The Importance of Environmental Education

In society, we are consistently reminded about our duty to leave the world better than we found it – to leave a better world for our children than the world we grew up in. Have we been doing a good enough job?

We are constantly learning about the struggles we face as a civilization in the years to come. 

Water will engulf land, where the Earth’s temperatures are reaching record highs and affecting the oceans and animals, and human population risk decreasing. So with all this information, are we doing enough to create sustainable change that will continue to improve and grow in the years to come?

At Green Schools Green Future we have a clear mission and possible solution to this problem: by educating our children about the latest green technologies and how to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum.

Benefits of Environmental Education

There are many benefits to teaching environmental education in schools all the way from kindergarten to twelfth grade and beyond:

1. Connection to nature

With technological advancements on the rise and becoming more prominent in the day-to-day lives of children growing up (ie. online learning), it is important to keep them connected to the outdoors. Spending time in nature and breathing in fresh air are linked to meeting daily vitamin needs and boosting mood.

2. Learn about everyday eco-friendly habits

As kids learn about the struggles the planet faces, they also will learn about the everyday acts they can do to help keep the planet healthy. It can be picking up garbage, cultivating a garden in their backyard, or properly recycling household items. These small acts can give children a sense of pride and help them understand how even simple acts can make a sustainable impact.

3. Cultivate critical thinking skills

The concepts students learn will help advance their critical thinking skills and help them think of solutions to the complex environmental issues we face.

4. Hands-on learning 

The Green Schools Green Future curriculum is designed to allow children the ability to learn through study and practice. Not only will children be reading about issues and watching informational videos, but also allows them to experience and work hands-on with sustainable solutions. Giving children a different way to be engaged and create positive environmental behaviours that will last for a lifetime.

Education for a Sustainable Future

I always come back to the famous proverb: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Although different interpretations and debates surround this phrase, the basic idea remains sound. Teaching with an environmental education curriculum creates a sustainable culture that can continue to grow and improve for years to come.

Instead of children sitting in a classroom reading about our current and future obstacles, let’s give them the resources to make life better today and in the future. Give them a school structure that uses the natural resources around it to function and provide the same level of security as a regular school in the city.

From solar panels that power their computers, to vertical farms and aquaponic systems that put food on the table at lunchtime – the students will have many options on areas to explore and new concepts to implement. GSGF’s model school project has all of these features.

We are always talking about how we want our children to grow up and make a difference in the world. Maybe the key is not about speeding up the process, but building lifelong behaviours that will be the difference-maker. Maybe implementing environmental education and allowing them to experience sustainability first-hand is the change we desperately need right now.