FAQ About EVS

Ans. “If the world is saved, it will be saved by people with changed minds, people with a new vision. It will not be by people with old minds and new programmes. It will not be saved by people with old vision but a new programme” – Daniel Quinn

The main focus of EE(Environmental Education) should be to expose students to the real-life world, natural and social, in which they live; to enable them to analyse, evaluate, and draw inferences about problems and concerns related to the environment; to add, where possible, to our understanding of environmental issues; and to promote positive environmental actions in order to facilitate the move towards sustainable development. 

Environmental studies aid children in comprehending how things work and interact in their environment. At the primary level, it is an integrated subject area that incorporates knowledge from science, social science, and environmental education.

Its aim is to help students acquire a holistic or integrated view of the

environment in which they live.

 Broad Objectives of EVS 

Awareness: To help the social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of pollution and environmental degradation.

In order to take any step towards protecting our environment surroundings, we need awareness, which can come only from studying subjects related to our ecosystems. What are the issues the world is facing today? What are the components which constitute the universe? What are the different species of plants and animals? How can we ensure their long term survival? What is sustainability and how can it be achieved?

All these questions will be answered only if we learn about the environment and apply

that knowledge practically.

Knowledge:

To help social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of the environment beyond the immediate environment including distant environment.

Making sure that the needs of future generations are met by the earth’s resources, would be a Sustainable form of consumption of those resources today. At the current rate of consumption, Natural resources will be depleted far too fast for future generations to survive. Our irresponsible usage of these resources will leave our future generations to bear with the consequences of this exploitation. Environmental education helps people understand the repercussions caused by over exploitation, and act accordingly.

Attitude building for motivating to protect environment:

To help social groups and individuals to acquire a set of values for environmental protection.

such as

Raises Awareness about Environmental Threats

It can encourage today’s generation to switch to safer and better choices. One would know the rescue drills for natural calamities better, how to use your greens better (they can do what no medicine can) etc. Environmental Education is one subject that warns you against everything which may go wrong.

Health Benefits

Both physical and mental health get affected with a depletion of the environment. These can instead flourish if we come more in contact with Nature.

One of the best benefits of this type of education is that it takes place outside the confines of a classroom. Students, who would not have otherwise spent this time outdoors, experience serenity and the healing powers of nature. In fact, treatment through natural means is called Eco-therapy. It helps patients recover from depression, cures heart ailments, maintains Blood Pressure, sleep longevity, improves eyesight etc. It's no hidden fact that a person who remains closest to nature is likely to stay healthier.

Skills and Capacity Building: To help social groups and individuals to develop skills required for making discriminations in form, shape, sound, touch, habits and habitats. Further, to develop the ability to draw unbiased inferences and conclusions.

Artistic Imagination

Places with natural surroundings are best for artists to create their masterpieces. Poetry, painting, sculptures etc are all products of imagination, inspired by nature quote from the cult film Dead Poets Society says

“ Medicine, law, engineering, these are the noble pursuits, necessary to sustain life but poetry, romance, love, beauty, these are what we stay alive for”.Such creative work, more often than not, are the products of nature. Environmental education can make people recognize the hidden artist within them.

Participation: To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in environmental decision making.

Renewable sources of Energy: Environmental education makes people understand the importance of renewable energy. Non renewable sources of energy like petrol, diesel etc are the major sources of the world’s pollution. Using renewable sources like solar energy, wind energy etc is encouraged by Environment Education, and is imperative in our fight against global warming.

There are various projects being taken by Governments and organizations for enhancing Ecological education throughout the world. The Indian government has established The Environmental Education, awareness and training program with an objective of spreading this in remote areas of the country as well as other developed parts. The National Environmental education act 1990 requires national leadership to increase environmental literacy. It also established the office of environmental program to implement this. CPR environmental education center was set up by the ministry of environment of India to increase environmental consciousness.

Education forms the basis of everything in today’s world including the environment. Environmental Education imparts knowledge about the current situation and future prospects of nature. It teaches people to explore all the problems related to the environment, and engage in wise ways of preserving it.A number of schools have taken the initiative to provide practical as well as theoretical knowledge about the impact of human activities on Nature. They take students out of the four walls of a classroom and make them do activities like gardening, watering plants, meditation in community parks etc. Education is the only way to make the best minds work productively.

In this era, the natural world is under threat. Different species of Flora and Fauna are on the verge of extinction, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat – everything is polluted or has contaminants. By including Environmental studies as a subject in schools, as well as in higher education, we can make coming generations more sensitized and encourage them to find innovative solutions and methods for the way ahead, in order to protect nature.