Monday, March 16, 2009

Economic Challenges for Environmental Education

Environmental education is endorsed by 95% of adult Americans according to a 2001 Roper Report, yet that same report says that most Americans are largely uninformed or misinformed about environmental issues. For example, the survey found that 45 million Americans think the ocean is a source of fresh water; another 120 million people think disposable diapers are the leading problem with landfills when they actually represent about 1% of the problem.

Obviously, continued environmental education is needed, to face the current and new challenges regarding water quality and quantity. Yet, where do the dollars come from to support environmental education especially in the current economic situation?

It is clear the American public understands the importance of protecting our environment but to do so effectively people need to truly understand the issues and their role in protection. The question is: how will environmental education be supported in the future?

Please share your thoughts and ideas by responding to this blog.

3 comments:

blueskies said...

Unfortunately, in these economic times, I fear that EE will be quickly sent to the chopping block of budget cuts. I agree that it is vital to our and the Earth's future wellbeing by creating the next generation of environmental stewards, but know that some consider it as "fluff" when compared to math, science, reading, etc. I hope that organizations like The Groundwater Foundation and others that specialize in EE can "hang tough" through the recession and help us all understand how important our actions are to the environment.

Anonymous said...

Ahha, this is exactly when Environmental Educators' voices must be heard! We must remind everyone that without water all the rest cannot exist. So, let's remember that we must protect this natural resource first in order to create an environment in which everything else can thrive! Cheers to a clean, abundant water supply to quench the thirst of mathematicians, scientists, artists and all!

Anonymous said...

The economy is challenged right now, but so too is the environment. We need to take steps today to educate society about environmental protection so that each person in every home and business is doing their part to protect our precious planet. If we do not take steps to protect the water and air that each of us needs for survival, will it really matter whether we have money to spend?