United States Office of Communications, EPA 1 71 R92021 a Environmental Protection Education, and Public Affairs April 1992 Agency Washington, DC 20460 &EPA Building a Shared Vision for Environmental Education ¦V A Conference Sponsored by the Federal Task Force §n Environmental Education @ Printed on recycled paper. ------- BUILDING A SHARED VISION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A conference sponsored by the Federal Task Force on Environmental Education November 19-21,1991 Washington, DC U.S. Environmental Protection Agency April 1992 ------- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The conference, "Building a Shared Vision for Environmental Education," was held in Washington, D.C., on November 19-21, 1991. It was sponsored by the Office of Environmental Education, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the other members of the Federal Task Force on Environmental Education: ¦ Agency for International Development ¦ Council on Environmental Quality ¦ Department of Agriculture ¦ Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ¦ Department of Defense ¦ Department of Education ¦ Department of Energy ¦ Department of Health and Human Services ¦ Department of the Interior ¦ Department of State ¦ National Aeronautics and Space Administration ¦ National Science Foundation ¦ Peace Corps ¦ Tennessee Valley Authority ¦ United States Information Agency EPA would like to thank our federal agency co-sponsors as well as EPA's regional offices and research laboratories for their time, energy, and commitment in helping us design and implement this conference. We also would like to thank the following speakers, panelists and moderators, and workgroup facilitators for their ideas, presentations, and skill in guiding the presentations and discussions. Speakers Alejandro Diaz Camacho, Director General of Environmental Education, Ministiy of Urban Development and Ecology, Mexico Lewis Crampton, Assistant Administrator for Communications, Education, and Public Affairs, U.£. EPA F. Henry Habicht, II, Deputy Administrator, U.S. EPA John Heinritz, Vice President of International Marketing Operations, Warner Brothers, Inc. Kathleen Helppie, Vice President of Production and Administration, Warner Brothers Classic Animation Robert Herbst, Chair, Interim Board of Trustees, The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation Louis Iozzi, Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, Cook College, Rutgers University David Kearns, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education Bill Kurtis, President, Kurtis Productions, Inc. Manuel Lujan, Jr., Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior -i- ------- James Moseley, Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture Gaylord Nelson, Counselor, The Wilderness Society William Reilly, Administrator, U.S. EPA Richard Stephens, Associate Director, Office of University and Science Education, U.S. Department of Energy Andrew Wolf, Special Assistant to the Director, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Frank Young, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Science, and the Environment, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Barbara Zartman, Deputy Director, U.S. Peace Corps Panelists and Moderators Thomas Benjamin, Staff Director, Alliance for Environmental Education Annette Berkovits, Director of Education, Bronx Zoo Walter Bogan, Director, Science Resources for Schools, American Association for the Advancement of Science (Moderator) Patricia Borkey, Teacher, Mathematics and Science Center, Richmond, Virginia Lynn Elen Burton, Director of Environmental Education, Environment Canada (Moderator) Randall Champeau, Director, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point Anthony Cortese, Dean of Environmental Programs, Tufts University William Eblen, President, Rene Dubos Center for Human Environments Lillian Kawasaki, General Manager, Department of Environmental Affairs, City of Los Angeles Nan Little, Director, YMCA Earth Corps Kathy McGlauflin, Vice President of Education and Director of Project Learning Tree, American Forest Foundation (Moderator) Augusto Medina, Senior Program Officer, Latin American and Caribbean Programs, World Wildlife Fund Carol Muscara, Director, Audubon Science Institutes, National Audubon Society Madeline Strong, Executive Director, Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education Herbert Thier, Director, Chemical Education for Public Understanding Program, University of California, Berkeley Valerie Williams, Educational Services Supervisor, Southern California Edison Workgroup Facilitators Judy Braus, Environmental Education Specialist, U.S. Peace Corps Robert Dixon, Global Mitigation and Adaptation Team Leader, Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA Fenna Gatty, Teacher, Searles Elementary School, New Haven Unified School District, Union City, California (Presenter) Clarice Gaylord, Office of Administration and Resource Management, U.S. EPA Lynn Hodges, Manager, Environmental Education Section, Tennessee Valley Authority Bob Huggins, Interpretive Specialist, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior Terry Ippolito, Environmental Education Coordinator, Office of External Programs, U.S. EPA, Region 2 -ii- ------- Arva Jackson, Chief, Educational Affairs Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce Suzanne Kircos, Environmental Education Coordinator, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. EPA, Region 5 Tom Levermann, Head, Educational Relations, Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Paul McCawley, Environmental Education Specialist, Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Margaret McCue, Director, Office of Public Affairs, U.S. EPA, Region 5 John McLachlan, Director, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bonnie Smith, Environmental Education Coordinator, Center for Environmental Learning, U.S. EPA, Region 2 Helen Taylor, Senior Associate, ICF Kaiser Engineers, Inc. This document is based entirely on material presented at the conference. The material was compiled from handouts and presentations provided by speakers, panelists, and facilitators and from notes and tape recordings made at the conference. Overall management of the conference and proceedings development was provided by Kathleen MacKinnon, Office of Environmental Education, U.S. EPA. Review and approval of this document was provided by Lewis Crampton, Office of Communications, Education, and Public Affairs, U.S. EPA, as well as by Bradley Smith and Kathleen MacKinnon, Office of Environmental Education, U.S. EPA. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reviewed and approved this document for publication. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or specific programs does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. -iii- ------- BUILDING A SHARED VISION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. INTRODUCTION On November 16, 1990, President Bush signed into law the National Environmental Education Act to foster environmental literacy for young people and adults in schools and communities. The Act builds upon existing environmental education efforts by encouraging partnerships among academia, business, and industry, as well as governmental and nongovernmental agencies and organizations. A year later, on November 19-21, 1991, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with the 15 other agencies that make up the Federal Task Force on Environmental Education, sponsored a national conference to foster and support the goals of the Act. "Building a Shared Vision for Environmental Education" brought together more than 330 environmental educators and advocates from schools and universities; federal, state, and local organizations; businesses; nonprofit organizations; and international agencies. The purpose of the conference was to: ¦ Expand communication networks ¦ Foster partnerships ¦ Generate ideas for the future of environmental education ¦ Initiate a dialogue on ways the federal government can best support the nation's environmental education efforts The conference featured presentations by national and international leaders in government and the environmental movement, panel discussions on successful partnerships at home and abroad, and intensive workgroup sessions on the future of environmental education. The presentations and discussions covered all sectors of society from schools and universities to the media and business. Each day of the conference tackled a different theme. Day One set the stage with presentations on the importance of integrating environmental education into educational reform. Day Two provided historical background and reports on the current state of environmental education. Day Three probed the future by soliciting the ideas of conference participants. In addition, the conference featured an exhibit hall open to the public with over 40 exhibitors from government and nongovernmental organizations, a reception, luncheon presentation, and banquet. -1- ------- II. CONFERENCE SUMMARY A. SPEECHES Welcome by Lewis Crampton Lewis Crampton, Associate Administrator for Communications, Education, and Public Affairs, U.S. EPA, opened the conference on Tuesday evening, November 19, by welcoming all participants, thanking conference organizers, and setting forth the goals for the 3-day event. He introduced the conference as "a long-awaited curtain raiser on the National Environmental Education Act" and defined its major purpose as a forum to "expand our network of communication and to build upon existing partnerships." He emphasized that the federal government's role was primarily to "listen to your ideas and suggestions on where environmental education should be headed in the future, to learn from your experiences, and to listen to your advice on