Environmental Education

Environmental education (EE) is the term that evolved from the late 1960's when the conservation of resources did not seem to be sufficient to combat the complex factors associated with environmental degradation, such as disposing toxic waste, disappearing biodiversity, and declining air and water quality. Citizen involvement was required to support legislation to guide industry and agencies, and education needed to prepare citizens for this role. Environmental education programs operate in the rural and urban environments to increase knowledge and awareness of systems and issues, build commitment and interest, and motivate learners to cooperate to resolve these issues. Good EE programs are based on a strong foundation of nature awareness and conservation education, and evolve to prepare older youth to analyze issues and take responsible environmental behaviors (defining EE). Many 4-H agents use a variety of national programs to support EE in the schools and clubs such as Project Learning Tree, Project WET, and Project WILD. These programs use trees, water, and wildlife, respectively, to provide the vehicle to learn about the environment and strategies for responsible environmental actions. Many other non-government organizations have good environmental education programs too. Some states have extensive networks for EE materials and national networks provide environmental education resources as well. (Environmental Education Materials )