environmental education for quality enhancement of

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR QUALITY ENHANCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT M.VIJAYALAKSHMI LECTURER OF SCIENCE DR.N.G.P. TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE DR.N.G.P. – KALAPATTI ROAD COIMBATORE - 48.

ABSTRACT In the present scenario, due to anthropogenic activities, environmental degradation is in an alarming rate and it results in various environmental issues such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, greenhouse effects, improper monsoon, acid rain and raise in sea water level. Science and technology have brought immense benefits but we are paying a high ‘price' for it. Science and advanced technology can however only help the process of global sustainable environment in a limited way but they cannot deliver it. The success of the technology lies in its implementation part. In spite of conducting more conferences, seminars and world summits towards the protection of environment for the past two decades, the present world is environmentally less sustainable than in the previous days. Therefore in order to achieve the acceptable level of global environmental sustainability, the citizens must be empowered with essential knowledge and information especially in developing countries like India. Since educational institutions are the places where the contact of the society is more, it is possible to bring remarkable changes in the mindset of the public. To protect children living in polluted regions, environmental education represents a relevant means of prevention because this type of education encourages learner's awareness of their environment's ambient conditions, as well as their active participation in solving local problems. It is the need of the hour to propose environmental education with the essential elements of moral philosophy. The awareness among the public and industrial generators has to be created and motivated by the updated techniques and incorporating the innovative and implementable solutions to reform our economy. These can be achieved through environmental education. In addition, the environmental community must discharge its collective professional responsibility in ways that are consistent with the core requirements of sustainable development and global environmental sustainability. Without environmental sustainability, it is impossible to achieve sustainable development.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR QUALITY ENHANCEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT M.VIJAYALAKSHMI LECTURER OF SCIENCE DR.N.G.P. TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE DR.N.G.P. – KALAPATTI ROAD COIMBATORE - 48.

INTRODUCTION Environmental education provides the foundation for all future education and learning. It can produce children who are not only happy but are also happy with others, find learning exciting and develop enquiring minds. Environmental education enables children to develop a storehouse of knowledge about the world and seek knowledge that they can use and develop throughout their lives. Environment education empowers adults by enabling them to participate in a sustainable future. Environmental education thus lays the foundation for a lifelong learning. Man, as a part and parcel of the environment, has to recognize the role and importance of environment in order to protect it and to get protection from it, for this, he needs environmental education. DEFINITION According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN; 1971), environmental education (EE) is: "... the process of recognizing values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and attitudes necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness among men, his culture and his biophysical surroundings. EE also entails practice in decision-making and selfformulation of a code of behaviour about issues concerning environmental quality.” “Environmental education refers to the awareness of physical and cultural environment and perceives its relevance for real life situation. The problems and issues are to be identified. The imbalances of environment are to be improved in view of sustainable development.” -R.A.Sharma (1996)

GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 

To improve the quality of environment.

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To create an awareness among the people on environmental problems and conversation.

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To create an atmosphere so that people participate in decision-making and develop the capabilities to evaluate the developmental programmes.

OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION The objectives of Environmental Educational were formulated to help social group and individuals towards the following aspects. i. Awareness: Acquire an awareness of sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems. ii. Knowledge: Gain a variety of experiences and acquire a basic understanding of the environment and its associated problems. iii. Attitudes: To acquire a set of values and feeling of concern for the environment and the motivation for active participation in environmental improvement and protection. iv. Skills: Acquires the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems. v. Evaluation ability: Evaluate environmental measures and education programmes in terms of ecological, economic, social, aesthetic factors. vi. Participation: Provide an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels working towards the resolution of environmental problems. SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION  Awareness: In this segment, an effort is made to make the individual conscious about the physical, biological and cultural aspects of environment. The environment is linked with the life support system comprising 6 components: 1) air, 2) land, 3) water, 4) flora, 5) fauna, and 6) sunlight.

 Real life situations: These situations link environment to life. As conditions are locationspecific, thus problems and priorities of each area are different.  Conservation: This encompasses utilization of natural resource not only by the present but also by the future generations. It does not include the process of exploration.  Sustainable development: This process aims at the sensible utilization of resources for development. All resources are finite and there is also a limit to the growth of the living system in effect, one should utilize the limited natural resources wisely and with intelligence. MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 

Climate change

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Environmental degradation

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Intensive farming

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Land degradation

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Nuclear issues

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Overpopulation

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Ozone depletion

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Pollution

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Resource depletion

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Global warming

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR  Protection of the atmosphere  Protection of land resources  Conservation of biological diversity  Environmentally sound management of biotechnology and hazardous wastes  Prevention of illegal traffic in toxic products and wastes  Improvement in living and working conditions of the poor by eradicating poverty and stopping environmental degradation.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission, 1987). THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: 

It is a symbiotic relationship between consumerist human race and producer natural systems.

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Environmental mistakes of the past need not be repeated, as past patterns of environmental degradation are not inevitable.

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Environment and development are not mutually exclusive: healthy environment is essential for sustainable development and healthy economy.

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Development is not growth only; it should stand for broader goals of social transformation.

PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EDUCATION Level

Objectives

Primary education

Awareness of environment(Knowledge)

Secondary education

Relevance for real-life situation environment (Understanding)

Higher secondary education

Conservation of natural resources of environment (Skills)

College & University Education

Sustainable development problems of (Attitude and Evaluation)

of

by solving environment

APPROACHES IN PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION  Interdisciplinary Approach: In this approach Environmental Education is given a separate identity. Topics are collected from various subjects like social studies, science, mathematics etc., and are made as an independent subject of study. Life Sciences

Vocational Studies

Earth Sciences

Environmental Education

Social Studies

Communications, Arts

 Multidisciplinary Approach:

Physical Sciences

Mathematics

Humanities

In this approach Environmental Education is not a

given a separate identity. Issues relating are included in other conventional subjects. Life Sciences

Vocational Studies

Earth Sciences

Environmental Education

Social Studies

Communications, Arts

Physical Sciences

Mathematics

Humanities

ROLE OF TEACHERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION  To arouse the children’s interest in the environment and to raise challenging problems  To discuss the approach to problems or topics  To arrange visits  To provide materials needed for practical work  To arrange for visiting speakers  To initiate and develop discussion and debate; and  To provide facilities for displays and exhibitions of the work carried out. CONCLUSION This is what the Chinese say about the need to educate “if you plan for a year, plant rice, if you plan for the years, plant trees, but if you plan for a century educate the people.” With this, we can say that educating the people about the environment to protect the human races and the planet Earth. REFERNCES  V. Krishnamacharyulu and G.S. Reddy, Environmental Education, Neelkamal Publications PVT. LTD., New Delhi.  Suresh Bhatnagar, Anamika Saxena, Sanjay Kumar and Naresh Pratap, Development of Educational System in India, R. Lall Book Depot, Meerut.  Dr. K. Nagarajan, Dr. P. Sivakumar, Mrs. N. Nithyasri and Dr. R. Srinivasan, Environmental Education, Ram Publishers, Chennai.  M.S.Singh, Quality Impact in Teacher Education, Adhyayan Publishers & Distributors, Delhi.  R.A. Sharma, C, R. Lall Book Depot, Meerut.  Arul Jothi, D.L. Balaji and Rajesh Verma, Environmental Education, Centrum Press, New Delhi.  S.P. Ruhela and Raj Kumar Nayak, Value Education and Human Rights Education Volume-1, Neelkamal Publications PVT. LTD., New Delhi.