how the federal government can best support the nation's environmental education efforts." Mr. Crampton also provided a brief overview of the conference. Day One, entitled "Adding the 2 E's to the 3 R's," would emphasize the importance of integrating environmental education into the fundamentals of education by building upon, implementing, and sustaining partnerships within and among federal agencies, government, business, nonprofit organizations, schools, and communities. Day Two, "How We Got Here," would evaluate the current state of environmental education and examine how environmental education has evolved over the past 20 years since the first Earth Day. The focus of this day's activities would be on presentations by three panels representing a broad range of organizations involved in environmental education. Panelists would discuss current programs, their experiences in establishing partnerships, and ways the federal government could support their efforts. Day Three, "Where Do We Go from Here?," would focus on the future of environmental education, with the primary emphasis on workgroup sessions devoted to soliciting ideas from participants on future needs in environmental education in schools, universities, nature centers and parks, communities, nonprofit organizations, business, government, and the media. Keynote Address—Building a Shared Vision for Environmental Education by F. Henry Habicht, II EPA Deputy Administrator, F. Henry Habicht, II, spoke about EPA's mission in environmental education and the excitement the Agency felt in working with young people and people from diverse communities. He emphasized the importance of supporting the America 2000 education goals and adding an environmental component to these goals. He described EPA's goals and responsibilities as, building "an ethic of pollution prevention" and working toward "integrating the environment into the fabric of society and of life itself so that people think about the environment before they make decisions rather than making decisions then thinking about the environmental consequences." Deputy Administrator Habicht emphasized the priority EPA places on building partnerships in both the public and private sectors. He discussed several of EPA's existing agreements involving -2- ------- federal agencies including a multi-agency T.R.A.I.L. BOSS program as well as separate agreements to collaborate with the Peace Corps and the Department of Energy. Deputy Administrator Habicht also described partnerships with schools and universities across the country; with youth groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; and with the private sector including the TTME-Warner Environmental Education Campaign and the Bill Kurtis Productions partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, WTTW TV in Chicago, Amoco Corporation, and Waste Management, Inc. He also emphasized the importance of international partnerships such as efforts to develop a trilateral environmental education initiative among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He concluded by emphasizing that EPA's goal is to develop a message of hope about the future and to prepare the nation to make environmentally sound choices. Environmental Education Priorities at EPA by William Reilly (Videotape) U.S. EPA Administrator William Reilly spoke about EPA's commitment to the America 2000 education strategy, which he saw as initiating "major changes in our attitudes about learning in all of America's 110,000 public and private schools—changes in every home and in every community." He emphasized that for the first time in EPA's history, our mandate includes education in addition to enforcement and regulation. He defined broad educational goals for the Agency, which emphasized environmental literacy, international cooperation and environmental stewardship, and the encouragement of young people to pursue careers essential to the future of environmental improvement. He stated that "all these steps are important because, in the end, environmental education is about promoting stewardship and developing a lasting ethic that recognizes the importance of the environment to the future of the entire planet." Administrator Reilly stated that EPA's environmental education efforts would be built around cooperation. EPA would pursue public/private partnerships outside the government; serve as a clearinghouse for environmental education materials; provide seed money to state and local governments and private groups; and reach out to inner city youth, Native Americans, and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Mr. Reilly also spoke about the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, which would encourage private support for environmental education activities. Administrator Reilly lauded the progress that had been made in air and water quality in the last 20 years, but emphasized the role of environmental education in helping address the challenges of the future, such as nonpoint source pollution, global climate change, and ozone depletion. Environmental Education and America 2000 by David Kearns David Kearns, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, spoke about the Department of Education's America 2000 strategy for educational reform. He expressed concern that although we've been very good at educating the top half in this country, we've never done very well at educating everyone. Unless we educate everyone to the same high level, he emphasized, we won't be able to compete with the rest of the world. Deputy Secretary Kearns discussed both how far environmental education has come in this country and how far it has to go. Comparing the United States to Japan, he focused on "expectation levels," claiming that Japanese business leaders have substantially higher expectations for success than we do in the United States. He emphasized -3- ------- that the America 2000 reform and restructuring combats this trend by setting national education goals at the highest level. The America 2000 strategy for reform, Mr. Kearns explained, needs to take place at the grassroots level, with real ownership for education at the local and community levels. Teaching about the environment through hands on, real world-oriented activities in all disciplines offers a tremendous opportunity for motivating students and teachers alike. Mr. Kearns also discussed the four tracks of America 2000: Track 1—better and more accountable schools; Track 2—new schools; Track 3—a more literate public; and Track 4—improving the learning environment outside of school, on the premise that students, between the ages of 5 and 18, spend 91 percent of their time outside the classroom. Mr. Kearns reported that 30 states already had signed on as America 2000 states, and a number of communities had decided to adopt America 2000 goals. He challenged those in the university community to play a leadership role in the reform and restructuring of the country's educational system. He concluded by stating that we should have the highest expectation levels for success in education and the environment so that "our children will live a better life than their parents." Environmental Education at the U.S. Department of the Interior by Manuel Lujan, Jr. Manuel Lujan, Jr., Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, provided an overview of Interior's programs in environmental education. He emphasized that, as steward of about 440 million acres of public lands, Interior must balance development and preservation. He stated that the agency had made great progress in promoting public awareness of the environment and incorporating environmental concerns into its land management programs. Secretary Lujan also spoke about the partnerships necessary to effectively implement these programs. Some of Interior's programs described by Mr. Lujan included: ¦ "Suitcase for Survival," an educational program on endangered species that is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, and the Interior's Take Pride in America. ¦ The Water Resources Education Initiative to evaluate water education materials—a 3-year partnership between the American Water Resources Association, three Interior Bureaus, and the Denver-area public schools. ¦ The Enjoy Outdoors America Initiative, which focuses on educating the public about the outdoor environment, and involves partnerships with local, state, and national constituency groups and governments. ¦ The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) new heritage program in support of the America 2000 goals, which includes opportunities for studying America's cultural heritage through the BLM's historic and archeological properties. ¦ The Bureau of Reclamation's Project WET—Water Education for Teachers—which has been implemented in North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho. -4- ------- ¦ The National Park Service environmental education programs, including the Leave No Trace and the National Parks as Classrooms programs. Secretary Lujan said Interior was looking forward to developing more environmental education programs and was eager to develop partnerships, share ideas, and collaborate on joint projects. Peace Corps—A Leader in Environmental Education by Barbara Zartman Barbara Zartman, Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, began her talk by stating that the conference served as a symbol of a renewed national commitment to environmental education and was an important opportunity to establish links to more effectively solve environmental problems through education. She emphasized that "environmental education can help people gain the knowledge, skills, motivation, and commitment to manage and sustain the earth's resources, and to take responsibility for maintaining environmental quality." Ms. Zartman described some of the environmental challenges we are facing globally