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2011 International Conference on Social Science and Humanity
IPEDR vol.5 (2011) ©(2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT –
GENERAL ASPECTS
Helena Maria SABO
Faculty of
Psychology and Science of Education, UBB
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: helena-maria.sabo@gmx.net
Abstract — Always, from its first beginning, man was formed culture, economy and policy, environmental education is
and developed with nature. Along the road of its development, therefore related to the ecological education.
the man interrelated with the natural environment enjoying his In carrying out environmental education have to be
generosity, but also intervened more or less consciously in its respected the following principles:
balance, the changes that influence and determine the - Addressing the environment in its totality: natural and
environmental disasters and changing the Earth totally. artificial, technological and social, economic and political,
Therefore, one of the new components of the education is the cultural and historical.
environmental education, a new education which is seen as an - Considering environmental education as a continuous
act of diversion by human society today, a more rational use of process, beginning at preschool and continuing through all
the natural resources for a smooth coordination of the formal and non-formal stages;
scientific data’s to establish more lasting bonds between - Exploration of the major environmental problems from
science and education, so that human needs to be adequately local perspective, regional, national and international, so that
satisfied without causing disruptions. students to know the environmental factors also from other
geographical regions;
Keywords: interdisciplinary education, respect, involvement - Focus on current and potential environmental problems,
Introduction taking into account their trend in history;
- Promoting values and local needs, national and
I. INTRODUCTION international to prevent and resolve environmental problems;
“The nature and education are similar, because the - To discover symptoms and real causes of
education transform the man and, through this environmental problems;
transformation, create nature"(Democrit) - Promoting cooperative learning.
Environmental education goes through various stages of Environmental Education puts students in direct contact
formal and non formal education. It is based on social with nature in order to develop love for all life forms.
sciences and humanities, education programs must aimed the Presentations and analysis of environmental problems begin,
learning to conserve the nature and a better use of resources usually, with a discussion of the causes of phenomenons and
(Petrescu, 2003). It aims to: ends with positive alternatives and possible ways of solution.
Human awareness of the existence of natural and social Obviously, for people to participate actively, intelligently
environment; and beneficial to the process of administration, development
Empowering its proper understanding of the relation and environmental protection must be educated since the
human-nature-community; school banks to deal with environmental problems to be able
Formatting an environmental conduct. to face the environmental problems in the current context.
Achieving these major objectives it can be made only Harsh reality and the problems of modern society require
through complementary actions to all educational factors: a redefinition of objectives in education and the education in
school, family, society, and the complex extracurricular science and the environment.
activities ensure the climate of these interactions with The contemporary education in the field of environment
beneficial influence in shaping the personality of students. should be characterized by several important aspects:
To focus not only on the classical approach of the
ATERIAL AND METHOD environment and its protection, but also on the human being
II. M in context of a healthy environment;
Environmental education is not limited to ecology To change people's attitudes about environmental
or to the study of natural sciences. Learning about living protection, meaning the state exceeded their declarations and
organisms, their habitat and how they interact with each training in order to effectively engage in such actions;
other and with the environment in which they live, is an The school programs to be designed to lead to a passive
important part of environmental education, but is not all. knowledge to active interaction with the environment, to be
Environment – as a subject of environmental translated theory into practice.
education, includes not only the nature but also the society, The changes that should occur to education at all levels
of education would mean restructuring the education content
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(plans, programs, textbooks, teaching-learning-assessment not recognize the modern educational concepts based on
strategies), to promote teaching strategies that are based on participation, research and testing (Al. Ionescu et al., 1989).
investigation, testing, decision making, active involvement The current era brings notes of real drama in people's
and to study the "human and environment, environmental lives and in everything what is about life and nature.
quality and quality of life, is very important the human Ecologists from the entire world agree that the number one
relationship with nature. problem of mankind is not the intensification of natural
All the information that pupils have when come to school resources, but the protection of nature. Examining the
about environment are empirical. In school students human-nature relations is concluded that the man is currently
accumulate large amounts of knowledge, which have to be the biggest enemy of nature that nourishes and protects it.
directed, ordered, and structured in such a manner as to make This is done by:
the student able to understand certain phenomena, changes Irrational exploitation of natural resources, very often
occurring around it, in the environment and to get them to excessive, and this because of the empiricism, ignoring the
respond by an adequate behavior. laws of organization and function of ecosystems;
Therefore in the preparation for the lesson, the teacher The use and introduction into the circuit of toxic or of
must be concerned by the systematic training of concepts, to hard recyclable materials or non-recyclable wastes in natural
develop mental schemes of the students and to enrich them. ways;
Environmental education should be started in the family, Creation of artificial ecosystems by obtaining the
continued in kindergarten, school, university etc. This is necessary quantities of different products and this without
because a real protection of nature will be possible only knowing the optimal or maximum limits of this development.
