Environmental Science

THE ETHICAL BASIS OF ENVIRONMENT

EDUCATION
AND AWARNESS

 The Honorary Supreme Court of our country has thus ordered that every
young individual at school and college level be exposed to a course on
environment.
 To create awarness of environmental issues and to bring pro environmental
action.
THE GANDHIAN WAY OF LIFE

Mahatma Gandhi had deep insights into the need to conserve resources.
‘Mans needs but not his greed can be supported by our earth’ was an important
concept that was initiated by him when people had not realized how short the
world would be of resources in future. At the time natural resources seemed to be
limitless to most people. This was thus new concept and suggested the need for a
uniquely different pattern of living.Gandhiji believed in simplistic living to save
our earth’s resources. He once said that if India was to become an industrial nation
on the lines of England, the world itself would be stripped bare of its resources by
India’s people alone.
EDUCATION IN NATURE – THE SHANTINIKETAN
MODEL

Rabindranath Tagore founded Shantiniketan and taught an environment-based philosophy.

Tagore’s philosophy of education focused attention on the need for a harmonious
association between human beings and their environment. To achieve this he relied on
exposing young people to nature. This went back to our roots where in ancient India,
learning centers were established in remote forests. Tagore linked these concepts with
celebrations of nature through music, dance, drama and poetry. At Shantiniketan, there
were celebrations for each season and ceremonial tree planting. He started Vriksharopan
way back in 1928. In fact much of what was initiated in Shantiniketan is now accepted as
the route to environment education and sustainable living and is essentially based on
preserving
nature.
 There are two aspects that are closely connected with
ethical issues that are related to our environment.
 Valuing nature as a resource.
 Appreciating the beauty of Nature and treasuring the
magnificence of the Wilderness.
 Value Nature as Resourse:
It is essential that a value system that is based on environmental concern
becomes a part of the thinking that we as responsible citizens of our country and
our earth need to bring into our own daily lives.
Bringing back an ethic for nature conservation requires environment
education and conservation awareness. The best way to do so is to expose young
people not only to our dependence on natural resources from the wilderness, but
by bringing about an appreciation of the beauty and wondrous aspects of nature.
 Appreciating the beauty of Nature and treasuring the magnificence of the
Wilderness:
The beauty of Nature that gives it an intrinsic value which we tend to ignore.
These are not mundane day to day events, they are magical and mystical aspects
of nature’s clock that is ticking silently all around us. They are part of our living
throbbing earth. If we fail to enjoy these wondrous aspects of Nature our lives
will always remain empty.
 THE CONSERVATION ETHIC AND TRADITIONAL
VALUE SYSTEMS OF INDIA
 In ancient Indian traditions people have always valued mountains, rivers, forests,
trees and several animals. Thus much of nature was venerated and protected.
 The mango tree is protected for its fruit around most farms even when wood
becomes scarce. The Mohua tree (Madhuca indica) is protected by tribal people
as it provides edible flowers, oil from its seeds and is used to make a potent
alcohol.

In Indian mythology, the elephant is associated with Ganesha. The elephant headed
Ganesha is also linked to the rat. Vishnu is associated with the eagle. Rama is linked
to monkeys. In mythology, Hanuman, the monkey god, rendereinvaluable help to
Rama during his travels to Lanka.
 In traditional societies of the past, these examples were all a part of ethical
values that protected nature. As modern science based on the exploitation on
nature spread into India, many of these traditions began to lose their
effectiveness as measures that led to conserving nature.
 Concepts that support nature’s integrity must thus become a part of our
modern educational systems. This constitutes a key solution to bring about a
new ethic of conserving nature and living sustainable lifestyles.

THE END