What is Environmental Education?
Through environmental education, people gain an understanding of how individual actions affect the environment, acquire skills to weigh various sides of issues, and become better equipped to make informed decisions.
The components of environmental education are:
- Awareness and sensitivity
- Knowledge and understanding
- Attitudes
- Skills
- Participation
Demonstrating Environmental Results
- Study Finds Environmental Education Programs Lead to Cleaner Air
This project conducted a national study quantifying a relationship between place-based EE programs and environmental quality, specifically air quality. The study found that almost half of the EE programs used in communities resulted in cleaner and healthier air and most of the programs studied had taken some form of action to improve air quality. The project was conducted by the National Park Service Conservation Study Institute in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency and Shelburne Farms.
- My Environmental Education Evaluation Resource Assistant (MEERA) is a Web-based resource designed to help environmental educators evaluate their programs. The site includes basic information about evaluation, guides educators through a step-by-step evaluation process, and provides examples of actual EE evaluations. The site was developed by the University of Michigan in partnership with EPA and the U.S. Forest Service.
Linking from EPA
Visit the How EPA Creates EE Web Sites online guide for guidelines and tips. If you have a Web site you'd like EPA to link to, visit the linking criteria page to determine if your site is eligible.
EPA's Environmental Education Web Workgroup (EEWW) evaluates sites to determine whether they are appropriate to be included as links on EPA's EE portal sites.