and provided a brief history of the Peace Corps and its mission. Peace Corps currently has volunteers serving in nearly 90 countries and environmental programs in more than 60, with more than 700 volunteers. The environment is becoming an increasing focus of the Peace Corps; in fiscal year 1991, host countries asked the Peace Corps to provide 550 pure environmentalists. Currently, volunteers are incorporating environmental issues into all subject areas, developing primary and secondary school curricula in environmental education, and training teachers in environmental education techniques. Projects range from developing an environmental education component for a national curriculum in St. Kitts to conducting teacher training workshops in Gabon, Sri Lanka, Botswana, and Central Europe. Ms. Zartman stressed the critical role of the Peace Corps' collaborations with leading world environmental organizations. She stated that as the Peace Corps looks to the future, the organization would be relying on collaborative agreements, such as a current project to provide preservice training in environmental education to volunteers in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Poland, which involves assistance from the Regional Environmental Center in Budapest, Hungary; EPA; the Institute for Conservation Leadership; the World Wildlife Fund; and local experts. The Peace Corps also would implement a Peace Corps World Wise Schools Program to provide an information exchange between U.S. classrooms involving 2,500 teachers and volunteers abroad. A Vision for Environmental Education by Gaylord Nelson Gaylord Nelson, Counselor of The Wilderness Society and former Senator from Wisconsin, in an inspiring address, challenged participants to approach the environmental issue from a political and economic perspective. In his view, the steady consumption of our natural resource base by commercial and industrial development poses a serious threat to our survival. Senator Nelson set forth a plan of action for the next 30 to 40 years involving the establishment of a "unified political coalition" that would support the development of an environmentally sustainable economy, strong -5- ------- Presidential leadership supported by Congress in implementing environmentally sound policies, and the creation of a "conservation generation" through extensive environmental education. He spoke passionately about the need for a generation of people "imbued in its heart and mind with a strong conservation ethic that serves to guide its conduct respecting all matters relating to nature and its works." Senator Nelson felt that the lack of this guiding ethic was the single greatest obstacle to solving the globe's environmental problems. Senator Nelson suggested nurturing this conservation generation through a comprehensive nationwide environmental education program in every school throughout the countiy. He encouraged state mandates for environmental education, such as the Wisconsin mandate that requires infusion of environmental education into K-12 curricula and teacher environmental literacy. Senator Nelson described world population growth as the most serious environmental threat, stating that an ever expanding population will eventually outstrip the earth's ability to support it. He also cited such issues as global warming, pollution of the oceans, declining biodiversity, ground- water pollution, and hazardous wastes as high-ranking issues deserving attention. He concluded with a brief overview of Earth Day, its history and objectives. He stated that his goal in creating Earth Day was both political and educational: to force the issue of environmental protection into the political arena and to institutionalize an annual Earth Day as an educational event. Senator Nelson recognized the progress that has been made in the past 20 years on all fronts—political, cultural, and economic—and expressed hope that "we will soon recognize that environmental education goes directly to the heart of the challenge to create a sustainable economy." Goals and Priorities in Implementing the National Environmental Education Act by Lewis Crampton Mr. Crampton, U.S. EPA, Associate Administrator, outlined the goals and priorities of the U.S. EPA Office of Environmental Education (OEE) in implementing the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA). He described OEE's objectives to create partnerships and develop positive working relationships with other agencies, businesses, and schools to carry out these mandates. Mr. Crampton also discussed the main elements of OEE's environmental education program, including: ¦ An environmental education clearinghouse of materials and programs. ¦ Internship and fellowship programs to place college students and teachers in federal environmental and natural resource management agencies. ¦ Youth programs that reach out to the Boy and Girl Scouts and other organizations. ¦ Advisory boards that link EPA offices, federal agencies, and other sectors such as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and businesses. ¦ Grants programs to support a national training center and environmental education projects. ¦ A teacher-oriented periodical called EPA Earth Notes for K-6. ¦ International linkages through the State Department and U.S. Information Agency. -6- ------- The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation by Robert Herbst Robert Herbst, Chair of the Interim Board of Trustees, The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, opened his presentation with an invocation to participants to "share your knowledge with others, and to be environmental leaders by your words, deeds, and actions." Like Gaylord Nelson, Mr. Herbst introduced the concept of a conservation ethic and argued that such an ethic is, at long last, gaining prevalence in America. He stated that our vast land and resource base defined us as a nation more than our industrial, military, or technological strength. Mr. Herbst stated that the key to our ability to preserve and maintain the earth is through a global environmental ethic fostered by environmental education. To further this effort, The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation was established as a public/private partnership committed to the joint goals of environmental protection and sustainable development. The Foundation was chartered by the U.S. Congress under the National Environmental Education Act of 1990, and also was privately incorporated as a charitable foundation to be funded by government grants, corporate and individual contributions, and Congressional appropriations. Mr. Herbst enumerated the Foundation's goals in furthering environmental education and training and discussed its aim of supporting "the development, implementation, evaluation, and national and international replication of programs and projects determined to have the best chance of'making a difference'...in protecting the environment and sustaining our economic development." He concluded by describing the Foundation's current status and staffing, stating that it was ready for full implementation. United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development by Andrew Wolf Andrew Wolf, Special Assistant to the Director of the United Nation's Environment Programme, spoke about the United Nations' role in environmental education. In the last 20 years, he said, the organization "has become a focal point for the idea that the world has no boundaries when it comes to environmental protection and environmental awareness." The focus of his address was the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development to be held June 1-12, 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He described the activities and goals of the conference, which is expected to bring together 150 heads of state and other dignitaries along with thousands of representatives from nongovernmental groups and private sector interests. Mr. Wolf described the conference as "an historic if not unprecedented event in the history of civilization" and stated its overriding goal was to link economic development issues with environmental quality. He stated that the conference would attempt to mobilize people to set a new and more hopeful course for humanity by producing an "Earth Charter" embodying basic principles to govern economic and environmental behavior, developing an "Agenda 21" blueprint for action on issues affecting the relationship between the environment and economy, and agreeing to conventions affecting global climate change and biological diversity. The Future of Environmental Education by James Moseley James Moseley, Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), indicated that USDA has expanded its emphasis on the environment and natural resource management due to both increased public concern for the -7- ------- environment and the results of research that show the effects of human activity on the environment. Mr. Moseley emphasized that the same technological approach USDA has applied for years to solving agricultural problems is now being extended to environmental issues as well, and that USDA has made environmental education a top priority in eveiy department. He highlighted the need for stronger partnerships and communication among agencies working together on the same issues. He emphasized that environmental education should not advocate a position but should teach critical thinking that enhances informed and rational decision-making. Environmental Education: Where Do We Go from Here? by Louis Iozzi Dr. Louis Iozzi, Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, Cook College, Rutgers University, lauded EPA's environmental education initiative, offering praise to the Agency's vision in sponsoring the National Environmental Education Act and its work thus far in carrying out the law's mandates. He