Untitled Quiz

Environmental Education

• Environment is derived from the French word environner, meaning to encircle or surround.
• Environment encompasses surroundings, circumstances, and conditions affecting an individual or community.
• It includes physical, chemical, biological, and social components that directly or indirectly influence organisms.

Environment Protection Act 1986

• Environment includes water, air, land, and the interrelationships between them, as well as human beings, other living creatures, plants, microorganisms, and property.

Environmental Issues

• Rapid industrialization, development, and population explosion have damaged the ecological balance.
• Higher socioeconomic classes contribute to pollution through their lifestyles.
• Poorer socioeconomic classes struggle to survive by degrading the environment.
• Recognizing environmental issues led to the development of Environmental Studies.

Environmental Studies

• Environmental Studies is the scientific study of the environmental system and its inherent and induced changes on organisms.
• It includes the study of physical, biological, and cultural factors, as well as human impact on the environment.
• The aim of environmental education is to foster awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skills to solve real-world environmental problems and improve quality of life.

Important Meetings/Conferences

• UN Conference on the Human Environment (1972)
• World Commission on Environment and Development (1987)
• United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992)
• General Assembly Special Session on the Environment (1997)
• World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002)
• UN Conference on Sustainable Development (2012)
• UN Sustainable Development Summit (2015)
• The first United Nations conference on "Human Environment "was held at Stockholm (Sweden) in June 1972 and after the conference 5th June was declared as “World Environment Day”
• International workshop on Environmental Education was held in Belgrade, Serbia in 1975.
• First Intergovernmental conference on Environmental Education was held in Tbilisi, Georgia (former USSR) in 1977.
• National seminar on higher environmental education was held in New Delhi in 1979 followed by a five day global forum on environmental education for sustainable development in 1993 at New Delhi.
• An International conference on Environmental Education was also held at New Delhi in December 1982, stressing the need for formal as well as informal environmental education right from childhood.
• An United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held at Rio-de-Janerio (Brazil) in 1992 giving the stress on Environmental education and Agenda 21.

Types of Environmental Education

• Formal Education: Systematic environmental education provided from primary schooling to higher university level.
• Non-Formal Education: Environmental education provided through activities like Nukad natak, lectures, awareness programs, rallies, advertisements, debates, quizzes, poster making, etc.

Goals, Objectives, and Aims of Environmental Education

• The main goal of environmental education is to develop concern and awareness among people about the total environment and its associated problems.
• Other goals include improving the quality of environment, creating awareness on environmental problems and conservation, and empowering people to participate in decision-making and evaluating development programs.
• The objectives of environmental education include developing awareness and sensitivity toward the environment, gaining knowledge and understanding of the environment, acquiring values and feelings of concern for the environment, and acquiring skills to identify and solve environmental problems, and stimulating participation.

Aims of Environmental Education

• To provide different groups of people and graduates with the necessary knowledge to develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and its resources.
• To apply knowledge and skills to preserve, conserve, and utilize the environment for present and future generations.

Branches of Environmental Education

• Environmental Science: Deals with the scientific study of the environment.
• Environmental Engineering: Deals with applying science through technical means to study and manage environmental processes.
• Environmental Management: Studies policy formation and management of environmental issues.

Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Education

• Environment impacts all living things.
• Studying how the environment is polluted helps set standards for conservation and healthy ecosystems.
• A study of the environment incorporates many scientific disciplines and areas of study.

Need for Public Awareness

• Earth's natural resources are decreasing due to increased human activities.
• Mismanagement of practices leads to the depletion of air, water, and soil quality.
• Increase in pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, desertification, and climate change are the result of human activities.
• Environmental awareness is essential.

Responsible Actions

• Managing all natural resources is not solely the government's responsibility; individual action is necessary.
• Preventing environmental damage is better than remediating it.
• Individual efforts can reduce waste of natural resources.

Mass Public Awareness

• Mass public awareness is important for environmental issues.
• Newspapers, radio, television, and other media outlets can influence the public.
• Politicians respond positively to strong public support for environmental movements.

