Live and Learn: Environmental Education and Recreation
This entry was written in preparation for the second in a series of three videoconference meetings among Stanford students enrolled in the PWR 2 class "(R)evolutions in Environmental Rhetoric" and their CCR partners at Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law in the Russian Far East. The focus of this videoconference is "Global Environmental Issues."
Environmental Education and Recreation is a broad topic that all of us in this group have had different experiences with. We all have defined what we think environmental education and recreation involves, and here are our testimonials:
Amanda:
Growing up, I did not get very much environmental education. I did not recognize the problems that we are facing today in our environment. I never thought about turning off the lights, throwing out waste, or carpooling. When I did, I did not think that I could make a difference because everyone around me wasn’t doing anything. At the same time, I was enjoying hikes, visits to the beach, and games of volleyball at the park. I loved the outdoors, but did not have the knowledge of the problems that the environment is faced with today, and what I could do to fix them. Policies can be passed to face the issues of pollution, toxic waste, limited water, etc, but it is important for everyone to be informed of these issues to help alleviate them.
I am working with a sustainable farm near campus called Hidden Villa. Hidden Villa does a lot of educational outreach in surrounding areas, but there is underrepresentation of Hispanics on the farm. I am trying to find reasons why there is so much underrepresentation in an area where there is such a high percentage of Hispanics. Most of my research concerns environmental education in Elementary schools.
Owen:
Environmental education has created some of the best memories from my childhood and helped define what I want to do in my life. Growing up, I would always relish the opportunity to learn about or get involved in the environment. I loved the outdoors, and participated in my fair share of environmental education by either going to museums or zoos, attending “outdoor experience” camps and programs such as Outward Bound, or simply exploring nature on my own.
My personal research project this quarter is focused on sustainable agriculture and how it is practiced. However, it is also focused on environmental education because my project is exploring how sustainable agriculture is taught and spread to those who could benefit from it most, specifically subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Sean:
Interaction with the environment is a great way to get outdoors and do something as well as relieve stress, it is also key to saving it. It is pretty easy to say that those who are most concerned with saving the environment are those who are in it the most. This interaction gives them a great understanding of how amazing the natural world is and the importance of caring for it as well as educating their fellow man on the ways to save, enjoy, and interpret what is around them.
To link interaction with education, there are countless ways of experiencing the environment that range from simple and spontaneous to crazy and intense. Personally, one of my favorite ways to experience the environment is through the canyons near my home in San Diego, the entrance to one is less than 100 feet from my house (which often leads to a few rattlesnake encounters on the driveway!). This is very easy way to educate people as well as bring local schools out into a natural setting. I have participated in and seen many bird watching and plant-identifying walks through the canyon adjacent to my house. There are also many who like to do more or get away for longer, such as boy scouts and back-packers. California, due to its vast size, rugged mountains, and empty deserts, is one of the best places to get outside and remove oneself from all traces of humanity. I love spending a few days with only some food, water, and a tent on my shoulders with not a building for miles!
Bridget:
Personally, nature has always been an avenue for discovery, creativity, and peace. When I was eight, the woods was a place to escape my the teasing of my brothers. When I was 13, snorkeling through the Caribbean opened my mind and eyes to biological diversity and island culture. throughout high school, playing soccer and gardening kept my mind and body healthy. Now, the simple acts like hiking in nature result in the same feeling- a unique oneness with the world.
As I watch my younger cousins grow up, I have realized that video games have replaced most forms of environmental recreation that were normal adventures in my childhood. A hike turns into a hassle, especially considering cell service is lost in the woods. Even more,half of my cousins are diagnosed with ADD, and one with severe learning and social disorders because of an oil spill that my aunt was exposed to when she was pregnant with him. Sadly, they don’t lack attention, but have true deficits of nature.
We all know that human activity has been detrimental to the state of the environment. Material consumerism has been an acceptable cultural mindset, so therefore it's easy then to conclude that the mindset of our future consumers, leaders, and economists is a precious one to mold. In my opinion, it is time to develop an interactive, daily form of environmental education for elementary school children. For young children, school is covering all of the "bases". Adding and subtracting, spelling, and eventually writing. In my opinion, the same base needs to be developed with respect to environmental awareness. After all, it only takes one generation of apathetic, disconnected individuals to halt progress, so in the case of the environment, we must make sure to pass on our work to a generation worthy and able of continuing it.
Environmental education and its efficacy are sometimes hard to grasp. Our challenge, in a time of increasing environmental catastrophe and pressure to take care of our environment, is how to find ways to efficiently and effectively spread the word. All the scientists in the world can say that the environment needs taking care of, but it is our generation’s responsibility to disseminate that information, and find tools and strategies for safeguarding the environment. Environmental education is becoming more important than ever.
Questions to explore:
-What kinds of environmental education have you guys taken part in? Have you been on outdoors field trips, to museums, done special programs, etc.? Or, what have the other sources of environmental education in your lives been? Have you learned from parents or mentors?
-Do you think that your country is doing enough with environmental regulation? What kinds of educational or recreational programs does the government support?
-Can you take courses in environmental subjects? Such as environmental law or environmental politics? If so, what do you learn in these courses, and do you think that information is useful for you in your everyday lives?
Comments
While reading your testimonials, I – absolutely unexpectedly – realized that the theme of environmental education is much more interesting and complicated, than I thought before. Thank you, guys ;)
When I was a schoolgirl, I was a participant of an ecological club. We were discussing a huge number of issues, learning smth about environmental problems. We even published a newspaper. Generally, it was informational-propagandistic. Yearly, we were taking part in Meetings on International Day of Earth on 21 of April. Our club was propagandistic, you see. Regrettably, my family and I moved to other city to live, and I stopped my ecological activity. However, now I try to do everything that depends on me, to serve the environment. )
Speaking about our government… It is doing smth, but I’m not sure, that that is enough. However, it holds some environmental programs. For example, ecological festivals for children (“Clean forest”, for example, “Clean city” and so on), conferences. This events include not only discussing environmental problems, but also clean streets, parks, beaches (Khabarovsk is located on the river, u know), planting the trees and so on. And, of course, some booklets were published.
Moreover, there are special tours for people, who want to feel the harmony of the nature. During this tours people can contemplate the wonder of forests of the Far East, and not only trees, grass and flowers, but animals, too. For example, bears or deers – that depends on the season – or the real wonder of our taiga – Amur Tiger.
So, guys, that was really interesting to read your opinion about environmental education, and now will u let us ask you a couple of questions?
All of you wrote about environmental education for children. Now, when * regrettably* we are not children anymore, what kind of environmental education for your future children can you suggest?
Posted by: Anastasia aka Zagogulina | February 12, 2009 06:17 AM
What a useful post here. Very informative for me..TQ friends...
http://gardening.the-mnm.info
Posted by: Gardening | April 30, 2009 02:18 AM
Going to the seashore is a great way to foster respect for the environment. In urban areas the shoreline is often public access and not privately owned, which increases the quality of life for many.
Posted by: Fountains | July 18, 2009 12:52 AM
Ya. I also had an experience... It is so nice... and not too damaged by fellow people. but nowadays any time sea level will increase. It makes fear to those village people...
Posted by: readystateprint | September 4, 2009 12:50 AM
Ya. I also had an experience... It is so nice... and not too damaged by fellow people. but nowadays any time sea level will increase. It makes fear to those village people...
Posted by: readystateprint | September 4, 2009 12:51 AM
Great read, sounds exausting! keep up the good work.
Posted by: Bird Watching | October 5, 2009 01:30 PM