While enviromental matters for the public are so often a case of ‘do some research and see what you can find out’ there is probably a better approach for the long term and that might begin with environmental education for the kids who are going to inherit the long term legacy we leave behind. The state of Oregon has become the first governing body to put such a plan into action with the introduction of a statewide ‘environmental literacy plan’ for all students all the way through high school. The plan will involve integrating an array of ‘outdoor learning opportunities’ to mesh within the existing school curriculum. The plan has been on the drawing table since January and the launch makes Oregon just the third state to create such a program joining Maryland and Nebraska in this new approach.

Traci Price of who is behind the  Environmental Literacy Task Force added:

“As the third state to draft an environmental literacy plan, I was honored to work on behalf of the State of Oregon, a longtime leader in environmental and sustainability practices. The task force really came together around this issue and remains committed to seeing it through.”

State Representative Peter Buckley, co-sponsor of the No Oregon Child Left Inside Act shared his thoughts:

“I would like to thank the task force for its dedication to the development of Oregon’s first environmental literacy plan. Your success has paved the way for an Oregon in which every child possesses a knowledge of and respect for our shared environment”

Statistics prove that the youth of today spend less time outdoors than any previous generation and backers of the program cite the importance of engaging students with the world outside and understanding more about the environment and resource management, across the board.
Because today’s youth are spending less time outside than any other time in this nation’s history, proponents of environmental education have long voiced the importance of connecting students to the natural world, as they will be charged with addressing decisions regarding natural resources. They state that including these fundamentals in the process of ones education will better equip our youth with not just the desire to face environmental matter but the tools with which to do so. The plan states that upon graduation students with show a proficiency in each of these areas:

• Understand the physical and biological world and our interdependent relationship with it
• Understand and apply systems thinking concepts and tools
• Understand one’s relationship to the local, regional, national and global community
• Investigate options for, plan and create a sustainable future
• Understand and achieve personal and civic responsibility

In theory it sounds like a logical and worthy approach, I’m sure we will see it become the standard educational practice in the years ahead. The full details of Oregon’s environmental literacy plan make for some really uplifting reading and I encourage you to have a look at the pdf link provided here and let me know what you think.