UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

Tuguegarao City

NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM

Short Term
A.Y. 2023-2024

NSTP 1013 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM

(Civil Welfare Training Service & Literacy Training Service)

Prepared by:

NSTP-1 Course Instructors

Reviewed and Recommended by:

RAY T. OBISPO, Ph.D

ANTHONY P. ANGELES, MST
NSTP Coordinator

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

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 NSTP 1013 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 1

MODULE 4
THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY:
The Push towards Environmental Education

Topics: a. Importance of Environmental Education

b. The Philippines and the Environment
c. The Effect and Impact of Climate Change
d. Environmental Protection: Individual and Nationwide Initiative

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

a. show appreciation of the importance of Environmental Education;

b. increase public awareness and knowledge of environmental issues; and
c. contribute to the preservation of the environment.

LEARNING CONTENT
In recent years, the importance of
environmental education has gained
significant recognition worldwide. As
we face unprecedented
environmental challenges such as
climate change, biodiversity loss,
and pollution, it becomes imperative
to equip individuals and communities
with the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes necessary to address these
issues effectively. Environmental
education aims to foster a deeper
understanding of environmental
systems, promote sustainable
practices, and inspire stewardship of
the natural world.

This module on environmental education is designed to provide learners with a comprehensive

overview of the field, highlighting its critical role in fostering sustainable development and environmental
stewardship. We will explore the historical evolution of environmental education, its core principles, and
the various pedagogical approaches used to engage diverse audiences. Through this exploration,
learners will gain insights into the interconnectedness of human and ecological systems, the
significance of environmental ethics, and the practical strategies for promoting sustainability in
everyday life.

By engaging with this module, learners will be empowered to become informed and active participants
in the global effort to create a more sustainable and equitable future. Whether you are an educator,
student, policymaker, or concerned citizen, the knowledge and skills gained through this module will
enable you to contribute meaningfully to environmental conservation and sustainability initiatives.
Together, we can work towards a healthier planet for current and future generations.

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Lesson Proper:

WHY IS THE ENVIRONMENT IMPORTANT?

• Interconnectedness/ Interdependence. Our

life-support system's health is maintained by all the
species that make-up the biosphere—from the
smallest to the largest (our biodiversity). The
survival of all these species is interconnected and
dependent on each other. Bacteria and insects
break down organic material to produce soil and
nutrients so plants can grow. Plants provide oxygen
and food for animals and many other benefits.
Bees, other insects, and animals pollinate the
plants so they can reproduce and keep the cycle
going. They also maintain the health of plants and
spread their seeds. The actual processes that take
place between species and the environment are
extremely complex and vulnerable. If humanity
causes the extinction of one species—it's really the
extinction of many species and the decline of our
life-support system for ourselves and future
generation.
• Source of raw materials. Technically, what man consumes and uses to survive and live depend
highly its raw materials from the natural environment.
• Aesthetic value. Nature provides a sense of recreation for family and friends. Going to the park,
outing in a beach, climbing to the mountain provide aesthetic value to human beings.
• Environmental Rage/ Destruction. These refer to the
recent atrocities experienced by countless humans as a
result of denuded mountains, logging, slash and burn.
These are indeed alarming and posit the thought whether
we are secured from any potential harms/ threats when
natural disasters take place. We may be safe from any
military warfare but the rage of the environment seems so
inevitable and we don’t know whether we are capable of
protecting ourselves when the environment turns its back
from humanity.

THE NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Environmental education increases public awareness and

knowledge about environmental issues or problems. In doing so, it
provides the public with the necessary skills to make informed
decisions and take responsible action.

It refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural

environments function and, particularly, how human beings can
manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably.
The term is often used to imply education within the school system,
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from primary to tertiary level. However, it is sometimes used more broadly to include all efforts to
educate the public and other audiences, including print materials, websites, media campaigns, etc.

Environmental education is a learning process that increases people’s knowledge and awareness
about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to
address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations, and commitments to make informed
decisions and take responsible action (UNESCO, Tbilisi Declaration, 1978).

Environmental education enhances critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective decision-making

skills, and teaches individuals to weigh various sides of an environmental issue to make informed and
responsible decisions. Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of
action.

