Shield our Nature

There is no better protection from environmental health hazards than a strong base of knowledge on environmental issues. Research findings suggest that formal education on environmental issues and participation in environmental activities are promising venues to foster ecological knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in children. And this will in turn help in building an eco-friendly environment for the future generations.

Environmental education is the very basis of any education. The most basic definition of Education is preservation of environmental and cultural heritage and pass it to next generation. To sustain, our civilization is dependent on the Earth. If we cannot educate our children to live sustainable on this earth eventually our civilization will disappear and our education system will have failed us.

For most people born 1970s today’s shopping mall was a rare part of growing up. We walked to school, to friend’s houses, to shops and movies. The afternoons were spent with friends playing sports or in nearby empty lots using our imagination endlessly. We’d look for insects or birds or animals or just explore nature. The outside was a neat place to be and to learn about all sorts of critters, breathe fresh air, pretty wildflowers (before learning that was not good to do) and more. In short many of us developed a bond with the natural world and commitment to conservation that stems from that period.

In today’s world kids grow up in a totally different and regrettably “antiseptic “atmosphere. Children are driven just about everywhere. After school, they are at home with friends on play dates. They play board games, use electronic toys, including computers or are riveted to TV comedy, cartoons, video games or the like. The sense of “danger out there” that most parents feel precludes their kids environmental explorations. How can we give these experiences back to our children so that they grow with a sense of the awesomeness of nature and its critical place in our lives and yet provide for their safety.

The first and the foremost is that, the students will study and discuss environmental topics to develop awareness and the knowledge necessary to become stewards of the Earth and its fragile ecosystems. This has to be driven right from the school. At school we acquire knowledge designed to prepare us for adult life. This can be best taught not within the concrete walls but in the open air. Let the children breathe some fresh air to start with. The objectives of this form of Education should be:

1. Identify and describe causes for vanishing habitats and extension of animal species
2. Distinguish between actions that are harmful and beneficial to the environment
3. Evaluate possible actions they might take to have an impact on wildlife and the environment.

In order to implant environmental thoughts into the heart and soul of the young blooming stars, the best practice to help them learn is to create a firm base from the school arena itself. School’s natural areas provide the setting for our children to learn about their natural world directly. Applied learning in school nature areas often teach many subjects simultaneously. Science, math, art, history, environment education can all be woven into the experience. Learning while doing out in the fresh air makes the lessons more enjoyable and the knowledge more lasting.

In addition natural areas provide a beautiful lower maintenance alternative for the unused areas of the school’s property that is usually covered by expenses of lawns. They serve as an example of environmental responsibility for the children and the community. Location on the school grounds increases the student’s accessibility. In order to inculcate such values in the young students we should plan to restore the native ecosystem. Native plants communities tend to be hardier, lower maintenance and more attractive.

Many of the principles of the natural world involve the interdependence of species. Planting individual plants in a perennial type bed as opposed to plant communities increases maintenance and works against this learning objective.

Kashmir, a crown jewel of natural beauty, has long been a magnet for tourists. In recent years, the surge in tourism has sparked economic optimism, created jobs and invigorating local livelihoods. However, this growth has come at a profound cost. Unregulated construction, often devoid of environmental safeguards, has scarred the landscape, while once-pristine water bodies are choked with pollutants, threatening both ecosystems and local communities. With inadequate waste disposal systems, plastic pollution is rampant, and the excessive use of polythene further contaminates the land. Compounding these issues is the rise in carbon emissions, which, though less visible, poses a looming danger by accelerating glacial melt and destabilizing the region’s delicate climate. This silent crisis jeopardizes the very landscapes that attract tourists and sustain local lives, casting a shadow over Kashmir’s future. If left unchecked, these environmental hazards will escalate, making sustainable action not just desirable, but essential to preserving Kashmir’s ecological and cultural legacy.

Educational institutions must lead the efforts to combat ecological degradation by integrating experiential, state-specific environmental curricula, rather than relying on traditional textbooks.

Dr. G.N. Itoo, the newly appointed director of education emphasizes the importance of collective consciousness and unwavering commitment from all stakeholders—beyond divisions of religion, race, or language .The board must come out with experiential and hands on curriculum on environmental education that is minus text books to ensure impact. Felicitating and acknowledging the good work of activists’ restoration of water bodies and initiatives like the Eco Visionary Club underscore the urgent need for transformative, grassroots-level engagement in safeguarding Kashmir’s unique ecosystem.

Education is the tool that will provide our students teachers and citizens with the skill to accomplish the task of working cohesively to ensure a healthy just and sustainable environment for all children. We need to build our social skills as we grow; the primary mission is to foster collaborative initiative to reduce and ultimately eliminate environmental exposures that can undermine the health of current and future generations. By making simple changes in our everyday lives, we can make significant strides to improve the planet we all share and the environment that we live in. I firmly believe that if you nurture nature the nature will nurture you.

A published author and educationist,

Dr. Farooq Ahmad Wasil, is Consultant & Advisor to many educational chains and Founding Director of Thinksite Services Pvt. Ltd. He has over four decades of experience in the field of education – setting up, operating and managing schools.