton, New York.

Buckley, J. 2002, The art of governance; A curriculum resource for secondary teachers , Global Education Centre, Adelaide.

Department of Education, Science and Training 2004, The Adelaide declaration on national goals for schooling in the twenty-first century. Web.

Fie, J. 2001, Education for sustainability: Reorienting Australian schools for a sustainable future. Web.

Michelsen, G. 2000, Sustainable development as a challenge for universities , Palgrave, London.

Orr, D. 1992, Ecological literacy: Education and the transition to a postmodern world, McMillan, London.

Talbot, L. 2000, Man’s role in managing the global environment , Academic Press, New York.

Tilbury, D. 2005, ‘The ten-year challenge’, Ecos Magazine , p.13.

United Nations 2002, Report of the Secretary General: Commission on sustainable development. Web.

UNESCO 1998, World declaration on higher education for the twenty first century: Vision and action. Web.

UNESCO 2004, United Nations decade of education for sustainable development 2005-2014. Web.

University Leaders for a Sustainable Future 1990, Taloiries Declaration. Web.

Wals, A. 2000, ES Debate: Online discussion of education for sustainable development. Web.

Wright, T. 2002, ‘A review of definitions and frameworks for sustainability in higher education’, Higher Education International Journal , vol. 4 no. 3, pp. 121-134.

Yencken, D., Fien, J. & Sykes, H. 2000, Environment, education and socialization in the Asia-Pacific , Routledge, London.

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It specifically focuses on the practical significance of what students' writing and research can accomplish in and outside the classroom, and on how student involvement in the research process can create spaces for new awareness and renewed interest in active engagement with climate change discussions.
Climate Change Assay: A Spark Of Change
Bahçeşehir College is committed to increasing students' awareness of the changing world we live in. This climate change essay competition saw many students submitting well thought out pieces of writing. These essays were marked on their format, creativity, organisation, clarity, unity/development of thought, and grammar/mechanics.
Increasing Young People's Environmental Awareness
With the release of the Agenda 2030 (United Nations 2015), and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the concern for environmental problems, like climate change crisis and water pollution, has aroused.Moreover, even the current COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to Climate Change, and thus, to sustainability, highlighting both biodiversity's vulnerabilities and humanity's ...
Essay on Importance of Environmental Education
100 Words Essay on Importance of Environmental Education Introduction. Environmental education is a key aspect of learning. It helps us understand our surroundings and how our actions affect the planet. ... It equips individuals with the understanding required to make informed decisions about environmental issues. It fosters an awareness and ...
Environmental Education
1 hour! Environmental education for sustainability refers to a form of education where members of society take up responsibility for producing a sustainable future. This is an interdisciplinary effort in which people develop an environmental ethic. It also recognises the importance of incorporating different needs in society.

Environmental Awareness Essay

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Essay on Environmental Awareness

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Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

100 Words Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

Why Environmental Education is Important

Benefits of Environmental Education

250 Words Essay on Importance of Environmental Education

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Environmental Education and Social Responsibility

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