CONCEPTS

HOLISTIC ENVIRONMENT

Holistic education is a philosophy of education

based on the premise that each person finds

identity, meaning, and purpose in life through

connections to the community, to the natural

world, and to humanitarian values such as

compassion and peace. Holistic education aims

to call forth from people an intrinsic reverence

for life and a passionate love of learning.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural

environments function and, particularly, how human

beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in

order to live sustainably. The term is often used to

imply education within the school system, from

primary to post-secondary. However, it is sometimes

used more broadly to include all efforts to educate

the public and other audiences, including print

materials, websites, media campaigns, etc. Related

disciplines include outdoor education and

experiential education.

“ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS A LEARNING

PROCESS THAT:

• Increases peoples’ knowledge and awareness

about the environment and associated

challenges;

• Develops the necessary skills and expertise to

address these challenges, including critical

thinking skills; and

• Fosters attitudes, motivation, and commitment

to make informed decisions and take

responsible action”

• From ‘Framework to Advance Environmental

Education in Alberta’

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS A LEARNING

PROCESS THAT INCREASES PEOPLE'S

KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS ABOUT THE

ENVIRONMENT AND ASSOCIATED CHALLENGES,

DEVELOPS THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND

EXPERTISE TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES, AND

FOSTERS ATTITUDES, MOTIVATIONS, AND

COMMITMENTS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS

AND TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTION (UNESCO,

TBILISI DECLARATION, 1978).

FOCUS

• Environmental education focuses on:

• Awareness and sensitivity about the environment and environmental challenges

• Knowledge and understanding about the environment and environmental challenges

• Attitude concern for the environment and help to maintain environmental quality

• Skills to mitigate the environmental problems

• Participation for exercising existing knowledge and environmental related programs.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In 1987, the United Nations released the BrundtlandReport, which included what is now one of the most widely recognised definitions: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

According to the same report, the above definition contains within it two key concepts:

the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:

The most commonly used definition

of Sustainable Development is:

‘Development that meets the needs

of the present without

compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own

needs’.

ECOSYSTEM

A community of organisms together with their physical environment, viewed as a system of interacting and interdependent relationships and including such processes as the flow of energy through trophic levels and the cycling of chemical elements and compounds through living and nonliving components of the system.

BIODIVERSITY

The definition of biodiversity refers to the amount of diversity between different plants, animals and other species in a given habitat at a particular time.

OVERPOPULATION

Excessive population of an area to the point of overcrowding, depletion of natural resources, or environmental deterioration.

URBANISATION

Urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people

living in towns and cities.

• the transformation of land once suitable for agriculture

into desert. Desertification can result from climate

change or from human practices such as deforestation

and overgrazing.

DEFORESTATION

The cutting down and removal of all or

most of the trees in a forested area.

Deforestation can erode soils, contribute

to desertification and the pollution of

waterways, and decrease biodiversity

through the destruction of habitat.

POLLUTION

• The act or process of polluting or the state of

being polluted, especially the contamination of

soil, water, or the atmosphere by the discharge

of harmful substances

• The contamination of air, water, or soil by

substances that are harmful to living

organisms. Pollution can occur naturally, for

example through volcanic eruptions, or as the

result of human activities, such as the spilling

of oil or disposal of industrial waste

ECOLOGY

1.

a. The science of the relationships between organisms and

their environments. Also called bionomics.

b. The relationship between organisms and their

environment.

2. The branch of sociology that is concerned with studying

the relationships between human groups and their

physical and social environments. Also called human

ecology.

3. The study of the detrimental effects of modern civilization

on the environment, with a view toward prevention or

reversal through conservation. Also called human

ecology.

HEALTH HAZARD

Environmental health comprises those aspects of

human health, including quality of life, that are

determined by physical, chemical, biological, social

and psychosocial factors in the environment. It also

refers to the theory and practice of assessing,

correcting, controlling and preventing those factors

in the environment that can potentially affect

adversely the health of present and future

generations.

HEALTH HAZARD

a danger to health resulting from exposure to

environmental pollutants, such as asbestos or

ionizing radiation, or to a life-style choice, such as

cigarette smoking or chemical abuse.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD

'Environmental hazard' is the state of events which has the potential to

threaten the surrounding natural environment and adversely affect

people's health. This term incorporates topics like pollution and natural

disasters such as storms and earthquake

• Those aspects of the human health and disease that are determined by

factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of

assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can

potentially affect health.