scholarly journals Non-Formal Environmental Education in a Vulnerable Region: Insights from a 20-Year Long Engagement in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4247
Author(s):  
Atila Calvente ◽  
Ali Kharrazi ◽  
Shogo Kudo ◽  
Paulo Savaget
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

Environmental education is essential in the diffusion of the ethics, values, and skills that are critical to sustainable transformations. This paper presents the experience of non-formal environmental education approaches held in schools in the Petrópolis region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 1997–2016. This paper adds to the literature on the relevant approaches and effectives of non-formal environmental education, especially in the vulnerable areas of low and middle-income regions that face critical environmental challenges. Specifically, to set up the context, this paper intends to firstly convey the commonly identified environmental sustainability challenges that the communities of the Petrópolis region are facing. Secondly, this report aims to convey key insights on how non-formal environmental education practices can strengthen gardening skills, environmental ethics, and sustainable food practices. These approaches have the potential to enhance the capacity of students toward sustainable transformations through encouraging them to be engaged with local social-environmental challenges. This paper adds new insights to the growing literature on non-formal environmental education, and it is hoped to inspire new educational approaches among sustainability educators.

Reducing Pessimism's Sway in The Environmental Ethics Classroom

2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 213-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Sheppard
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Career Paths ◽  
William James ◽  
General State ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
The Subject ◽  
State Of The Environment

AbstractIncreased awareness of the breadth and depth of existing environmental challenges is part of an environmental education. One effect of this increased awareness that can manifest itself in the environmental ethics classroom is pessimism. I outline two varieties of pessimism that have a tendency to hold sway in the environmental ethics classroom: 1) pessimism about the general state of the environment; and, 2) pessimism about being able to do anything about the general state of the environment. After outlining a few of the potential educational and vocational consequences of allowing pessimism to take root, I offer a pedagogical method for reducing the sway of pessimism in the classroom. I argue that William James' and John Dewey's writings on the subject of meliorism offer a framework that, when combined with some of the insights of incrementalism theory in environmental policy, can not only help students to reduce the sway of pessimism in the classroom, but also in their chosen career paths by, among other things, highlighting the "possibility of possibility".

scholarly journals Environmental Education and ecotourism concepts in Marine Protected Area of Armação de Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: reflections for the adoption of coastal ecotourism

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre de Gusmão Pedrini ◽  
Daniel Shimada Brotto ◽  
Natalia Pirani Ghilardi-Lopes ◽  
Marcela Coronel Lopes ◽  
Luiza Pegrucci Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Buenos Aires ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Global Responsibility ◽  
Marine Ecotourism

Environmental Education for Sustainable Societies and Global Responsibility (EESS) is aimed at transforming society and its negative impacts on the environment by way of financial and political emancipation, whence ecotourism becomes one of the best options towards environmental sustainability. This study aimed at evaluating social actors’ conceptions on Environmental Education and ecotourism, in order to base the development of future marine-ecotourism activities in the Marine Environmental Protection Area of Armação de Búzios (MEPAAB). Sampling involved 73 respondents interested in the implementation of marine ecotourism in the area. Their concepts, as regards ecotourism and EESS, were analyzed according to individual profiles. The sample was mainly composed of Argentine and Brazilian tourists from the cities of Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, when visiting MEPAAB. Since most of the concepts were limited to environmental conservation and public awareness, these were considered entirely or not entirely adequate. The results could not be significantly associated with the age of respondents or any other factor (Kruskal-Wallis, p >0.05). The concept of ecotourism was the better known. Even so, significant differences were observed only among the different classes by income. There were clear indications of the urgent application of EESS in the coastal environment, as a plausible management tool for the littoral municipalities of Rio de Janeiro State. Concepções de Educação ambiental e ecoturismo na Área de Proteção Ambiental Marinha de Armação de Búzios(RJ): reflexões para a adoção do ecoturismo costeiro A Educação Ambiental para Sociedades Sustentáveis e Responsabilidade Global (EASS) visa transformar a sociedade e seus impactos negativos no meio ambiente por meio de sua emancipação política e financeira e o ecoturismo é uma das melhores alternativas para a realização de EASS visando a sustentabilidade ambiental. Este estudo objetivou avaliar as concepções de atores sociais de “Educação ambiental” e de “ecoturismo”, com vistas a subsidiar o desenvolvimento de atividades de educação ambiental na Área de Proteção Ambiental Marinha de Armação de Búzios (APAMAB). Para isso, foram entrevistados 73 sujeitos interessados na implantação de ecoturismo marinho na área, seus conceitos sobre ecoturismo e EASS foram analisados de acordo com seus perfis. A amostra foi composta principalmente por argentinos de Buenos Aires e brasileiros do Rio de Janeiro que visitam APAMAB em busca de turismo de sol e mar e outras modalidades de turismo. A maioria das concepções sobre EESS foram totais ou parcialmente inadequadas, seus conceitos foram limitados à conservação ambiental e conscientização pública e estes resultados não se apresentaram significativamente associados com a idade dos entrevistados ou outro fator estudado (Kruskal-Wallis, p>0,05). O conceito de ecoturismo é mais bem compreendido pelos entrevistados e diferenças significativas foram apresentadas somente entre classes de renda. Este estudo demonstrou a urgência de ações no âmbito da EESS em ecossistemas costeiros como uma ferramenta de gestão ambiental pública em municípios do litoral do estado do Rio de Janeiro. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Áreas Protegidas Marinhas; Cuidado Ambiental; Educação Ambiental; Ecoturismo; Armação de Búzios.

