Number: 1988-14
WHEREAS, America and the world are facing a variety of environmental and resource-use problems, including but not limited to air and water pollution, wildlife habitat destruction, soil erosion; and
WHEREAS, these problems are often created by poorly informed individual and societal decisions by various levels of government, business and industry, citizen groups, and citizens in general; and
WHEREAS, individual and societal decisions are often the result of a lack of understanding of the consequences of such decisions or a failure to recognize effects on current and future generations; and
WHEREAS, an educational process known as environmental education (which includes emphasis on conservation or the wise use of natural resources) is aimed at creating a public literacy with respect to environmental concerns and which has two major thrusts, formal (school) and informal (public) education programs, and has been demonstrated to have a beneficial effect in helping to prepare individuals to make sound environmental and resource-use decisions; and
WHEREAS, to be effective, environmental education programs must have the support and encouragement of all levels of society and government including both State and Federal governments; and
WHEREAS, some but not all States have an official policy relating to environmental education, and an allocation of resources to create and maintain effective programs in this area; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress in 1970 created an Environmental Education Act which stated: (1) that environmental education is important and that the Federal government should encourage the development and implementation of effective formal (school) and informal (public) education programs in this area, and (2) that the Federal government should provide some local assistance funding to facilitate the process; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Education Act of 1970 expired in 1982 with the result that there is no Federal policy endorsing environmental education or local assistance program funding; and
WHEREAS, national recognition of the need for effective environmental education at all education levels throughout the nation’s school systems is essential if such programs are to be developed; and
WHEREAS, the cooperation and support of the various State and Federal agencies concerned with environmental issues and education including but not limited to State Departments of Natural Resources and Education, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Interior, the Department of Education, and the National Science Foundation, are essential to the creation and maintenance of effective environmental education programs;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 17-20, 1988 in New Orleans, Louisiana recommends that the U.S. Congress take appropriate action and instruct the U.S. Department of Education to carry out the following initiatives:
1. Establish a national policy statement that will define environmental education, endorse this subject as an important national priority, and recommend appropriate local, regional and national programs by, but not limited to, governmental organizations at all levels, local and national citizen and professional organizations, the education community from preschool to graduate levels, and business and industry.
2. Authorize all appropriate Federal agencies to provide services, materials, and assistance to various public and private agencies to facilitate the development and implementation of local environmental education programs, and to cooperate with each other to maximize the impact of such services.
3. Allocate funds specifically for development and implementation of effective environmental education guidelines at all grade levels. Such funds should be made available but not limited to local, State and regional governmental organizations: citizens and professional organizations and educational institutions at all levels; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that state legislatures and/or educational policy making bodies or officials be urged to take all steps necessary to assure that adequate instruction in the conservation of natural resources and the protection of environmental quality be provided in all schools of the state. Such action might include:
- Mandating instruction in all appropriate grade levels and subject matter fields as a part of the regular school program;
- Providing for pre- and in-service training in environmental education for teachers;
- Development and/or acquisition of curriculum and study materials, equipment, sites and facilities;
- Monitoring and evaluating the program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to appropriate offices and individuals of the U.S. Congress, the Executive Branch, and other appropriate agencies and individuals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be widely distributed to, but not limited to, local, State and regional governmental agencies, educational agencies and institutions, professional and citizen conservation organizations, and business and industry.