Environmental Education:

Benefits for Everyone

It is no new idea that Ameri-

ca is experiencing an extreme shift

in culture and the way we work. Todays children have more access to
knowledge, technology, and scientific advancements than any other in
human history. But all of these incredible advances come at a price.
Todays children spend more time
than ever disconnected from the real world and plugged into a virtual
one. Kids today:

Spend half as much time outdoors as they did 20 years ago.

(Kuo & Sullivan 2001)
Devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media in a typical day (more than 53 hours a
week). (Kaiser Family Foundation)
In a typical week, only 6% of children ages 9-13 play outside
on their own. (Children & Nature Network, 2008)
American children ages 3 -12 spend 27 percent of their time
each week watching television, and only 1 percent outdoors.
(Hofferth & Sadberg, 2001)
In 2000 two-thirds of the public failed a basic environmental
quiz and 88 percent failed a basic energy quiz. (Coyle, 2005)

Sadly, this more sedentary lifestyle has resulted in increases in

childhood obesity, attention difficulties, a general decrease in childhood health, hyperactivity, and a plethora of other risks and problems. The rising generation is more disconnected than any before
from their environment, and the nature part of human nature is rapidly being replaced. How can a society reasonably expect that a child
who has never experienced their environment, nor had been educated about it, to respect or protect it? The idea of an increase in early
environmental education for youths is more important than ever.

If we want children to care for and develop attitudes of stewardship for the environment, we must begin to make environmental
education more of a priority in both public education and in child
entertainment. According to a study done in 2006, the best way cultivate an attitude of caring about the natural world is to have children participate in wild nature activities before the age of 11.
(Wells and Lekies, 2006) This idea of drawing children out of the
classroom and away from the glow of the computer screen has a
myriad of advantages for them. Children who play outside
have been shown to be more physically active and creative.
They are also generally less aggressive and display improved
concentration skills at school. (Ginsburg et al., 2007)

A shift toward active and involved environmental educa-

The nature
part of human
nature is
rapidly being
replaced.

tion also holds great promise for the general public outside of
the direct realm of environmental studies. A hands-on approach to environment learning creates the opportunity to:
Create active learners and teachers- This real world approach fosters an ability to hold interest and promote active
participation in a way that few other subjects can. (Archie,
2003).
Form active scientific and critical thinkers- Environmental
education promotes quantitative and qualitative reasoning
skills, and promotes the basic methods of sciendific discovery and testing, such as developing questions, forming a hypothesis, critical thinking, problem solving, and analyzing
and interpreting data. (Archie, 2003).
Inspire future leaders- With the general teamwork basis of
environmental research, children quickly develop an ability
to work together to accomplish a goal. Additionally, the active learning portion promotes the idea of the ability to affect
their world, and promotes self-confidence and creating realworld differences.
Aid children who have trouble focusing in traditional classroom environments- Children have an easier time focusing
when exposed to natural settings, and it shows improvement
to their overall cognitive ability. (Wells, 2000) Even children
affected by Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) experience an

increased ability to focus and

learn more easily (Taylor,
2001)
Lead healthier lives - Children
who are exposed to more natural settings generally more
healthy, and are more likely to
be educated about health.
They are also more creative,
more active, and less aggressive towards fellow classmates. (Bell, 2006)

So, teachers, take your class on that field trip to the aquarium.

Parents, instead of spending money on a movie, consider taking

your children on a hike or to the park. When we let nature be part
of nurture, everyone benefits.
Jamieson Sather is a student at Brigham Young University Idaho
majoring in Biology, with an emphasis in zoology.
Image Credits: https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/