cited as significant accomplishments the creation of the Office of Environmental Education, the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology's Subcommittee on Environmental Education and Training, and an internal EPA task force's strategic plan for environmental education. Dr. Iozzi called for all members of the environmental education community, including educators, businesses, government agencies, and environmental organizations, to do their part in furthering the goals of the Act. He set forth a number of steps including: ¦ Forming partnerships and working together to solve environmental problems through consortia, cooperatives, and regional alliances. ¦ Encouraging the development of master plans for environmental education in all 50 states. ¦ Pressing Congress to allocate the full funding authorized under the Act. ¦ Incorporating state-of-the-art educational technologies into environmental programs. ¦ Developing a strong network to help states link efforts and share ideas. Dr. Iozzi identified a two-pronged approach for environmental education: infusion into existing curricula and separate coursework. He stated that infusion should be used to achieve educational objectives by applying environmental concepts and issues to the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Dr. Iozzi stressed the need to bridge the gap between awareness and action, helping students develop the skills to motivate and equip them to take responsible action. Dr. Iozzi expressed concern that environmental science has been emphasized over environmental ethics. He stated that environmental problems are social not scientific, and that environmental education must be taught holistically. Dr. Iozzi also charged participants to define our nation's role with respect to environmental issues and responsibilities in the international community, and to consider multiethnic and cultural diversity when developing programs at home. -8- ------- A Program for the Future of Environmental Education by Frank Young Frank Young, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Science, and the Environment, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), began his address by remembering the role two teachers had played in his decision to pursue a career in environmental science. From this perspective, he emphasized the value of teacher education in spreading not only knowledge of but commitment to the environmental field. Expanding educational programs for teachers, including summer scholarship programs, should be a major starting point for environmental education in the future. Dr. Young emphasized the important relationship between environment and health. He indicated that much of his work involved making the critical distinction between real and imagined risks from the risk of lead and dioxin to alar in apples. He emphasized HHS's commitment to environmental health risk education, with a special focus on minority and inner city programs. Dr. Young described some of the environmental education programs at HHS including graduate and postdoctoral training and career development and a program to bring high school students and science teachers into laboratories at the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to participate in experiments and update curricula. He also spoke about the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service's activities, such as Co-Step, a summer program for high school students pursuing careers as environmental sanitarians or engineers. Dr. Young concluded by emphasizing HHS's commitment to working in partnership with governmental and nongovernmental agencies to promote education relating to environmental health. An Overview of Environmental Education Activities in Mexico by Alejandro Diaz Camacho Alejandro Diaz Camacho, Director General of Environmental Education, Ministry of Urban Development and Ecology, provided an overview of environmental activities in Mexico. He described the complex choice Mexico now faces between following a pattern of economic development accepted worldwide or forging a path that guarantees the preservation and protection of the country's remaining natural resources. Five years ago, Mexico initiated an environmental education program to confront the degradation of human health and quality of life. This program has formal, nonformal, and informal components that range from collaborations between the education departments of government and the universities to the establishment of offices of environmental protection in private sector enterprises to extensive use of the media to promote environmental awareness. Mr. Camacho also described the current efforts to develop an environmental education memorandum of understanding among Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This memorandum is based on the three countries' recognition of the importance of environmental education, the role of governmental leadership, the need to increase environmental literacy, and the mutual benefits achieved by joint efforts among nations. Closing Remarks by Lewis Crampton U.S. EPA Associate Administrator Crampton closed the conference by reiterating a number of the goals emphasized by speakers, panelists, facilitators, and other participants throughout the 3-day meeting. The overriding message was the need for all sectors of society, nationally and -9- ------- internationally, to join together in a collaborative effort to foster environmental education and the pursuit of environmental literacy. He emphasized EPA's commitment to environmental education and the Agency's eagerness to support the efforts of all those working toward these goals. B. PANELS On Day Two of the conference, three panel discussions were held pertaining to partnerships in environmental education: ¦ Panel 1: Successful Partnerships to Develop and Deliver Environmental Education in the United States ¦ Panel 2: Successful Partnerships to Develop and Deliver Environmental Education Globally ¦ Panel 3: Successful Partnerships to Finance Environmental Education Each panelist discussed the program he or she represented with respect to its purpose, partnerships, successes, lessons learned, and plans for the future. Panel 1: Successful Partnerships to Develop and Deliver Environmental Education in the United States t Walter Bogan, Director, Science Resources for Schools, American Association for the Advancement of Science, moderated the panel on environmental education efforts in the United States. Randall Champeau, Director of the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE), provided an overview of environmental education in Wisconsin, a state that has emerged as a model for state-supported efforts in environmental education. Dr. Champeau indicated that Wisconsin's program includes both teacher and student environmental education mandates. He discussed the formation of partnerships among environmental interests throughout the state, which culminated in the establishment of a Wisconsin Environmental Education Board, a $250,000 per year small grants program, and WCEE. Dr. Champeau described the goals of WCEE and outlined a number of the programs that have resulted from its many supportive partnerships. These programs include teacher training, environmental literacy assessment, conferences, networks, a resource library, and an educational bulletin. Carol Muscara, Director of the Audubon Science Institutes (ASI), described the programs and partnerships of ASI, one of many educational programs supported by the National Audubon Society. This partnership among business, a federal agency, a nonprofit organization, and teachers provides teachers in school districts that serve minority populations with training and technologies to incorporate environmental education into existing science programs. Ms. Muscara noted that ASI uses "trainer workshops" where teachers participate in hands-on, problem-solving, collaborative learning activities on issues ranging from atmospheric quality to endangered species to solid waste management. Between 1989 and 1991, ASI trained 143 teachers and provided 20,000 students with exposure to environmental issues. -10- ------- Patricia Borkey, Teacher, Mathematics and Science Center, Richmond, Virginia, described the Center as a consortium of five public school districts encompassing inner city, urban, suburban, and rural school populations. The purpose of the Center is to reach K-12 students with information on environmental issues, including how people impact the environment. The Center sends specialists into classrooms, offers special student lessons, and meets teachers in the field to collect and analyze data. The Center has utilized partnerships with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Rutgers University, the University of Delaware, the State Department of Education, the University of California at Berkeley, DuPont Corporation, and the Morgan Foundation to develop and fund programs, including an interdisciplinary study of the James River as an important natural resource. Lillian Kawasaki, General Manager of the Los Angeles City Environmental Affairs Department, spoke about the challenge of addressing environmental education issues from the perspective of a culturally and economically diverse large local government. Los Angeles has over 3.5 million people, who speak over 60 languages, and also must deal with some of the worst problems in air and water quality, congestion, and vanishing natural resources in the nation. Ms. Kawasaki emphasized that the ultimate solution was to empower the individual and to develop the political and public will to act. She stated that a creative strategy was needed to promote community-based involvement and to reach diverse communities and targeted audiences such as youth and ethnic groups. She described Los Angeles' efforts to redefine the "environment" to include