Andrea had never been on a kayak before. In fact, she was terrified of the water. But after one short kayaking trip in Newton, she wanted nothing more than to share the exhilarating experience with her family. The river had sparked something in her – a new connection with the natural world.
This kayaking trip was just one of the activities I led as an environmental educator at the Gallivan Community Center in Mattapan, Boston. During that summer of 2022, I had the joy of witnessing several high school students light up as they made contact with the outdoors – from Jayden making friends with a praying mantis to Nas beaming with pride after catching a fish with bait collected from the woods, almost every student seemed to experience a moment where the divide between them and nature suddenly melted away a little bit.
The program was an “e” inc. initiative that guided a small group of youth to learn about the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site located in their community. An equally important goal was to help instill in them a sense of appreciation for the natural world. But what made this program an example of “environmental education,” and why was it important?
According to EPA, “(e)nvironmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment.” With environmental education, “individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.” The importance of providing such education has been recognized by law; in 1990, the National Environmental Education Act was passed to require that the EPA “provide national leadership to increase environmental literacy,” leading to the formation of the Office of Environmental Education.
EPA’s expansive definition allows environmental educators to tailor curriculum to the specific contexts in which their students live. The “e” inc program did this by combining outdoor exploration in the river system with classroom-based science experiments and lessons, culminating in an opportunity to connect with community activists deeply involved in Mattapan's fight for more green space.
This intersectional approach was incredibly important, because environmental education is about so much more than simply studying the “natural world” through a scientific lens. Mattapan is a low-income, predominately Black and Hispanic community. The community activists we spoke to shared stories about their struggles with environmental justice – they had to fight for years to extend The Neponset River Greenway, a popular trail that offers a space to bike, run, and observe the nature around the river, into Mattapan. Integrating lessons about environmental justice and activism was thus a critical component of the program; we could not teach science lessons about the river ecosystem without also addressing the systemic burdens that had long made recreation around the Neponset River unavailable to the students’ community.
Despite the clear and pressing need to incorporate lessons about environmental and justice issues into existing curriculums, environmental education is hindered by political debates about whether to discuss climate change in schools. However, a basic understanding of climate change and its health, justice, economic, and social impacts is a necessary foundation for making sustainable life choices and, equally importantly, for building a worldview that fosters a collaborative and empathetic spirit in the face of a challenge that affects us all.
Finally, environmental education does not require a kayak. It does not require immersion in an obviously “natural” environment free of human activity. Rather, the environment can be found everywhere we go – from the little sprout coming up between the cracks in a sidewalk to the beautiful community gardens cultivated in many urban hubs, the environment is as minuscule as it is grand, as created as it is natural. This is something that anyone who’s read William Cronon’s The Trouble with Wilderness will understand. Appreciating this ubiquity and connectedness of nature, wherever we may be, represents an important first step in anyone’s environmental educational journey.
My summer at the Gallivan taught me the value of learning outside, of understanding one’s surroundings, and of connecting with nature even when it’s hard to find. It also taught me that environmental education, in today’s world, is a privilege. It is my hope that we can make this crucial process of learning a universal experience, and that doing so will bring people closer to nature, to each other, and to a future where a healthy and just environment is the norm for everyone.