THE COMPONENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

1. Awareness. To help social groups and individuals acquire an awareness of and sensitivity to
the total environment and its allied problems.
2. Knowledge. To help social groups and individuals gain a variety of experience in and acquire
basic understanding of, the environment and its associated problems.
3. Attitudes. To help social groups and individuals acquire a set of values and feelings of concern
for the environment and the motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement
and protection.
4. Skills. To help social groups and individuals acquire the skills for identifying and solving
environmental problems.
5. Participation. To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively
involved at all levels in working towards the solution of environmental problems.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

1. The ecosystem is the basic unit of the ecospheres in which living things interact with the physical
components and are interdependent with one another.
2. Most of our energy originates from the sun and flows through an ecosystem some being lost at
each step till all available energy is gone. Hence the need for the conservation of energy.
Materials are continuously cycled and recycled within and among ecosystems. As a result, in
the natural cyclic system nothing is wasted. When people introduce artificial systems such as
industrial processes, wastes are produced pollution occurs and moves from one natural cycle to
another.
3. An ecosystem has a carrying capacity, that is, the ability to support a given number of each
species in it. If the components of the system are interfered with, then population stability will not
be maintained.
4. People are part and parcel of the environment yet they have the greatest capability of altering
the ecosystems by activities that reduce its ability to support life. The technology that they have
devised to help them exploit nature can either be used to deteriorate or enhance the ecosystems.
5. The survival of mankind as a species depends on harmonizing their activities with the ecosystem
processes. This can be achieved by developing a moral and ethical responsibility towards the
environment.

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ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
According to Frontiers 2018/19: Emerging Issues of
Environmental Concern (UN Environment 2019), there
is an alarming concern with respect to balancing the
need for advancement and environmental preservation.

In today’s era of globalization, we are faced with a lot of

societal upheavals including dilemmas pertaining to the
environment. Rogayan (2019) reiterated that the earth is
now suffering from innumerable afflictions at present
caused by egregious human activities that relentlessly
denuding the environment. The challenge for everybody
is to take the wheel of action and move towards a
common cause in preserving life on earth.

The Education for Sustainable Development of the

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) reiterates that education is an
indispensable tool towards sustainable development.
Environmental education is a process aimed at
developing a world population that is aware of and
concerned about the total environment and its
associated problems and which has the knowledge,
attitudes, commitments and skills to work individually
and collectively towards the solution of current problems
and prevention of new ones (Jain & Raghunathan as
cited in Puri & Joshi, 2017).

Different countries in the world continue to develop

active environmentalism among the students and among
the people in general. India, for one, has become one of
the fastest progressing countries in the world, in
addressing its environmental issues and improving its
environmental quality.
The environmental problems have become issues of
great concern to many parties. However, many people
in Ethiopia seem to have low level of knowledge about
environmental problems (Hailu, 2016). In Turkey, the
level of high school students’ environmental awareness
is high as revealed by one study (Anilan, 2014). The
level of environmental awareness and practices on
recycling of solid wastes in one university campus in
Malaysia was likewise gauged.

In the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in
coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the
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 Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other relevant agencies, in consultation
with experts on the environment and the academe, lead the implementation of public education
and awareness programs on environmental protection and conservation through collaborative
interagency and multi-sectoral effort at all levels (RA 9512, 2008).

Furthermore, one of the objectives of the Science education in the Philippines is to develop
students who are environmentally-conscious and ecological-friendly. The month of June of each
year is declared as the Philippine Environment Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No.
237 signed in 1998 by then President Corazon C. Aquino. During the celebration, various
important events are being celebrated such as the World Environment Day on June 5, Philippine
Eagle Week on June 4-10 and Philippine Arbor Day on June 25 (Department of Environment
and Natural Resources, 2016). People’s awareness has been recognized as a powerful tool in
environmental sphere. Information through education has an important impact to alter behavior.

PHILIPPINES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

As cited in the Philippine Climate Change Commission Report,

major institutions have provided their projections about the
country’s environmental condition; here are some.

1. Major Rainfall changes in patterns and distribution

2. Threats to natural ecosystem
3. Dying corals
4. More intense droughts
5. Higher sea level rise
6. Water scarcity

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of

weather over periods of time that range from decades to
millions of years. It can be a change in the average
weather or a change in the distribution of weather events
around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme
weather events). Climate change may be limited to a
specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

WHAT MAKES THE CLIMATE CHANGE?

The Earth‘s climate is influenced by many factors, mainly by the amount of energy coming from the
sun, but also by factors such as the amount of greenhouse gases and aerosols in the atmosphere, and
the properties of the Earth‘s surface, which determine how much of this solar energy is retained or
reflected back to space.