people and their health and emphasized the importance of presenting environmental education in a multicultural context. Ms. Kawasaki described the city's approach in reaching out to communities, youths, and businesses through community meetings, joint projects with youth service organizations and businesses, and an environmental information center. Herbert Thier, Director of the Chemical Education for Public Understanding Program (CEPUP), University of California at Berkeley, described the program's goal as developing greater public awareness, knowledge, and understanding about chemicals and their interactions with society. CEPUP accomplishes this goal by producing activity-based instructional materials for schools and communities, which provide people with information necessary to make decisions about chemical- related issues based on consideration of evidence rather than on emotional appeals. CEPUP strives to provide scientifically accurate and unbiased materials, and has on its advisory board members that represent a broad spectrum of interests including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, the University of California, the League of Women Voters, Sierra Club, Exxon, and Chevron. Panel 2: Successful Partnerships to Develop and Deliver Environmental Education Globally Lynn Elen Burton, Director of Environmental Education, Environment Canada, moderated the panel on developing and delivering environmental education globally. Augusto Medina, Senior Program Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), provided an overview of WWF as an international family of organizations composed of 30 national organizations throughout the world committed to conserving wildlife and the health of ecological systems. He emphasized the importance of using many tools to promote conservation, including education, legislation, and enforcement. His talk focused on WWF's activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, where present partners include ministries of education, natural resources, and parks; local and regional nongovernmental environmental organizations, regional organizations, and universities; civic groups; teachers; and other community -11- ------- members. Mr. Medina stressed the need to work with local communities from the start in identifying goals and planning programs, to ensure programs address real needs and assist the community in improving their local condition, and to ensure that programs are capable of being maintained by community resources. Mr. Medina also stressed the importance of examining our own resource management and consumption and its impact on global conservation when attempting to shape environmental education programs in Latin America. Anthony Cortese, Dean of Environmental Programs at Tufts University, identified two critical types of partnerships: those among universities to incorporate environmental and development education into their programs and those to promote environmental literacy. Dr. Cortese described the role universities should play in promoting interdisciplinary environmental education and research. He cited some of the current obstacles to achieving this goal as being attitudinal and structural, relating to the belief that environmental education is a "fad" and suited only for K-12 as well as to university emphasis on non-interdisciplinary research. He also spoke about the efforts of Tufts University to focus the attention of university presidents and deans around the globe on the role of universities in environmental management. Dr. Cortese described the formation of the Tufts Environmental Literacy Institute (TELI) to support the university's own mission of ensuring that all of its graduates are environmentally literate. TELI is a faculty-based interdisciplinary program aimed at assisting faculty in incorporating environmental perspectives into their courses. The belief is that broad and continuing exposure to environmental issues will empower students to become environmentally literate and responsible citizens. Nan Little, Director of the YMCA Earth Corps, spoke about that organization's commitment to teaching young people leadership skills through environmental education and action. The YMCA Earth Corps is a collaboration of students and teachers from public and private schools, which is supported by business, government, colleges and universities, and not-for-profit organizations. In her talk, Ms. Little focused on international collaborations with YMCAs in other countries and described some recent projects involving students in Thailand, India, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. She emphasized the importance of communication, flexibility, and sensitivity in designing international exchange programs to ensure mutual goals and needs are met, lessons that she believed to be applicable to any partnerships involving youths, governments, or corporations. William Eblen, President of the Rene Dubos Center for Human Environments, provided a brief history of the Center, including its formation as a collaboration between Rene Dubos, a scientist/humanist and professor at Rockefeller University, and the Total Education in the Total Environment organization founded by Dr. Eblen. He described the Center's purpose "to help the general public and decision-makers formulate policies for the resolution of environmental conflicts and for the creation of new environmental values." The Center has established a forum program to address environmental problems and has pursued numerous environmental literacy projects through partnerships with government agencies, universities, and businesses. Recent projects include a multimedia computer applications software series, an instructional program examining current environmental problems, and an encyclopedia on the environment. Panel 3: Successful Partnerships to Finance Environmental Education Kathy McGlauflin, Vice President for Education and Director of Project Learning Tree, the American Forest Foundation, moderated the panel on financing environmental education. -12- ------- Thomas Bei\jamin, Staff Director of tho Aiilaucc fur Hiv/iroarncntal Education, discussed the role of corporations in funding and forming partnerships to support environmental education. He cited a number of major corporations, such as Dow Chemical, AT&T, Apple Computers, Proctor & Gamble, and Warner Bros., that have provided assistance to conservation projects and have incorporated a pro-environmental approach into their procedures and policies. Mr. Benjamin indicated that corporations form partnerships for many reasons, including to increase sales and improve corporate image. He said that today corporations often "negotiate" donations by attaching "strings" and serve as conduits to collect money for charities (e.g., Ramada International and American Express have teamed up to donate a percentage of their business proceeds for hotel stays paid for with American Express to Nature Conservancy). Valerie Williams, Supervisor of Educational Services, Southern California Edison, described the project Think Earth, an environmental education program for elementary school children that addresses resource conservation, waste reduction, and pollution prevention. Children learn basic concepts such as everything comes from the environment; skills such as identifying recyclable products; and behaviors such as saving newspapers to recycle. This program was developed by a consortium of companies, government agencies, and educational organizations in Southern California. Sponsoring members finance the project which provides the materials free to schools. Educators ensure that the materials are scientifically accurate, unbiased, and educationally sound. Annette Berkovits, Director of Education for the Bronx Zoo, provided an overview of Project W.I.Z.E., a multimedia life science curriculum developed by the Bronx Zoo and funded by two federal agencies, three foundations, and one corporation. Project W.I.Z.E. combines classroom study with scientific resources available in modern zoos to challenge students to address wildlife survival. Field trips form the centerpiece of the program to show students how nature works. The project currently reaches thousands of students in 30 states and several foreign countries. Ms. Berkovits described two types of partners: funding partners, who provided the capital, and implementation partners such as school systems, who tested the program's viability. Ms. Berkovits emphasized the value of demonstrating program success in attracting new partners. According to Ms. Berkovits, the project was able to sustain funding, because it "changed, grew, and was able to demonstrate incremental levels of success with professionally gathered evaluation data." Madeline Strong, Executive Director of the Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education (FACEE), described the many environmental challenges Florida faces due to rapid population growth and dependence on natural resources for economic well being. She explained the environmental education partnership Florida has developed over the past 20 years, focusing on the FACEE as the central forum for environmental education initiatives. The FACEE, which consists of lawmakers, public officials, agency representatives, and community, environmental, and industrial leaders, is responsible for raising money and coordinating the education grants program. Environmental education programs are supported by a trust fund which collects revenue from various sources, including endangered species license plate sales and fishing license fees. During 1991, the state recommended funding 37 projects at $1.5 million, including a state-wide multimedia campaign for increasing awareness and promoting individual responsibility for protecting Florida's environment. -13- ------- C. WORKGROUP SUMMARIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS The conference concluded with a series of workgroup sessions designed to solicit ideas from conference participants about future needs in environmental education and the role of the federal government in meeting and supporting such needs. Participants developed recommendations in each of the following areas: schools (K-12); colleges and universities; museums, nature centers, and parks; community-based youth programs; adult continuing education programs; nonprofit organizations; the business community, workplace, and marketplace; minority and multiethnic communities; government; teacher education; media and entertainment; and environmental health risk education. Two sessions of work groups were held so that each participant was able to attend two sessions on two different topics of his or her choice. The recommendations developed in the workgroup sessions were reported to the entire group in a plenary session. These recommendations are summarized below. The summaries and recommendations do not necessarily reflect a consensus among participants. Instead they offer a range of views and suggestions. Some common themes, however, have emerged which include: ¦ Demand for environmental education is high and growing. ¦ Environmental education efforts are improving and spreading rapidly, but there is no common set of goals or rules that govern such efforts. Efforts are fragmented; linkage and coordination among projects and programs are lacking. ¦ A wealth of materials, projects, and programs exist, but widespread support, funding, and training are lacking. Overall, quality control is lacking and demand is high for evaluation and identification of good model programs. ¦ Significant audiences, which include minority and multiethnic communities, senior citizens, the illiterate public, and other adult populations, are being missed. ¦ There is a strong desire for EPA and the federal government to play a supportive role in environmental education. Some common suggestions relate to: - Providing financial support - Training teachers and environmental professionals - Facilitating information exchange and electronic networking - Facilitating partnerships among organizations and sectors - Facilitating coordination across programs and sectors - Evaluating programs and identifying models - Setting national goals and guidelines -14- ------- - Establishing awards and recognition programs - Hosting conferences and workshops Schools, K-12 Current Status: Although good environmental education programs do exist in schools, such efforts are fragmented nationally. Many teachers believe environmental education is important but lack the materials, training, funding or "support from above" to teach it. There is uncertainty about whether to infuse environmental education into existing curricula or to teach it as a separate subject. Environmental education also lacks consistency in content and goals, and materials often lack relevance to community issues. Where to Go from Here: Environmental education needs to become part of K-12 curricula and should be a collaborative effort among teachers, administrators, and the school board. Environmental education could be a vehicle for reform and restructuring in schools by providing opportunities for interdisciplinary study, not just for math and science education. Environmental education activities should be participatory, action oriented, skill and knowledge enhancing, and focus on the real world. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government should facilitate teacher training. Preservice and in-service training needs to be built in to teacher training programs. The federal government may provide leadership in encouraging colleges and universities to emphasize environmental education in teacher training programs. 2. The federal government should facilitate information exchange. EPA could inventoiy and connect environmental education networks and make existing clearinghouses more accessible and affordable to users. EPA could inventory and distribute scientific and technical information as well as information on successful programs and available grants and awards. States should be encouraged to share their successes, and the federal government could collect and make information on state models available. The federal government should help ensure that poorer school districts have access to high-quality materials, are linked to a supportive network, and informed of how to obtain or use appropriate materials in their classrooms. 3. The federal government should fund worthwhile projects and provide information on how to apply for grants. -15- ------- The federal government should "stay out of curriculum development" and instead fund research for educators to develop their own materials, provide schools with low-cost copyrighted materials for classroom use, and provide seed money for environmental projects. The federal government should hold workshops in grant writing and develop or strengthen networks for helping educators become more aware of financial assistance, including partnerships with state resource agencies and industry. The federal government, especially EPA, could use grant dollars as an incentive to states to develop and implement master plans, which include teacher education and competency examinations. The federal government should fund programs that emphasize hands-on activities and teacher training. They should promote community-based activity and help solicit Native Americans, retired educators, and others to serve as mentors. 4. EPA could establish an awards program to recognize teachers for successful projects and models. 5. EPA should hold regional workshops for teachers, school board members, administrators, and students on how to implement and maintain environmental education programs. 6. The federal government could help establish objectives for environmental literacy and promote it as a national priority. Colleges and Universities Current Status: Environmental education in colleges and universities is important, but fragmented and underfunded. Interdisciplinaiy issues such as environmental education rarely fit into existing college and university structures, which often have competing departments and emphasize faculty research. There is lack of coordination among types of institutions (e.g., junior and community colleges, graduate and undergraduate institutions, and universities) and among resident instruction, research, and extension or outreach. Where to Go from Here: Colleges and universities need to acknowledge the value of partnerships among academia, government, and industry. They need to break down traditional barriers to facilitate multi- and interdisciplinary programs. They need better information sharing through clearinghouses, teleconferencing, and telecommunications networks. They also need to recognize that environmental education is broad and encompasses awareness, knowledge, tools, skills, values, and motivation. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. EPA could sponsor regional conferences to help foster partnerships among government, industry, and academia. -16- ------- 2. EPA could encourage better coordination within and among colleges and universities and recognize that environmental education is a multistage process. Through the Federal Task Force on Environmental Education, EPA could sponsor regional strategy sessions for environmental education coordinators at colleges and universities. These workshops could cover planning, strategy, implementation, coordination of in-kind sessions, and informed decision-making. EPA could work with national coordinator groups such as the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges to stimulate coordination among teaching, research, and extension, and across departments and institutions. 3. EPA could facilitate information sharing and electronic networking. EPA could provide easier access to existing data bases on environmental studies and environmental education. EPA could fund the consolidation of information on all federal programs and success stories in a clearinghouse. EPA also could produce a document, including case studies, describing the environmental education activities of each federal agency, available grant money, and how to apply for grants. 4. EPA could sponsor an awards program to recognize universities that have sound environmental practices and programs. 5. EPA could coordinate internship programs, starting with the organizations represented at the conference. Museums, Nature Centers, and Parks Current Status: Environmental education in museums, nature centers, and parks is generally very good and improving. These institutions are good forums for linking informal and formal education and for enhancing school learning experiences. Funding, however, remains a problem and more quality control is needed. Where to Go from Here: Museums, nature centers, and parks should be used more often to help infuse and integrate environmental education into schools. Adults are an important target population, and projects should emphasize adults and children working together as a team. Projects should encourage environmentally responsible action, and evaluations of changes in behavior or attitude should be conducted. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government should use existing resources rather than developing new materials. -17- ------- 2. The federal government could set up regional workshops or forums to foster collaboration and information sharing across sectors, especially between schools/universities and museums, nature centers, and parks. 3. The federal government should encourage the development of regional advisory boards responsible for implementing programs that respond to regional needs. 