Raising Environmental Awareness: A Personal and Professional Journey
I was raised in a school. For my whole life, my mother has been an elementary school principal. I have fond memories of riding my bicycle and scooter up and down the school hallways during the early hours of the morning or late in the evening. I was eating elementary school breakfast in the early hours of weekday mornings before I even started Kindergarten. Some of the most influential people in my life have been educators. When I started to consider college, much to my mother’s surprise, I realized that I had no interest in pursuing traditional classroom education. Instead, I was passionate about animals and the environment and wanted to spend my career working outdoors and inspiring younger generations. I eventually decided to study Environmental Science in college, and through my studies, I discovered the field of environmental education. I have worked in various internships and jobs throughout my career including as an educator at an accredited zoo, a science center, and a research forest. I have taught environmental education topics to hundreds of children throughout the region and am passionate about introducing the future generations to environmental awareness and stewardship.
The term “environmental education” covers a wide range of programs and institutions, each with its own unique approach to promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. Examples of educational programs include camps, field trip programs at zoos and science centers, and forest schools, among many others. While there is no single definition of environmental education, the goal is to encourage individuals to become more informed and engaged in environmental issues and to take action to protect and preserve the natural world around us. Environmental education is important because it exposes children to topics they may have never heard of, helps them understand the problems facing our planet, and gives them age-appropriate skills to address these issues. It can also help to foster a love and appreciation for the natural world around them.
Although widely used in the environmental professional sphere for decades, the term “Environmental Literacy” began appearing within the realm of education in the 1990s. Environmental Literacy is “an individual’s understanding of how their actions and decisions affect the environment” (Environmental Education Association of Indiana, 2024).
In 1990, the EPA passed the National Environmental Education Act, and with it, established the Office of Environmental Education (OEE). The OEE supports environmental education programs throughout the country by providing professional development, educator and student recognition, and grants to fund environmental education programs. With the passing of the National Environmental Education Act, many states began to implement environmental education programs into state curriculums.
In 2008, the Environmental Education Association of Indiana developed the state’s Environmental Literacy Guidelines. These guidelines provide information to educators on environmental literacy competency areas and are a key step in Indiana’s effort to introduce environmental education in grades K-12. The goal of the environmental literacy program is to create an “Environmentally Literate Citizen”. This person “has the knowledge, tools, and balanced perspective to weigh various sides of environmental issues to make responsible decisions as individuals and as members of the community” (Environmental Education Association of Indiana, 2024).
Why should you care about environmental education exposure at a young age? When children are exposed to environmental education, they are more likely to grow into adults who are passionate and care about our environment. Laying a strong environmental foundation at a young age will help to create a robust and passionate EHS workforce in the decades to come. Although I never went into traditional classroom education, I consider my current work as an environmental consultant a form of education. My main objective is to educate professionals on environmental regulations and the most effective environmental management practices. Although it's often said that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, environmental education is something that should never be discontinued.
Many institutions throughout Indiana and the surrounding states offer support to educators and families in order to meet states’ environmental literacy benchmarks. Below is a list of several of the most well-known and robust environmental education programs in and near Indiana:
Indianapolis Zoo: https://www.indianapoliszoo.com/learn-explore/
Louisville Zoo: https://louisvillezoo.org/education/
Indianapolis Children’s Museum : https://www.childrensmuseum.org/educators
Indiana Department of Environmental Management: https://www.in.gov/idem/iee/
Environmental Education Association of Indiana: https://www.eeai.org/
Kentucky Association for Environmental Education: https://www.kaee.org/
Kentucky Science Center: https://kysciencecenter.org/education/classes-and-labs/
Marian University: https://www.marian.edu/about-marian/nina-mason-pulliam-ecolab/programs
Indiana DNR: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/programs/school-and-group-programs/
Sources:
Environmental Education Association of Indiana (n.d.). Environmental Literacy Guidelines. Retrieved February 16, 2024, from https://www.eeai.org/
