Integrated curriculum for environment sustainability

Abstract

Man is an integral ingredient of environment which consists of biotic and a biotic components. A natural interaction between man and environment is not only essential but also unavoidable for satisfaction of human needs, but in reality man has exploited nature almost to the point of no returns for the satisfaction of his greed. Being unable to distinguish between 'utilization' and exploitation of natural resources, man has endangered his own existence. With rapid industrialization, unplanned urbanization and irrational, modernization, under the banner 'Development1 which have created and aggravated a multitude of environmental problems such as deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, silting of rivers, impoverishment of important flora and loss of biodiversity, depletion of non renewable sources of energy, global warming and pollution of land, water and air are proving to be a terrible threat to the sustainability on this beautiful planet. What is the way out? Environmental Awareness which is possible through the best tool that can be used to generate awareness is "Education". The integration of scientific and technological advancement into quality of everyday life as resulted in degradation of environment and imbalances between advantaged and disadvantaged. It has become imperative (NCERT-2005) to nurture and preserve the environment. School Education can play a major role in it as it is more concerned with the masses the curricular areas at various levels that is Primary, Upper primary, Secondary, College and University Levels. Assuming that environmental awareness is a value, it can possibly be inculcated through three approaches that are Hidden Curriculum, General Awareness Programmed and Specialized Courses in Environmental Sciences. Interdisciplinary (Infused) model and multidisciplinary (Infusion) model are discussed convincingly in this paper. The Genesis and Growth of the National Green Crops popularly known as a program of Ecoclubs initiated nationwide by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Government of India (Gol) in the year 2001-2002 which is a unique program aimed at building a cadre of young green crops working towards Environmental Conservation for a more secure and sustainable planet. The details of National Green Crops (NGC) functioning in Andhra Pradesh, India, and its goals, objectives, activities and achievements are also dealt with and discussed in this paper with an aim of "Think Globally and Act Locally".