scholarly journals Health promotion and sustainability programmes in Australia: barriers and enablers to evaluation

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Patrick ◽  
Jonathan Kingsley
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Strategy Research ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Barriers And Enablers ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Evaluation Approaches ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Methods

In an era characterised by the adverse impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, health promotion programmes are beginning to actively link human health with environmental sustainability imperatives. This paper draws on a study of health promotion and sustainability programmes in Australia, providing insights to evaluation approaches being used and barriers and enablers to these evaluations. The study was based on a multi-strategy research involving both quantitative and qualitative methods. Health promotion practitioners explained through surveys and semi-structured interviews that they focused on five overarching health and sustainability programme types (healthy and sustainable food, active transport, energy efficiency, contact with nature, and capacity building). Various evaluation methods and indicators (health, social, environmental, economic and demographic) were identified as being valuable for monitoring and evaluating health and sustainability programmes. Findings identified several evaluation enablers such as successful community engagement, knowledge of health and sustainability issues and programme champions, whereas barriers included resource constraints and competing interests. This paper highlights the need for ecological models and evaluation tools to support the design and monitoring of health promotion and sustainability programmes.

scholarly journals Assessing Inequalities in Wellbeing at a Neighbourhood Scale in Low-Middle-Income-Country Secondary Cities and Their Implications for Long-Term Livability

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Cinderby ◽  
Diane Archer ◽  
Vishal K. Mehta ◽  
Chris Neale ◽  
Romanus Opiyo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Spatial Justice ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Basic Infrastructure

To ensure future sustainability, cities need to consider concepts of livability and resident wellbeing alongside environmental, economic and infrastructure development equity. The current rapid urbanization experienced in many regions is leading to sustainability challenges, but also offers the opportunity to deliver infrastructure supporting the social aspects of cities and the services that underpin them alongside economic growth. Unfortunately, evidence of what is needed to deliver urban wellbeing is largely absent from the global south. This paper contributes to filling this knowledge gap through a novel interdisciplinary mixed methods study undertaken in two rapidly changing cities (one Thai and one Kenyan) using qualitative surveys, subjective wellbeing and stress measurements, and spatial analysis of urban infrastructure distribution. We find the absence of basic infrastructure (including waste removal, water availability and quality) unsurprisingly causes significant stress for city residents. However, once these services are in place, smaller variations (inequalities) in social (crime, tenure) and environmental (noise, air quality) conditions begin to play a greater role in determining differences in subjective wellbeing across a city. Our results indicate that spending time in urban greenspaces can mitigate the stressful impacts of city living even for residents of informal neighborhoods. Our data also highlights the importance of places that enable social interactions supporting wellbeing–whether green or built. These results demonstrate the need for diversity and equity in the provision of public realm spaces to ensure social and spatial justice. These findings strengthen the need to promote long term livability in LMIC urban planning alongside economic growth, environmental sustainability, and resilience.

scholarly journals STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THEIR ALMA MATER ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN RUSSIAN AND ARMENIAN ACADEMIC SETTINGS