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HUMAN CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

All of us in our daily lives contribute our bit to this change in the climate. Give these points a good,
serious thought:

o Electricity is the main source of power in urban areas. All our gadgets run on electricity
generated mainly from thermal power plants. These thermal power plants are run on
fossil fuels (mostly coal) and are responsible for the emission of huge amounts of
greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
o Cars, buses, and trucks are the principal ways by which goods and people are
transported in most of our cities. These are run mainly on petrol or diesel, both fossil
fuels.
o We generate large quantities of waste in the form of plastics that remain in the
environment for many years and cause damage.
o We use a huge quantity of paper in our work at schools and in offices.
o Timber is used in large quantities for construction of houses, which means that large
areas of forest have to be cut down. A growing population has meant more and more
mouths to feed. Because the land area available for agriculture is limited (and in fact,
is actually shrinking as a result of ecological degradation!), high-yielding varieties of
crop are being grown to increase the agricultural output from a given area of land.
However, such high-yielding varieties of crops require large quantities of fertilizers; and
more fertilizer means more emissions of nitrous oxide, both from the field into which it
is put and the fertilizer industry that makes it. Pollution also results from the run-off of
fertilizer into water bodies.

WHAT IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE ALREADY BEEN OBSERVED?

Regional climate change is already affecting many natural systems. For instance, it is increasingly
being observed that snow and ice are melting and frozen ground is thawing, hydrological and biological
systems are changing and in some cases being disrupted, migrations are starting earlier, and species'
geographic ranges are shifting towards the poles.

Despite remaining gaps in knowledge, it is likely that these effects are linked to human influence on
climate. At the regional level, however, responses to natural variability are difficult to separate from the
effects of climate change. Some previously unanticipated impacts of regional climate change are just
starting to become apparent. For instance, melting glaciers can threaten mountain settlements and
water resources, and damage associated with coastal flooding are increasing.

HOW DO PEOPLE ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

• Humans need to adapt to the impacts of climate change, for instance through
technological solutions such as coastal defenses and changes in consumption habits.
• Vulnerability of human populations to climate change and its consequences can be
affected by other factors, such as pollution, conflicts, or epidemics such as AIDS. An
emphasis on sustainable development can help human societies reduce their
vulnerability to climate change.
• Mitigation measures that aim to reduce greenhouse gases emissions can help avoid,
reduce or delay impacts, and should be implemented in order to ensure that
adaptation capacity is not exceeded.
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SEVEN ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1. Everything is connected to everything else. (Ang lahat ng bagay ay magkakaugnay.) Human

interaction with nature oftentimes alters the ecosystems. The waste we improperly dispose of brings
about the deterioration of land and water quality. This may in turn reduce their capacity to provide life
for other organisms. Deforestation causes soil erosion and the earth deposited on the water bodies
covers the coral reefs resulting to fishery loss. Suspended particulates from vehicular and stationary
sources may cause lung problems among city residents. War causes destruction of wildlife and
habitats. There is a cause and effect chain, even when it is neither always visible nor observable.

2. All forms of life are important. (Ang lahat na may buhay ay mahalaga.) All living organisms were
created for a purpose in relation to humans, other species on earth and global ecosystem in general.
Thus, when a species becomes extinct, it is like removing a piece of a jigsaw puzzle from the web of
life. The variety of life forms, manifested by the different levels of biological diversity – community,
species, and genes – contributes to the stability of the environment. Food webs, food chains and
ecological relationships link plants and animals together in the web of life. Even bacteria, insects,
snakes, and rats have ecological functions even though humans perceive them as parasites or pests.
The composition of biological diversity naturally changes slowly but the rate of transition has become
faster due to factors such as habitat destruction. Deforestation may diminish forest species such as
birds that are vulnerable to modification of their home. Pollution of waters reduces the quantity of fishes,
shells, algae and other aquatic life. Over harvesting of natural products likewise contributes to the
unsustainable use of food and material resources. To maintain ecological balance, therefore, the
conservation of genes, species and ecosystems becomes essential to keep life together. Biodiversity
conservation strategies commence with the protection of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Land
uses, such as protected areas, ensure that the natural state of these habitats continue to exist in
designated areas. Community-based approaches in conservation maximize citizens’ participation in
protected areas. Integrity of natural ecosystems can likewise be guarded through the preservation of
indigenous species.

