Why every international school needs environmental education

“On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so because they recognised the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live, and to preserve it for succeeding generations.” - Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Since the dawn of civilization, humans have needed to learn about where they live - where to find food, where to build shelter and also what dangers are lurking nearby.

Fast forward to 2021 and those basic needs appear to be far behind us.

Ratio of nature-related words in English Fiction

We are now more concerned with material issues such as - how can I make more money? Where can I spend money? And more essential than ever, can I take a selfie whilst doing it?

We need to learn more about our natural environment in order to reconnect with it, and what better place to start than schools.

Promoting pro-environmental attitudes

Environmental education goes further than recycling. It also goes deeper than learning about animals in general. The UN Environment Program states that environmental education is ‘a continuous and lifelong process, based on interdisciplinary approaches, active participation and individual and group responsibility for the environment’.

Those of us who are expatriate educators know that we have more knowledge of the biodiversity in our home country. Simply put, this is largely influenced by the amount of time we spent exploring as children.

Sadly, a recent study by Save the Children found that 92% of school-aged students feel that Covid-19 has affected the way they play, including time outdoors. Think back to the lock-downs and lingering precautions and it is hardly surprising. This emphasises that acting upon this is now more vital than ever.