Importance of environmental education – raising children into responsible adults

Importance of environmental education – raising children into responsible adults

Having a hero to look up to plays a very important role for children, and this role often extends even when they have stepped into the realms of adulthood. These heroes serve as role models, to whom they can look up to, and who can guide them in the right direction when unavoidable ambiguities arise in life. In today’s age and time, environmental heroes are the heroes our world needs! In fact just like them, environmental protection should be our priority as well. After all, it is necessary to have a healthy, amicable and a nurturing society around us in the first place. Especially now.

Why environmental awareness is important for kids?

One of the major concerns that parents have these days is that kids today do not "step out" enough. While an increased use of gadgets promises convenience, somewhere along the line this has led to a confusion between the real and the virtual world. Adults to a considerable extent are able to separate the two, but for many kids, the virtual world has become their reality. Thus, simple joys like taking a walk, maintaining a garden, playing with peers in a park or even enjoying a sunrise are not considered enjoyable anymore. In the longer run a disconnect with the environment can translate into the lack of belongingness. A strong bonding with the environment on the other hand will ensure that kids find themselves to be a part of the real world, and are better geared to find their way around it.

How to make kids environmentally responsible?

There is no doubt when we say it is the kids of today who will be in charge of the world tomorrow, and as a corollary, will be responsible for it. In our capacities as supervising adults, as their teachers, their parents, their siblings, and simply as someone in their vicinity, it becomes our moral duty to steer them towards the right path. From a psychological point of view, it has been discussed innumerable number of times about how a child’s mind is highly impressionable. This can be validated if one were to carefully observe any kid around them in day to day life. Their behaviour is predominantly governed by the experiences they have in their classroom, what their favourite TV characters are like, how their siblings act around them, or how their favourite superhero behaves. As per Unicef, investment in early childhood development is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve educational achievement and to increase skills, capabilities and productivity.

Only when we take steps to make our children conscious about the environment around them, will they start owning up to it. This imbibed sense of accountability leads to an improved emotion of harmony towards their surroundings. Think of it this way; when children know that they are actually responsible for the environment, they will start feeling a sense of unison and belongingness towards it, and become more careful.

Sarang Padhye is Blogger. Currently Working for Discover Resorts - Perfect Wedding Venue in Maharashtra