Environmental Education

      Perhaps one of the most important conferences I attended while in Japan, was the presentation of Dr. Hari Snrinivas, who directs the Japan's United Nations Environment Program in Osaka, Japan. He presented the lecture "Internet and Environmental Education in Japan" in which he describes the efforts that Japan is undertaking to integrate into the regular and extra-curricular activities in K-12 schools environmental issues.

      Japan's awareness of the urgency of educating the community of global environmental issues stems from three trends:

a) Increasing an unintended pollution of the environment from the high industrial growth periods of the 60's and 70's.
b) Urban lifestyles and resource consumption patterns that were unsustainable and place and place a heavy burden on the local environment.
c) Awareness of global environmental trends as a result of UN and other international events.

      Environmental activities of schools in Japan are growing and developing fast. Multiple activities are Initiated at the school level by local and national government, by the private sector, and by NGO's SEE-DO-LISTEN is a popular mantra used in Japan to develop education and awareness building programs. It is important to realize that environmental education goes beyond the blackboard, and beyond the school said Dr. Snrinivas. It encompasses the community, libraries, and the home itself.

      Following you will find some internet projects that schools in Japan are undertaking to create innovative internet environmental education projects.

Examples of Individual School Sites: