The role of education in environmental protection

Survival of humans and improvement of their standard of living require an awareness of the role of environment, acknowledgement of its importance in our lives, and development of a positive attitude to preserve and improve its quality. In order to protect or reconstruct the environment, first of all, human groups need to be trained. Environmental education can strengthen a culture of responsibility towards protection of both immediate environment and the entire planet, which is necessary for sustainable development. The purpose of environmental education is to raise individuals who are aware of environmental issues and to create a sense of responsibility in them to protect and support the environment. Rather than an attempt to increase theoretical knowledge in its audience, environmental education needs to aim at empowering people to identify environmental issues, critically analyze them, explore the viable solutions, and actually contribute in solving them. Environmentally educated citizens are environmentalist partners that can inform their families about environmental issues and transfer their experiences to the family environment. With an environment protection orientation and internalized sensitivity to preserve the environment, the next fathers and mothers will then transmit the green mindset to the subsequent generation.