4. EPA should provide financial support and should distribute grant money with geographical equality and with an emphasis on inner city populations. 5. EPA could assist in establishing methods to evaluate programs and to measure changes in behavior and attitudes. 6. EPA could broaden staff development and work more closely with other federal agencies, especially in placing interns and fellows widely in various environmental and natural resource agencies. Community-Based Youth Programs Current Status: Many excellent community-based youth environmental education programs exist. These programs, however, are missing important audiences, are not well coordinated at the local level, and need better access to program materials. Youths are not involved enough in program planning and implementation. Where to Go from Here: Leader training, including training of volunteers, should be a priority. Young people should be used as educators, peer teachers, and mentors. Environmental education needs to include urban environments by dealing with environmental risk and other issues relevant to urban audiences. Programs need to target minorities and ethnic groups. Programs also need to be coordinated with schools and among various youth-serving organizations. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government needs to make youth education a funding priority. EPA should assign a certain percentage of grant dollars to nonformal youth education programs and for projects developed by youth. Funding should target projects that are replicable. Grants should be awarded for projects that target community-based minority and ethnic groups. 2. The federal government should promote the use of youths as educators by hosting youth training workshops and involving youths in setting priorities and developing and implementing programs. -18- ------- 3. The federal government could identify model strategies and provide technical assistance to help community-based youth programs coordinate their efforts and focus on specific issues such as pollution prevention, environmental risk, and sustainable development. 4. An EPA clearinghouse would be valuable if it could be made accessible through existing networks, be used to identify current youth programs, and be maintained by EPA over the long term. Adult Continuing Education Programs Current Status: Adult continuing education programs for environmental education are not easily identified, coordinated, or addressed. Good programs and materials are missing important segments of the population, including minorities, senior citizens, and the illiterate public. It is a challenge to educate an adult population who may have passed the peak in their learning curve and in which habits are more ingrained. Where to Go from Here: More effective adult education strategies and materials are needed. Programs should target segments of the population not currently being reached such as minorities, senior citizens, and the illiterate public. Adults could participate as peer educators and mentors. Communities need to develop an agenda for environmental literacy and action and should host forums on environmental issues of common concern such as "health" to bring adults with various backgrounds and ages together. Tools need to be developed to evaluate levels of success and to learn what motivates people to move from knowledge to awareness to action. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government, especially EPA, should emphasize and prioritize projects in nonformal adult education through funding and technical support. EPA should support adult continuing education programs in universities as well as in museums, nature centers, and parks. 2. EPA should sponsor regional and local conferences that focus on educator training, assessing local resources, and program evaluation. Conferences could culminate in community environmental issue forums. EPA could promote and support workshops at the local level targeted for specific audiences such as minorities and senior citizens. 3. The federal government could play a major role in facilitating partnerships among academia, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government agencies. Nonprofit Organizations Current Status: A broad range of nonprofit organizations develop environmental education curriculum materials, products, and services. Many local and national programs, networks, and initiatives exist. New efforts are needed to link programs and resources and to promote local initiatives. -19- ------- Where to Go from Here: Environmental education should be mandated at the state or local level but driven by grassroots networks. Nonprofits need to make use of their unique position to create, expand, and leverage community resources. They should develop a handbook of successful case studies to encourage supportive state legislation. The following issues need to be resolved: how to reach the most people; how to finance programs; how to build, expand, and maintain existing networks and resources; and how to disseminate available materials and training. A process is needed to review and evaluate existing information and programs. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. Leadership from the federal government, from the President on down, is critical to the establishment of environmental education on the national agenda. The federal government needs to take the lead in promoting environmental education through highly visible publicity campaigns. 2. EPA and other federal agencies should provide funding to support the following efforts: To build local collaboration and partnerships among business, government, and nonprofits. To develop a set of literacy guidelines or standards that would outline what students should learn to meet graduation requirements. 3. EPA and other federal agencies should develop partnerships with nonprofit organizations. 4. EPA should work with other organizations to create a centralized "Who's Who and Who's Doing What" information clearinghouse that is accessible at the local level. 5. EPA and other federal agencies should sponsor conferences and forums for youths and people of color. Business Community, Workplace, and Marketplace Current Status: Environmental education efforts in the business community, workplace, and marketplace vary greatly ranging from educating businesses to adopt sound environmental policies to educating workers to cultivate environmentally sound habits to educating consumers and stockholders to be aware and supportive of environmental concerns and programs. Businesses face barriers to implementing environmental education programs such as mistrust about corporate motives and funding limitations. Where to Go from Here: Businesses need to be proactive, get top level management support, and emphasize that good stewardship is good business. Environmental issues need to be made relevant to the business community by focusing on issues such as health and scarcity of natural resources. The future of environmental education in the business community is tied to increasing partnerships and coalitions with nonprofits, communities, and state and local governments. Business schools should build environmental education into their curricula. -20- ------- Recommendations for EFA and Federal Government: 1. EPA needs to foster partnerships between the business community and nonprofits, academia, and government. 2. EPA needs to promote information sharing. EPA could include businesses in its clearinghouse. EPA could make information available to businesses on corporate-community partnerships to serve as model programs. EPA could provide training to nonprofit organizations and local governments on how to involve businesses. EPA could provide more environmental education materials to businesses on compliance, pollution prevention, and cross-media issues. 4. EPA should sponsor a series of regional conferences that target businesses and labor representatives to help define environmental education for the business community. EPA could facilitate community meetings to help businesses communicate with their communities on local issues and encourage the formation of regional coalitions of schools, businesses, and local governments. 5. EPA could make some grants dependent on corporate sponsorships, such as tying grants to corporate matching programs 6. EPA could establish an awards program to recognize businesses for successful projects and models. 7. The federal government should encourage environmental literacy in institutions of higher learning, especially in business schools, to target future employees and business leaders. Minority and Multiethnic Communities Current Status: Minority and multiethnic communities are often disproportionately affected by environmental pollution problems. Nonetheless, few programs in environmental education target these communities. Barriers to implementing programs include language and cultural differences, priorities, and needs; limited access to natural areas; and lack of scholarships and internships. Environmental education programs are also inconsistent in whether they include socioeconomic and societal issues or just science. Where to Go from Here: Minority and multiethnic communities need to be targeted for involvement in the environmental movement. More community-based environmental education efforts that involve parents, students, teachers, churches, and community organizations are needed. Programs need to be customized to deal with issues that affect individual communities. Access to -21- ------- natural areas needs to be expanded, and environmental education needs to include the urban environment and health issues. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. EPA and the federal government can improve training opportunities for minorities and multicultural communities. 2. EPA and the federal government can increase funding for programs that target minorities and multicultural communities and sponsor grant workshops that teach how to effectively compete for grant money. 