EnviroDiscovery
Environmental Literacy
Because responses to environmental problems
depend on the public’s awareness and
understanding of the issues and the underlying
scientific concepts involved, environmental
education is critical to appropriate decision
making. The emphasis on environmental education
has grown dramatically over the years:
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almost 100,000 U.S. high school students
in 2011 took the College Board Advanced
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environmental education in primary and
secondary schools.
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to provide curricular resources for climate
educators.
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Studies and Sciences was formed to support
college and university faculty and students.
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Agency to increase public awareness and
knowledge of environmental issues.
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to improving basic education, including
public understanding about environmental
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themes, such as water, climate change,
biodiversity, and disaster prevention.
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schools agree to take actions to reduce
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sustainability education for all students.
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for educators to help them select materials such
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scientific evidence and that present a balanced
perspective on environmental problems.
58 CHAPTER 3 Environmental History, Politics, and Economics
Anderson Independent-Mail, Sarah Bates/AP Photo© Fritz Hoffmann/In Pictures /Corbis
a. Elementary school children around the world, such as these students testing
tap water in Shanghai, learn about the environment through direct experimentation.b. Environmentalist and primatologist Jane Goodall meets with Connecticut
middle school students involved in the Roots and Shoots program, a youth-
based environmental action organization that Goodall started. The program
includes tens of thousands of members and chapters in nearly 100 countries.