when the people will change their mentality and will be Restoring the normal balance man-environment is
aware that they live because of nature and not vice versa. We possible through the use of resources of environment and
can not live without it; even we invent any "tricks". If we protection of nature, so in fact protecting nature, locally,
take this into account, the environmental problems will be regionally or globally. Both paths require knowledge of
acknowledged and internalized and the effects will be visible. environmental laws, organizational scientific based measures,
In general, while a passerby on the street threw down a and environmental education of the whole population to
package with the pretext that "there are still others who develop environmental awareness. Therefore, protection of
threw garbage, what I threw is not seen, we will not have a nature appears as a feature of human society, as a practical
clean environment. Everyone must have a position on this matter of utmost importance.
issue in question and to appreciate our common goods. In For the maintenance and protection of environment we
this way, the experts' advice is to organize various activities should consider several major objectives:
with environmental goals for a deeper knowledge of the A rational planning, a proper choice and quality
environment, field trips in nature, seminars, workshops with management of resources provided by the surrounding nature;
a big number of participants (not only for specialists and Protection and preservation of all that is endangered in
specialized teachers), because to protect the nature means to collections, plantings, reservations, to knowledge the
protect the very own lives and everyone health. productive capacity of ecosystems and of the species and to
In formal contexts, environmental education can be take measures to prevent such use which does exceed
achieved through any type of activity: at school - during the capacity.
biology hours by introducing elements of nature protection Of course, in achieving these objectives numerous
(knowledge of the main rare plants and animal species, difficulties appear. One of this links to the wrong mentality.
endemic species, protected trees, species of living fossils It should be outlined that to preserve the nature as a whole
etc..), extra-school, scientific, literary, artistic, arts, sports does not mean non-use, but it means a rational use of
etc… resources.
The achievement ways are various: observations, Another difficulty is the lack of basic information
experiments, science stories, drawings, practical activities, regarding the state of resources, capacity of regeneration.
walks, hikes, excursions (pupils learn to know the ecosystem, This difficulty could be overcome only by developing
relationships between organisms and the environment), research that can reveal two main aspects, namely: to
viewing slides, motion games, interest guidelines, collections, determine exactly the carrying capacity of ecosystems and
exhibitions, entertainment, watching TV, expeditions, camps, their productive potential. Only way we can know what and
ecological plays, contests. how an ecosystem can produce, what and how we can draw
The achievement in formal education for environment from it without damaging reserves or how to manage it as
and sustainable development is possible in different ways, better possible to produce more.
which involves interdisciplinary approaches. These ways If a man wishes to survive on Earth and not in a foreign
range from the simple introduction of environmental life's aspirations, he must understand that he needs not only
concepts in traditional disciplines to complete their ample food and industry products, but also a healthy
integration around a draft environmental action, passing environment, breathable air, drinking water, stable soil,
through convergence of disciplines that have some affinity charming landscapes and the diversity of plants and animals
for structure and methodology. The biggest part of the of which is linked his evolution.
current educational programs is missing, but often they do In the developed countries the glass, paper, plastic is
successfully recycled, they use the washing machine without
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detergent, bicycle trips are more popular than which are Education (FEE), coordinated by the Carpatho-Danubian
made with the car, are paid huge fines for illegal fishing or Geoecology Center.
hunting and others, but unfortunately these things are far ONCLUSIONS
from reality in our country. One of the reasons is that our IV. C
school program includes a few hours of ecology. As I noted Environmental education should be started in the
above, the environmental education should start at school, family, and then continued in kindergarten, school,
even earlier - from kindergarten and take place throughout university etc. This is because a real protection of nature will
life, supported by the values of society. Small children be possible only when the people will change their mentality
should learn to protect nature. Unfortunately, the focus today and are aware that they live in nature and not vice versa. We
is on sciences and technologies information and, often, can not miss it, any "tricks" we invent. If we take this into
ecology is neglected. account, environmental problems will be acknowledged and
NVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL internalized, the effects will be visible.
III. E In general, while a passerby on the street threw down a
DIMENSION package on the pretext that "there are still others who threw
The main objectives of environmental education are: garbage, I threw I do not see, we will not have a clean
a) The cultivation of love for the Earth and all elements environment. Everyone must have a position on the issue in
which are used in them: water, plants, animals, etc..; question and to appreciate our common goods. In this respect,
b) To increase the desire to protect, respect and protect the experts' advice is to organize various activities with
nature by involving children in character and demonstration environmental goals for a deeper knowledge of the
activities; environment, output in nature, excursions, seminars,
c) Develop skills of research, exploration, environmental workshops with wide participation (not only for specialists
investigation; and specialized teachers), whereas to protect the nature
d) Knowledge of organism’s and phenomenon’s from means to protect the very lives and health of everyone.
environment and their characteristics; RIGHT NT S
OPY FORMS AND REPRI ORDER
e) Enrichment of active vocabulary with words from the V. C
environment area; IEEE Electronic Copyright Form (ECF)
f) Acquisition of some conduct rules to ensure the R
balance between human health, society and the environment; EFERENCES
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