3. EPA and the federal government should ensure that curriculum development and information dissemination efforts are sensitive to cultural diversity and reach minority and multiethnic communities. Government Current Status: Environmental education in government is a recent goal, but so far has emerged more on paper than in action. Government is lagging behind other groups and suffers from lack of coordination. Government often does not understand the difference between information distribution and education. Nonetheless, many states are moving toward developing statewide plans. Offices for coordinating environmental education have emerged at the national, state, and local level. The use of partnerships among different sectors to share resources is a growing trend. A tremendous growth in the development of materials has produced an information glut and distribution problem. Barriers include insufficient funds, quality control, and involvement by educators; fragmentation; lack of trained personnel; few credible studies; and public resistance. Where to Go from Here: Government should listen and respond to needs; develop a common language; and take the lead in developing a vision, setting goals, and communicating the message to a diverse audience. Government should help spread information and link local efforts with businesses. Government should offer training for business managers to bring environmental education into the workplace and should support teachers and students (especially minorities) in training for environmental careers. Government should market environmental education to businesses in "business terms." Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government could develop a directory of current environmental education efforts in government and how and where to obtain funding from federal agencies. 2. EPA could help educate federal employees in environmental issues and practices and help deGne each agency's role in environmental education. 3. The federal government could play a key role in creating and supporting networks and partnerships among academia, industry, and nongovernmental organizations for gaining access to funds and information. -22- ------- 4. EPA's funding should be directed toward partnership projects and toward creating a fund to support teacher efforts. 5. EPA could provide technology links that allow environmental educators to search for accurate technical information, share ideas, and keep in touch, such as through a toll-free hotline. 6. EPA could sponsor regional workshops and organize smaller environmental summits throughout the country. 7. The federal government needs to add environmental education to the U.S. Department of Education's America 2000 efforts to improve public education. 8. The federal government could assist in quality control of materials by establishing standards and guidelines. Environmental Education for Teachers Current Status: Teacher education varies widely from excellent to nonexistent. Most states do not have teacher environmental education mandates. Overall, teachers are not well versed in environmental issues. Teacher training on how to effectively use materials is lacking, and existing training programs have not been evaluated for effectiveness. Most environmental education occurs due to individual teacher initiative. Barriers include lack of money, time, and commitment; low pay that discourages innovation; and few jobs for teachers specializing in environmental education. Where to Go from Here: Teachers need environmental education training, and standards for instruction should be established at the local and state level. Consideration should be given to state-mandated teacher environmental literacy programs and to using a K-14 model to carry education from elementary to high school to college. Training is needed both preservice and in- service. Debate on teacher education issues needs to involve more teachers. Funding options need to be explored, especially options involving business support. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. EPA and the federal government should serve as expediters, disseminating existing information and facilitating networking and partnerships. EPA should not develop new curricula or programs at the national level, but should use existing materials, networks, and experts in the field. EPA could publish and distribute guidelines on how to develop local materials or how to adapt existing materials at the local level. EPA could develop a summary of college and university teacher education efforts along with information on effective models. -23- ------- EPA could establish a toll-free hotline or cable television network for updating teachers on federal government environmental education activities. 2. EPA should establish two teacher advisory councils to represent both elementary and secondaiy education. 3. The federal government could encourage textbook publishers to incorporate environmental information into their materials and encourage colleges and universities to make environmental literacy a graduation requirement. 4. EPA and the federal government need to provide funding for innovative teacher education programs that are interdisciplinary, not just math or science based. Partnerships among federal funding agencies need to be encouraged. Entertainment and Media Current Status: The entertainment industry and the media emphasize environmental awareness rather than environmental education that leads to personal, organizational, or community action. The media lacks dimension in its treatment of environmental issues and looks at problems rather than solutions. The media often doesn't know where to get accurate and balanced information. The environment is not yet part of daily media and entertainment programming, but some important messages are emerging (e.g., on recycling). The media lacks followup, and there has been little assessment of the effects of the media and entertainment on people's attitudes and actions. Where to Go from Here: Partnerships between the media and agencies, organizations, and educators are needed. National criteria and guidelines need to be developed to exercise quality control over information in the media relating to the definition of the environment and environmental programming, the types and availability of multimedia technology, and the educational aspects of environmental programs. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government and EPA could develop criteria and guidelines for environmental programming to ensure environmental messages are educational rather than propaganda. EPA's National Environmental Education Advisory Council could take the lead in this effort. 2. The federal government could develop strategies for infusing all forms of media and entertainment with environmental information and raise the media's awareness of resources available to them at local, state, regional, and national levels to assist the industry in producing environmental education messages. 3. EPA can encourage partnerships between the media and other industries, nonprofit organizations, and academia. -24- ------- Environmental Health Risk Education Current Status: Little environmental health risk education is talcing place. K-12 curricula in this area is almost nonexistent, and little instruction exists in medical schools. Awareness is increasing, however, and some programs are emerging. Some agencies are leading efforts that include evaluating public perception of risk and identifying good education strategies. Barriers include decentralization of education, lack of resource materials, and a wide gap in understanding. Where to Go from Here: Environmental health needs to be part of environmental education, especially in science. Environmental health risk education must provide accurate and realistic assessments of relative risks and hazards. Teachers need training and tools with which to teach. Materials need to be packaged so teachers can easily infuse them into existing subjects. Instruction should not be limited to the sciences, but should encompass economics and sociology as well. Physicians should get involved in educational efforts but many currently do not understand relative risk and environmental hazards. The issue of environmental equity needs to be closely examined because minorities and disadvantaged groups often have the greatest need for environmental health information. Recommendations for EPA and Federal Government: 1. The federal government could promote partnerships among government agencies, educators, the private sector, and health professionals to fund and develop programs. 2. EPA could fund environmental health risk education programs. D. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS TIME-Warner Environmental Education Campaign by John Heinritz and Kathleen Helppie Day Two concluded with a banquet and special presentation of the HME-Wamer environmental education campaign, "Tweety's Global Patrol." John Heinritz, Vice President of International Marketing Operations for Warner Brothers, Inc., and Kathleen Helppie, Vice President of Production and Administration for Warner Brothers, Inc., presented an overview of this campaign with video excerpts and slides. The New Explorers PBS Television Series by Richard Stephens and Bill Kurtis Richard Stephens, Associate Director of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science and Education, and Bill Kurtis, President of Kurtis Productions presented the PBS television series The New Explorers at a luncheon on Day Three of the conference. The presentation included videotape excerpts of the series, which represents a partnership among DOE, Kurtis Productions, Amoco Corporation, WTTW TV in Chicago, and Waste Management, Inc. -25- ------- |