Need of Public Awareness on Environment

Need of Public Awareness

• The Earth's natural resources are being exhausted rapidly and environment is degraded by human activities. We must not expect Governments alone to manage the safeguarding of the environment.

• It is our responsibility that each of us must play an important role. One immediate thing we can do is to reduce the wastage of natural resources.

1. People in Environment

• People have always cared about the environment through their perceptions of environmental issues and their attitudes.

• The environmental movement has become concerned with all aspects of the natural environment, land, water, minerals, living organisms, life processes, the atmosphere, climate, oceans and outer space.

• The environmental movement has expanded its examination of the nature with international economic co-operation, covering issues of commodity prices, structural adjustments subsidies on products prepared from natural resources.

• Many environmentalist have contributed their views in the interest of protecting nature, wildlife, ecosystem, agriculture and environment laws. Few of them are Charles Darwin, Salim-Ali, Indira Gandhi, S.P.Godrej, Madhav Gadgil, M.C. Mehta, Medha Patkar, Sundarlal Bahuguna.

• People can participate by forming pressure groups, watch dog (observer), advisory council, reforcing environmental laws.

2. Institutions in Environment / NGOs

• Scientific groups and Non-Government Organisation (NGOs) have played a major role in the environmental movement.

• Environmental groups have a wide range of interests. Small groups are organised to fight local problems other deal with a specific issue on a national scale.

• Over the past decades, more international environmental NGOs have emerged including powerful bodies such as Friends of Earth, Greenpeace and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Through environmental groups individuals can influence national and international policies.

• The media have been used as powerful instrument in public awareness of many environmental issues, but the media is usually reactive rather than innovative.

3. Environmental Education

• Environmental study and education is important in order to preserve environment.

Scope of environmental studies

1. Environmental studies creates awareness and sensitivity to the total environment and problems associated with it.

2. To participate actively in environment protection and improvement.

3. Developing skills to identify and solve environmental problems.

4. To know the need of conserving natural resources.

Importance of environmental studies

1. It helps to understand the concept of "need of development without destruction of environment".

2. It helps to understand different environmental hazards.

3. It helps to understand and demand for laws for protecting environment and enforcement system.

4. It helps to relate the quality of life with environment.