Scope of Environment

• Includes natural resource conservation and management, ecology, and biodiversity.
• Addresses environmental pollution control and social issues related to development and environmental concerns. - Includes stabilization of human population in relation to environmental sustainability.

R&D in Environment

• Environmental Analysis
• Ecosystem Analysis
• Community Studies
• Environmental Degradation
• Environmental Monitoring
• Impact Assessment and development
• Environmental Health & Safety

Green Advocacy

• Environmental laws and legislation aim to create public awareness of environmental issues through formal and informal education.
• The need for environmental lawyers has emerged due to the increasing emphasis on implementing environmental laws and acts.

Green Marketing

• Green marketing involves promoting products and/or services based on their environmental benefits.
• Marketing strategies should focus on sustainable manufacturing methods, non-toxic materials, recycled materials, renewable materials, avoidance of excessive packaging, and design for repairability.

Eco-Marking

• India launched ECOMARK as a voluntary eco-labeling scheme.
• The scheme encourages industry to adopt eco-friendly production methods and promote sustainable consumption patterns.

Environmental Organization

• Several government ministries and other organizations aim to protect and conserve the environment.
• These groups are responsible for various projects and activities. -Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC): Its broad objectives involve conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests, and wildlife; prevention and control of pollution; afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas; protection of environment; and ensuring the welfare of animals
• Ministry of Jal Shakti: This ministry is responsible for developing, conserving, and managing water resources as a national resource.
• Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE): Aims to develop and deploy new and renewable energy sources.

Indian NGOs

• Several non-governmental organizations work in environmental conservation.
• Examples include Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Tarun Bharat Sangh, Uttarakhand Seva Nidhi Almora, which have specific objectives, areas of focus, missions, activities, etc.

International Organizations

• UNESCO: Strives to build global networks for education, heritage protection, and intercultural understanding.
• UNEP: Provides global environmental authority and agenda for sustainable development through programs for environmental concerns.
• IPCC: Is an international body for climate change assessment using scientific, technical, and socio-economic information to understand and address climate change.
• IUCN: Works globally to protect nature, manage uses, and deploy nature-based solutions for challenges like climate change.

Water Resources

• Water is essential for all lifeforms and is a key part of earth's ecosystem.
• Water distribution, the hydrologic cycle, and water quality are vital factors for the environment.
• Water resources include surface water and groundwater.

Water Calamities

• Floods occur when there is more water in a given location than can be handled by the drainage system.
• Drought occurs when a location does not receive enough water for needs over a period of time.
• Effects of both floods and droughts include damage to property and people; depletion of water tables, and reduction of tree cover, industrial and agricultural losses.

Deforestation

• Complete long-term removal of tree cover.
• This leads to a loss of biodiversity, environmental, and economic consequences.
• Causes include: agriculture, commercial logging, mining, increase in population, industrialization, forest fires, overgrazing, pest attacks.
• Consequences include: food problems, soil erosion, flooding, loss of biodiversity, community displacement, climate change.

Forest Resources

• A forest is a biotic community dominated by trees, shrubs, or woody vegetation with a closed canopy.
• India's forests are diverse and relate to the country's terrain, climate, and vegetation.
• The total forest cover and density classes in India provide a snapshot of the country's forest landscape.

Sustainable Practices/Management

• Sustainable forest management recognizes the vital role of forests in conservation, demanding coordinated cooperation between forest and other relevant departments.
• Active participation of local communities and careful planning are crucial for successful forest conservation and management.

Role of Teachers and Students

• Teachers and students are responsible for the environment and can help foster sustainability.
• Teachers can educate students toward environmentally-friendly attitudes and practices.
• Students can contribute via eco-consciousness in their professional careers.

Code of Environmental Ethics for Engineers

• Engineers are expected to prioritize environmental concerns during activities.
• Maintaining environmental sustainability includes limiting material and energy consumption, thoroughly analyzing impacts (immediate and long-term), and promoting health, social equity, and local values.