Environment Attitude: In A Different Perspect...

Environment Attitude: In A Different Perspective

Author Name : Dr. Karuna Anand

INDRODUCTION

Today man is living in a world of crises. The social, economic, political and value crisis are some of the threats that are quite alarming. Added to this in the recent decades, the environmental crisis has become another important factor that has made everyone in the world to think of its gravity. Ever since man has been on this earth, there has been a constat interaction between him and the natural world. In the beginning, man lived in harmony with nature, but as his numbers grew and his scientific discoveries and inventions led him on the path of industrialization, he became the predator and his increasing demands on the environment and its resources have led to its exploitation and degradation. (Mercy and Arjunan, 2005) The role of education in understanding protecting and solving problems related to environment has been realized all over the world since 1970. Education for environment might succeed if it deliberately directed towards school children. Realizing on education (1986) emphasized that “there is a paramount need to create a consciousness of the environment.  It must permit all ages of section of the society, beginning with child (Chethana, 2003). Environmental education has developed as pragmatic educational response to the problems and concept of environment. The concept of environment education is still evolving and awaiting institutionalization in the educational systems. As such there is a direct need to understand the subject in proper perspective. Environment education has two components, viz., environment and education. Environment education is the process of recognizing values and the clarifying concepts in order to develop the skill and attitudes necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness among man, his culture and his biophysical surroundings (Council of Europe, 1976).