What Is Environmental Education? My Story!

Definition of Environmental Education:

Over the period of this module, my outlook on the environment has changed significantly. This has affected the way I view environmental education and the meaning of the term. Firstly I defined the term of environmental education as environmental historians. I originally looked upon the matter that environmental educators were just history teachers preaching about the past of the forests.

First Definition = To Instruct the do's and don'ts in the environment, but to also preserve what is here for future generations.  

Current Definition = To educate students on their role within nature, through the process of enjoyment, interest and community. Once providing them with the necessary tools, these should be used to guide their own learning and stimulate others into seeing the benefits of nature.

I believe that my definition is not set in stone, as each interaction with the environment brings a different array of emotions and experiences. The reason that it changes is that I experience different situations each time, due to the option of environments and the weather, when these change it creates a complete different thought and outlook process. Although everybody has a different outlook on the term environmental education, and the value of the environment. 

This is an image of the amazon rain forest. The amazon rain forest provides a perfect example of how we value nature or does it show our lack in knowledge about nature! The plight of the rain forest is known by many across the country and the world, each year we a presented with some form of environmental disaster. If environmental education was made a more crucial part of our learning would it happen?    

Oil spill - Gulf of Mexico

“If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.”  E. O. Wilson

This quote by the renowned author E. O. Wilson who brought about the hypothesis on biophilia, helps show that in order for there to be a positive balance we need to work hand in hand with nature and make sacrifices where is has already done! 

Overall I believe that environmental education is crucial in our development, not just ourselves but as a race. With each situation it fills us with different emotions and different responses. This can be applied in a field, forest and a desert or in our gardens. The delivery of environmental education needs to be 1) Enjoyable 2) interesting 3) Group based. The environment has been there for millions of years and will still be there after we have gone.

Thanks for reading, this is my first post. any feedback will be greatly appreciated

DCL