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Environmental Education
Human activity can have a profound effect on the natural environment. Following is a list of environmental issues that can arise due to human activity:
- Climate change, including Global warming, Fossil fuels, Rising sea levels, Greenhouse gases.
- Conservation, including the Extinction of species, Endangered species, Coral bleaching.
- Energy, including Energy conservation, Renewable energy.
- Genetic engineering, including Genetically modified foods
- Intensive farming and Land degradation, including Overgrazing, Irrigation, Land pollution, Desertification.
- Soil, including Soil conservation, Soil erosion, Soil salination.
- Land use, for example Urban sprawl, Habit destruction.
- Nuclear Issues, for example Nuclear fallout, Nuclear power, Radioactive waste.
- Pollution, for example Water pollution, Acid rain, Oil spills, Air pollution, Smog, Light pollution, Noise pollution.
- Resource depletion, for example Overfishing, Logging, Mining.
- Toxins and waste.
Environmental science encompasses the wide range of scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry and biology, that need to be brought together to understand and manage the natural environment. Environmental scientists study the impact of human activity on the environment and develop strategies for restoring ecosystems.
Education Network Australia (EDNA). Environmental Issues.
Edna is a free online network for educators, providing a range of digital resources for education and training. This theme page contains information on a variety of environmental issues including weather, energy and air quality. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
The page on this website, sponsored by Sea World, explores how, in the past, humans have exploited the Earth's natural resources, without any consideration given to ecological cost. It discusses issues such as ocean pollution, sewage, oil and industrial waste and how we can reduce our impact on the environment. There are a number of downloadable resources on various environmental issues.
Environmental Literacy Council
The Environmental Literacy Council is dedicated to helping teachers, students, policymakers, and the public find cross-disciplinary resources on the environment. From this section you can access teaching modules developed by the Council and a variety of classroom materials ranging from links to all-around great sites for kids to practice exams and programs connecting classrooms around the world. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
An educational resource explaining environmental issues, using words, images, maps, graphs and links. There is an educational quiz which tests knowledge of environmental issues, a fun page, a website for young children and song lyrics, music video and free music downloads. There is also an automated lobbying service, allowing you to quickly send emails, letters or faxes to politicians and business leaders all over the world (retrieved March 31, 2009)
Gobal Issues. Environmental Issues.
This part of the global issues web site attempts to highlight some of the environmental issues and concerns that have an affect on all of us — from what we do, to what we don’t do. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
Global Stewards. Current Environmental Issues and News.
The Global Stewards website provides environmental tips for sustainable living. This page covers a wide variety of environmental issues and problems we are facing today and includes links to news sites with related articles. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
About.Com. Environmental Issues.
The page on this website offers current, in-depth environmental news and information about global warming, renewable energy, conservation, recycling and other environmental issues. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
This website provides information on a number of Australian Government initiatives linked to sustainability education including the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative and the National Action Plan for Environmental Education. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
NSW Government. Department of Environment and Climate. Environmental Issues.
The page on this website discusses how NSW faces a number of significant environmental issues including climate change, pollution, contamination, pests, weeds, wastes and resource recovery. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
NSW Government. Department of Environment and Climate. Sustainability Education.
The page on this website discusses how sustainability education provides the information we need to better understand the environment and care for it. There are links to a range of sustainability education topics including sustainable schools, an initiative to assist students, teachers and parents to learn about the environment and put sustainability into action in their school. (retrieved March 31, 2009)
U.S. Global Change Research Information Office. Environmental Education: Teaching Resources
The U.S. Global Change Research Information Office disseminates scientific research information useful in preventing, mitigating, or adapting to the effects of global change. This page on the website provides a series of links to a number of related teaching resources.