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 66-73
Author(s):  
Elena Gavrilova ◽  
Lilit Sahakyan ◽  
Kira Trostina ◽  
Dinara Tutaeva
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Environmentally Conscious ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
Students Attitudes

Environmental sustainability is a constant concern for educational establishments as it has many vital social, academic and financial implications. The aim of this study is to investigate and compare students’ perceptions regarding their university’s environmental challenges in two geographically distant countries: sampling two economic universities in Russia and Armenia. A survey related to university’s environmental challenges based on 5-point Likert scale was administered to the Bachelor’s and Master’s students at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE), Moscow, Russia and Yerevan Gladzor University (YGU), Yerevan, Armenia. The findings revealed that irrespective of geographical location, there are similar notable differences in students’ attitudes towards understanding their own role in their university’s environmental well-being. The data shows that the majority of the students strongly understand the concepts of sustainability, sustainable development, eco-friendliness and eco-tourism. The findings reveal that students’ age and their education level significantly correlate with their general knowledge of sustainability. Senior students have more responsible attitude towards environmental sustainability of their university. The study established that the majority of the students perceive that environmental awareness can improve their university’s facilities, quality and academic development. They understand that they themselves are fully responsible for the university’s environmental welfare. Suggestions by environmentally-conscious students in both universities were summarized in 5Ss: surveying the current state of affairs; sounding out the problems; suggesting improvements; saving university’s resources; sharing the experience. The possible causes of environmental problems in the universities have been analysed and their solutions have been recommended. Including formal training in environmental studies in the curricula is suggested. It has also been advised to practice environmental ethics in the universities. The findings of the research can be used for the benefit of all stakeholders and policy makers in promoting universities’ eco-conscious image, increasing students’ environmental awareness and achieving substantial cost savings.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN IN A SEAWATER POND FOR CREATING A SATOUMI

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Maeda ◽  
Mari Maeda ◽  
Yasunori Kozuki ◽  
Yasunori Kozuki ◽  
Ken Hirai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Food Chain ◽  
Tidal Flats ◽  
Reclaimed Land ◽  
Hyogo Prefecture ◽  
Set Up ◽  
One Year

In 2006, Hyogo prefecture opened the “Araihamakaze” park on reclaimed land leased with cooperation from some companies, and set up a seawater pond called “Konourafuna Ike” in the park. The initial plan was to make this seawater pond into a Satoumi, but since the water in the pond was stagnant, algae flourished making it uninhabitable for other living creatures. The authors conducted investigative research to implement activities for improving the environment and popularizing the park. This report is a summary of the results obtained and challenges faced while conducting these activities in the area over one year, which included involving the local schoolchildren in constructing tidal flats. The answers to the questionnaire revealed that schoolchildren understood that the nutrients in the seawater pond “go round and round” through the food chain and are utilized by living creatures. They realized that this process is called “circulation.”To the question, “Do you want to develop tidal flats?” 9 of the 10 children answered YES. However, only 50% of the children understood that a measure to prevent the degradation of the environment of the seawater pond is to “Construct tidal flats,” which suggested that there is a need to correlate the issues and the solutions to enhance their understanding.

Topics of Environmental Education Program in Coastal Areas

1992 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 253-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. O. Rennhack ◽  
D. M. W. Zee ◽  
E. S. Cunha ◽  
M. F. Portilho
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
State University ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Supply Information

Researches and Studies made by the Department of Oceanography of the Institute of Geoscience of the State University of Rio de Janeiro UERJ, evidenced the need for educational support where environment-related questions were concerned. A wide range of environment problems tend to concentrate in coastal areas, owing to disordinate urban growth combined with the lack of substructure to cope with it A large number of these problems can be minimized through the participation of the local community. Thus the goals of environmental education are to supply information, to promote a change in the population's attitude toward environmental problems, besides stimulating its participation by fostering its sense of responsibility. Preliminary results have demonstrated that the community has shown great interest in the work that has been proposed, and it has contributed with participation, promising response. Environmental education is fundamental when we consider possible solutions for environmental problems in coastal urban centers. Only by educating the main cause of environmental problems, man himself, will it be possible to consider the question starting from its very origin. This abstract presents two pioneer experiments in the Municipio of Rio de Janeiro, which are “Muito Prazer Marapendi” (“Glad to know you, Marapendi”) and “Troca de Areias da Praia de Copacabana” (“Exchange of Sands in Copacabana Beach”).

