Sustainability education
The more we understand the environment, the better we are able to care for it. Sustainability education provides the information we need to make informed choices. Who Cares about the Environment in 2006? shows people believe education to be the most valuable first step the government can take towards protecting the environment.
DECC plays a leading role in sustainability education in the NSW community. Programs are also supported by conducting vital research into what the community thinks about the environment, and using the results to design the education initiatives that DECC and others carry out.
DECC works with the Council on Environmental Education to build a key role for education (when integrated with other environmental management tools) to assist the people of NSW to protect the environment and move towards a more sustainable society.
DECC has many environmental education resources available, from publications and programs to kits and databases.
Find out more about the following sustainability education topics
- Sustainable schools - an initiative to assist students, teachers and parents to learn about the environment and put sustainability into action in their school
- Education for Sustainability Hub - connecting sustainability practitioners with professional development providers
- Environmental Education Partnerships - DECC's Our Environment - it's a living thing program supports partnerships and programs run by local government, community organisations and businesses
- Ethnic Communities - DECC works in partnership on publications and programs about the environment to engage people from ethnic communities in sustainability
- Engaging Communities - an easy guide to help engage communities in environmental planning and decision making
- Sustainability case studies that provide real examples of how education is being used to encourage waste reduction and improve resource recovery
- Sustainability education and training for existing employees and those entering the workforce through the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system.
Sustainability education in the 2006 State of the environment report