¶ … individuals with the ability to understand their connection to the world around them is the fundamental characteristic of an effective environmental education. To do this successfully requires two important things: individuals that are inspired by and actively involved in the physical world around them; and institutions of learning that provide curricula delineating the individual's link to these natural systems and societies at large.
The current environmental educational system in America, for the most part, illustrates a mis-educative experience. The system is mis-educative because most learning still takes place inside a classroom. Students are not encouraged to explore their relationship with the outside world either by literally going outside or through their studies. There is little or no formal attempt to encourage students to make the connection between what they learn in mathematics, science, economics or business to other subjects or the outside world. Any learning is thus, compartmented. It is limited to knowledge of the natural world gained through study in science classes; an understanding of societies gained through sociology or history classes; and exposure to business operations, functions and principles in economics classes. American schools do not currently provide the cross-curriculum focus necessary to link all of this information together into what would be characteristic of an effective environmental education.
Although the focus on integrated studies is critical to developing ecologically literate citizens, another essential characteristic of an effective environmental education is an active and inspired student. Individuals must begin seeking knowledge more in the tradition of a Renaissance scholar than of an apprentice learning a specialized skill. In Dr. Orr states "the failure to develop ecological literacy is a sin of omission and of commission" ("Ecological Literacy" 85). Therefore, it is not just the institutions failing to provide learning models that support an ecologically literate population; it is also the weakness of the linearly thinking individual.
Dr. Orr points out that in our society, environmental decisions are made with a top down approach. In other words, it is the governments that make regulations,...
Meanwhile, if a teacher used the book, Awareness to Citizenship: Environmental Literacy for the Elementary Child, and uses it fully in developing a philosophy of teaching, a child will never be scared because the information is down-to-earth, well-presented, and family-friendly. The authors insist that teachers need not "know everything or be able to identify everything," but on the other hand, they should explore environmental issues with their students, and "always
Environmental Psychology: The field of environmental psychology is a specialized discipline within psychology whose major developments have been totally adopted into mainstream psychology. In past few decades, the much of the positive and negative visibility of environmental psychology have been lost. One of the significant visibilities to be lost is the initial enthusiasm that came from the common desire by designers and social scientists in developing buildings that would work better
Some forms of energy, such as wave and tidal energy and hydrogen fuel cells are still being studied. Another writer states, "Techniques to harness the energy found in the oceans are best developed for tidal power, wave power and ocean thermal energy conversion" (Middleton 52). Many other types of alternative energy, such as solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energies are all being used where they make sense. Other solutions
ARTICLE SUMMARY TABLECitation (APA formatting)1. Hill, T. D., Jorgenson, A. K., Ore, P., Balistreri, K. S., Clark, B. (2019). Air Quality and Life Expectancy in the United States: An Analysis of the Moderating Effect of Income Inequality. SSM Popul Health, 7, 100346.2. Bennet, J. E., Tamura-Wicks, H., Parks, R. M., Burnett, R. T., Pope III, C. A., Bechle, M. J., Marshall, J. D., Danaei, G. & Ezzati, M. (2019). Particulate
Environmental Assessing Canada More and more countries have gotten actively involved in protecting the environment and Canada makes no exception from the rule, taking into account that it installed a series of programs meant to assist nature and discourage individuals or groups that might be inclined to damage it. The Canadian Environmental Act is probably one of the most significant steps that the country has taken with the purpose of making
Environmental Science Minerals Minerals play a very important part in society, in terms of both the economy and health. People use minerals to stay healthy by means of food supplements. Minerals are also present in foods that people eat. Minerals also play a very important part in the mining industry and in the economy. According to the Mine-Engineer.com (2011) Website, the mining industry in the United States includes 140,000 employees. Metallic minerals can
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