Environment Education

What is Environment Education and when was this term coined?

Environment Education is a practice or a process that seeks to put together a generation of people who are acquainted with all the environmental issues and their effects on mankind and hence are willing to strive towards their solutions in systematic ways

What is the need for Environmental Education?

We have so many environmental issues that are major concerns for our future generations in today’s world. If not taken proper care of, they may lead to dire circumstances. So, before things go out of hand, if proper environmental education is provided to as many people as possible, it could be our hope to have better days ahead and create a secure planet.

Major Goals Of Environmental Education

• To provide thorough awareness about socio-economical, political, ecological interdependence to everyone.
• To provide each individual with opportunities to gain the skills, motivation, knowledge, and commitment needed to conserve the environment.

Major Environmental Issues In Today’s World And How To Deal With Them

Deforestation: Rapid cutting down of trees due to increasing population leads to several anomalies like animal extinction, global warming, ozone layer depletion, etc. Replanting trees in urban areas, using recyclable products, and saving paper can contribute to a counterbalance of the effects caused.

Species Extinction: Illegal hunting and poaching of a few animals like elephants, deers, and various other wild animals, is leading to a mass reduction in their populations hence causing an imbalance in ecosystems. This can be brought to a halt by imposing stricter laws and strategies on trespassing and hunters and creating awareness about its various issues.

Air, Water, and Soil pollution: Unmonitored waste disposal from industries into water bodies and land, the release of pollutants and greenhouse, gases like CFCs, CO, CO2, NO, etc. from automobiles, ACs, aerosols, etc., has led to an evident change in the natural state of these elements. These can be brought into control by taking measures like – ensuring pollution control checkups in vehicles, cutting on power consumption, following strict measures for waste disposal, etc.

Electricity Wastage: Thermal energy, which is the major contributor to electric energy, has a lot of bad consequences due to the combustion of coal, which releases greenhouse gases. In households and many civil spaces, electricity is often not saved and taken for granted. Taking proper measures to stop that from happening and relying more on renewable energy sources could lead to a better outcome.

Water Security: Due to rapid population growth, urban development, depletion of freshwater resources is increasing at a meteoric rate. This can be put in control by rainwater harvesting, employing methods like reverse osmosis and other filtering methods to help conserve water.

Centre For Environment Education

Centre for Environment Education is an organisation established in August 1984 in Ahmedabad as a Centre of Excellence supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. It was founded by Kartikeya Sarabhai, aiming to provide environmental awareness all across the country by developing innovative education material and programs. 

• The Centre has 41 offices across India, including regional branches in Bangalore, Guwahati, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Pune; state offices in Delhi, Hyderabad, Raipur, Goa, Coimbatore; and several field offices along with international offices in Australia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
• It works closely with Forest Departments and over 2 Lakh schools undertaking various projects and programs regarding environmental education.
• Its activities mainly focus on Training and Capacity Building, Internships and Youth Programmes, Consultancy Services, Knowledge Centre for ESD, and Journal on Education for Sustainable Development.

Other Major Environmental Organisations Of India 

Chintan

 Chintan was founded by Bharti Chaturvedi, aiming to reduce waste production in India. It focuses more on the poverty-stricken communities, children and women, and the marginalised communities.

Greenpeace India :

 Greenpeace is an international environmental organisation with a major wing in India. Its major funding members are – India (60%), Greenpeace International – Netherlands (38%), and around 1% from the ClimateWorks Foundation of the US. It has its branches in 55 other countries and has four distinct campaigns, namely : 

• Sustainable agriculture
• Prevention of another nuclear catastrophe
• Preserving the oceans  

Clean Air Asia, India

Clean Air Asia is another international environmental organisation with offices in China and the Philippines. It was established in 2001 by the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and USAID and is headquartered in the Philippines. It is currently working in 30 cities across India, mainly aiming for better air quality.

The Wildlife Protection Society of India :

Established in 1994 by Belinda Wright, this organisation works on wildlife crises in India. It collaborates with the Indian Government to reduce poaching and illegal wildlife trade. With a team of dedicated environmentalists, WPSI is one of the most reputed wildlife conservation organisations in India

Navdanya:

Established in 1984 by Vandana Shiva, this organisation mainly aims to promote biodiversity and its conservation, organic farming, and the farmer’s rights. Being a part of the “Terra Madre slow food movement”, this organisation consists of organic producers and seed keepers across 16 states of India

Conclusion

Thus, for a brighter and more secure life, every citizen needs to keep himself educated about the environment and its various ongoing issues and actively fight against them.