Need and Importance of Environmental Education

 

Need and Importance of Environmental Education

Need of Environmental Education

There is a need for environmental education in order to develop a context of various levels of public cooperation in understanding and implementing the steps taken to reduce environmental pollution. 

Today's student is the future leader of the country. If he becomes clear about the growth of pollution and its implications during his education period, then his thinking can get a definite direction in preventing environmental pollution, which is essential for the development of Indian society.

Education, training and knowledge about environment at various levels is the first necessary condition for proper and balanced management of environment. 

The need for environmental education is necessary from the point of view of people of every age group. Children should get this information right from the school level education that how human development and our physical environment are adversely affected by the increase in pollution. 

Similarly, there is a special need of environmental education to tell the youth that due to industrialization and technological development, the life of a person is affected and the economic environment is affected by prosperity, fashion, lack of capital, unemployment and inequality of income. The problems found in the field of environment in India are related to these disparities. The kind of harm it has caused to human life and the speed with which human comforts have disappeared, The need for environmental education can be seen from the point of view of helping the students in their objective analysis and evaluation. With this type of education, it is also possible to develop among the students the tendency to think scientifically on the factors affecting the environment.

 

In recent years, the need for environmental education is also being shown from the point of view of making the attitude and attitude of the people positive in relation to the control of environmental pollution. 

In this way environmental education is an important necessity in our life from the point of view of developing general awareness and social consciousness.

Overall, the consequences of pollution in the environment are very frightening. This is the reason why every country is experiencing the need of environmental education. Particularly noteworthy in this - running environmental education programs for the quality of the environment, Organizing seminars and discussions on issues related to environmental pollution and giving impetus to environmental protection campaign. It has to be kept in mind here that despite the need for environmental education being equally applicable to every class of people, it is especially necessary for this age group by keeping in front the importance of proper guidance of children and youth. 

The need for environmental education is also being felt in view of increasing the awareness of the side effects of the factors affecting the social environment in the children through environmental education. Therefore, to improve today's deteriorating environment and not to allow it to deteriorate further, environmental education is the only option which needs to be implemented at a practical level and with full devotion.

 

Renowned chemist Dr. Satyaprakash has said that “Nature is our goddess. Due to its contamination, the mind and intellectual thinking also get polluted. We must protect the environment to protect our interest." 

In this perspective, it is necessary that in order to improve the environment, environmental education should be given proper place in education from school to university level and for this formal and distance education methods should also be adopted. 

It is also necessary to try to form a specific curriculum of environmental education and to give requisite importance to its dissemination through the medium of telecommunication, Doordarshan and All India Radio.

Importance of Environmental Education

Since ancient times in India, due importance has been given to the elements of the environment, the proof of which is obtained from the Indian scriptures. In the hymns of the Rigveda, it has been wished that "May the dust of Mother Earth and the light of the sky be auspicious, may the Sun be attached to its part with its full glory." In the Prithvi Sukta of the Atharvaveda, the sages have said, “O Mother Earth. Whatever I take from you will be that much which you can reproduce. I will never attack your workplace or your life force. The worship of water, air, fire, mountains, rivers, trees and plants and animals and birds is repeatedly mentioned in our religious texts.

 

Since ancient times, the sages of India were ready and careful towards the protection of nature. He determined such a way of life in which man depended on nature without harming animals, birds, trees, water bodies, rivers and mountains. Stories were told to make common people aware of nature. More and more trees were planted by the people. It has been instructed in Manusmriti that no person should spit or spit urine or faeces in water. Indian culture has always been nurturer of divinity in nature. It is said in the Rigveda, “May our goddess rivers be merciful to protect us. May she give us water to drink and shower joy and happiness upon us. Rivers are the creator of our valuable resources and human beings too! We are of your water, Healers are the aspirants of water. It is clear from this discussion that the people of India were aware of the purity of the environment and the conservation of natural resources since ancient times.

In the course of time, the ancient beliefs about the importance of the environment got fragmented. Multidimensional development started in the nation. Agriculture, irrigation, industry, electricity etc. expanded in all areas and the tendency of environmental exploitation started increasing, due to which many environmental problems arose. Today, due to environmental problems, individuals, societies, nations and all the countries of the world are badly affected and are worried about their solutions. Now importance is being given to environmental education at the national and global level so that awareness and awareness can be generated towards the environment.

 

The following points explain the importance of environmental education-

1. Through environmental education, information is obtained about the importance of air, the causes of air pollution and the measures to prevent them.

2. Through environmental education, information about the importance of water, causes of water pollution and measures to prevent them is obtained. What diseases are caused in the human body by drinking or bathing in polluted water, it is possible only through environmental education.

3. Environmental education gives knowledge about the bad effects of increasing population. Air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution are increasing due to increasing population. Population control and family-preservation-consciousness can be awakened in the public through environmental education.

4. Environmental education makes us clear about the importance of forests and wildlife in our lives. Knowledge of subjects like forest conservation, environmental importance of forests etc. is gained through environmental education.

5. Through environmental education, students can be made aware of how important it is for us to keep the environment balanced and protected.

 

6. Environmental education gives knowledge of limited use of natural resources and keeping them safe for future generations. Without its knowledge, we cannot preserve the environment.

7. Environmental education is the education of ancient cultural values. It develops a view of the whole earth. It teaches the lesson of universal brotherhood and inculcates the spirit of 'live and let live'.

8. Environmental education creates balance between nature and man. The message of keeping nature clean, beautiful and peaceful is received through environmental education.

9. Environmental education gives us the knowledge of conservation of mineral wealth, soil conservation and protection of wild and aquatic organisms. Through environmental education, we get knowledge of the programs being done in the country and abroad for environmental protection.

10. Students get the knowledge of how many fatal problems arise from modern industries through environmental education.

11. It is possible to develop the understanding or insight of scientific thinking in the student through environmental education.

 

12. In environmental education, subjects are taught in an integrated manner. Therefore, students come to know that knowledge is not in separate units but in integral form.

13. Environmental education helps in the development of social character of the students. Through this, qualities like cooperation, love, co-operation, tolerance can be inculcated in them.

14. Environmental education helps in making students democratic citizens. They are aware of their rights and duties. Through this education, students develop the power of independent thinking and self-decision.

15. Environmental education has special importance in social and economic contexts.