Environmental Education

Intro    1: What is EE    2: Why is EE Important?    3: Is EE Under Attack?    4: What Can You Do to Help?    5:  Resources and Bibliography

Since EE was first defined in 1969, its philosophies and practices have evolved over time. The first part of this section describes the major influences that shaped EE early on and continue to guide the field.

*In 1969, Dr. William Stapp, University of Michigan, first defined environmental education:

Environmental education is aimed at producing citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to help solve these problems, and motivated to work toward their solution.

*In 1970, President Richard Nixon stressed the importance of environmental literacy in his 1970 Environmental Message to Congress:

It is also vital that our entire society develops a new understanding and a new awareness of man's relation to his environment- what might be called "environmental literacy." This will require the development and teaching of environmental concepts at every point in the educational process.

In October of that same year, President Nixon signed the Environmental Education Act (P.L. 91-516), which defined EE as:

·the educational process dealing with man's relationship with his natural and manmade surroundings, and includes the relation of population, conservation, transportation, technology, and urban and regional planning to the total human environment.

This act created the Office of EE in the U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, the National Advisory Council for EE, and established a domestic grants program. It is important to note that this act was not reauthorized in the 1980's.

*EE gained international recognition in the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden. In Recommendation 96, EE is called upon as a means to address the environmental issues worldwide.

*In 1975, this recommendation was addressed at the International Environmental Workshop in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. UNESCO produced The Belgrade Charter: A Global Framework for Environmental Education, which began outlining the goals and objectives of environmental education:

The goal of environmental education is to develop a world population that is aware of, and concerned about, the environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations, and commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones (2).

*The Belgrade Charter was further revised in 1977 at the UNESCO-UNEP Intergovernmental Conference on EE in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. The basic aim of EE was:

...to succeed in making individuals and communities understand the complex nature of the natural and built environments resulting from the interaction of their physical, biological, social, economic, and cultural aspects, and acquire the knowledge, values, attitudes, and practical skills to participate in a responsible and effective way in anticipating and solving environmental problems, and in the management of the quality of the environment (92).

*1970- The Western Regional Environmental Education Council (WREEC) forms (now the Council for Environmental Education (CEE)). "A unique effort to create a partnership and network between education and natural resource professionals in support of environmental education."

*1971- National Association for EE (now the North American Association for EE (NAAEE)) is formed. "A professional association for environmental educators."

*1976- Project Learning Tree (PLT) created by WREEC (now CEE) and the American Forest Institute (now the American Forest Foundation). "PLT helps students (K-12) gain awareness and knowledge of the natural and built environment, their place within it, as well as their responsibility for it."

*1980- NAAEE president Clay Schoenfeld forms the National Commission on EE Research (renamed in 1987-1988 to The North American Commission on EE Research and in 1999 to NAAEE's Research Commission).

*1983- Project WILD is created by WREEC (now CEE) and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. "Project WILD sponsors conservation and environmental education programs with a focus on wildlife grades K-12."

*1990- National Environmental Education Act of 1990 is passed (P.L. 101-619). This authorizes:

-An Office of Environmental Education in the EPA

-An environmental education and training program

-Environmental education grants

-Student fellowships

-The President's Environmental Youth Awards

-The Federal Task Force and National Advisory Council

-The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation

- Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), co-sponsored by CEE and The Watercourse, becomes a national program. "Project WET facilitates and promotes awareness, appreciation, knowledge and stewardship of water resources in students K-12."

*1991- The National Environmental Education Advancement Project (NEEAP) was created at University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

*1992- The EPA EE training program granted to the National Consortium of Environmental Education and Training (NCEET), "a cooperative partnership led by the University of Michigan."

*1993- NAAEE initiates National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (NPEEE).

*1995- EPA awards second EE training program to NAAEE to establish Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP).

*1996- Senate passed the reauthorization of National Environmental Education Act, but the House did not address it in the 104^th Congress.

*1997- Senate committee passed the reauthorization of National EE Act, but reauthorization was not introduced into the House in the 105^th Congress.

*1999- Reauthorization of the National EE Act passed by Senate committee; introduction in the House for the 106^th Congress is expected in early 2000.