Social Science Theory for Environmental Sustainability

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc J. Stern
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Persuasive Communication ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Social Science Theory ◽  
Science Theory ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communication Conflict ◽  
To Come ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

Social science theory for environmental sustainability: A practical guide makes social science theory accessible and usable to anyone interested in working toward environmental sustainability at any scale. Environmental problems are, first and foremost, people problems. Without better understandings of the people involved, solutions are often hard to come by. This book answers calls for demonstrating the value of theories from the social sciences for solving these types of problems and provides strategies to facilitate their use. It contains concise summaries of over thirty social science theories and demonstrates how to use them in diverse contexts associated with environmental conflict, conservation, natural resource management, and other environmental sustainability challenges. The practical applications of the theories include persuasive communication, conflict resolution, collaboration, negotiation, enhancing organizational effectiveness, working across cultures, generating collective impact, and building more resilient governance of social-ecological systems. Examples throughout the book and detailed vignettes illustrate how to combine multiple social science theories to develop effective strategies for environmental problem solving. The final chapter draws out key principles for enhancing these efforts. The book will serve as a key reference for environmental professionals, business people, students, scientists, public officials, government employees, aid workers, or any concerned citizen who wants to be better equipped to navigate the social complexities of environmental challenges and make a meaningful impact on any environmental issue.

scholarly journals An intelligent management system for aquaponics

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-350
Author(s):  
Divas Karimanzira ◽  
Thomas Rauschenbach
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Optimum Conditions ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Water Recirculation ◽  
Increase Productivity ◽  
Intelligent Management ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Aquaculture Production ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Population rise, climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity, and food security require efficient and sustainable food production. Aquaponics is a highly efficient way of farming and is becoming increasingly popular. However, large scale aquaponics still lack stability, standardization and proof of economical profitability. The EU-INAPRO project helps to overcome these limitations by introducing digitization, enhanced technology, and developing standardized modular scalable solutions and demonstrating the viability of large aquaponics. INAPRO is based on an innovation a double water recirculation system (DRAPS), one for fish, and the other one for crops. In DRAPS, optimum conditions can be set up individually for fish and crops to increase productivity of both. Moreover, the integration of digital technologies and data management in the aquaculture production and processing systems will enable full traceability and transparency in the processes, increasing consumers’ trust in aquaculture products. In this paper, the innovations and the digitization approach will be introduced and explained and the key benefits of the system will be emphasized.

scholarly journals COVID-19 As an Opportunity for a Healthy-Sustainable Food Transition. An Analysis of Dietary Transformations during the First Italian Lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5661
Author(s):  
Raffaele Matacena ◽  
Mariangela Zenga ◽  
Marco D’Addario ◽  
Silvia Mari ◽  
Massimo Labra
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Generational Cohort ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Daily Food ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 emergency and the consequent social distancing requirements have caused major disruptions in daily food-related practices at the household level. In this paper, we evaluate the transformations that occurred in the daily nutritional choices and behaviors of a convenience sample (n = 2288) of Italian residents during the first nation-wide lockdown (March–May 2020) to assess the impact on the health and socio-environmental sustainability of their diets. Results portray a scenario of wide-spread change, especially in relation to the quantity of daily food consumed, the composition of diets and the time and commitment devoted to home-cooking, with young individuals emerging as the most impacted generational cohort. Through the construction of an indicator for healthy–sustainable transition (HST index), we demonstrate that such changes unfold on a gradient, revealing that while for many respondents lockdown nutrition implied overeating and weight gain, a substantial segment of the population conversely improved the healthiness and sustainability of their daily nutritional patterns. In this sense, improvements are associated with young age, socio-economic status, frequency and enjoyment of cooking-from-scratch and, more generally, an attentive attitude towards the quality, provenance and materiality of food that, in turn, the COVID-19 crisis appears to have re-kindled. We conclude by highlighting five areas of institutional intervention (i.e., young people, time, tools, food supply at work, and local food chains) on which to focus in order to ensure the current crisis does not represent a missed opportunity for creating the necessary conditions for sustainable food production and consumption to take hold as the ‘new’ normal in the post-pandemic era.

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