3. Everything must go somewhere. (Ang lahat ng bagay ay may patutunguhan.) By-products of

consumption go back to the environment. Everything that we throw away – pieces of paper, left-over
food, peelings of fruits, plastic wrappers, used containers – have to go somewhere. Even plants and
animals have their own wastes – feces, urine, dead leaves, and branches. It is the law of nature that
the by-products of metabolism return to the soil, acted upon first by worms, bacteria, and fungi, and
then converted into minerals, to be again absorbed by plants and eaten by animals. In short, they enter
into a material cycle that is an integral part of the ecosystem. But what happens if what we throw is an
artificial product such as plastic? Then natural bacteria can not recognize them and may not be capable
of breaking them apart. These non-biodegradable products must enter another material cycle – the one
that goes to the factory to be manufactured into a new product. Thus, the retrieval, collection and
recycling of these materials become necessary so that they do not pollute land and water habitats.

4. Ours is a finite earth. (Ang kalikasan ay may hangganan.) Everything that we need is provided by
nature in abundance – food, water, energy, minerals, and air. However, some resources that we depend
upon nowadays are extracted excessively but are slow to replace. These non-renewable resources
experience limits of supply. For instance, fossil fuels produced over thousands of years may be
exhausted in a hundred years. Some energy sources like water, and wood may be replaced easier but
have become inaccessible due to pollution and excessive extraction. Diminishing forest cover have
resulted from logging, ineffective reforestation, and continued land conversion. However, food scarcity
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and poverty may have resulted from failed distribution systems rather than inability of the land and
water bodies to yield food. It can be argued that increasing population decreases the amount of
resources available to each person. Carrying capacity, or the ability of the ecosystem to support a
number of people, may be influenced by limit of resources due to an increasing population. Competition
increases as the carrying capacity is reached. Per capita consumption must also be considered
because people in Northern countries generally consume more food, energy and resources than people
in the developing Southern countries. Carrying capacity may be addressed two ways: increase
resources and reduce population growth. Agricultural productivity for instance may be increased with
better availability of water and farm inputs. Pollution reduces the absorbing capacity of air and water.
Pollution likewise reduces the availability of land and water to produce food for human consumption. A
river classified a Class IV means that it becomes fit only for only for navigation and can no longer
sustain life forms. Likewise, oil spills from accidents or war destroy bays and rivers. Waterways that
have become cesspool of domestic wastes cannot contain fishes and shells or if they do might transmit
toxins and harmful bacteria to consumers.

5. Nature knows best. (Ang kalikasan ang mas nakakaalam.) Nature manifests certain processes that
enable it to maintain balance and remain in a state of equilibrium. The nutrient cycling of nitrogen,
carbon, sulfur and phosphorous in the air, water and land indicates that minerals are utilized within the
confines of the earth. The flow of energy from the sun enables light to be converted into sugar in plants
through photosynthesis, and later for consumer organisms to obtain energy from plant starch. Food
chains and food webs allow transfer of energy from producers and consumers and provide the means
for all living organisms to acquire nutrition. Population control also occurs naturally through predator –
prey relationships. The equilibrium in the ecosystem is maintained, thus if humans intervene,
unforeseen negative impacts known as ecological backlash, may arise. Floods are often times
backlashes of excessive felling of trees. The importation of golden kuhol, that became a pest, reminds
us that biological organisms may not acclimatize in a new environment or may cause harm to
indigenous species.

6. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation. (Ang kalikasan ay maganda at tayo
ang tagapangasiwa ng lahat na nilikha ng Diyos.) Different religions from Islam to Buddhism to Judeo-
Christian to indigenous people’s animism express the belief of caring for the earth, including all
creatures. Thus it is the goal of environmental education and biodiversity conservation education to
motivate target audiences towards developing an eco-spirituality that moves them into a more
meaningful relationship with nature and a greater participation in the biophysical economic processes
that make this world a better place to live in.

7. Everything changes. (Ang lahat ay nagbabago.) Changes in the biophysical world occur naturally.
As they say, there is nothing more permanent in this world than change. Consider the following
examples. Metamorphosis of caterpillars to butterflies illustrates morphological changes that occur in
living forms. The increase of vegetation on earth augmented the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere
through time. Seasons are cyclic changes that contribute to the diversity of flowers, fruits, vegetables
and other crops during the year. Random changes manifested by natural catastrophe such as typhoons
destroy forests, coral reefs and mangroves. Volcanic eruptions annihilate surface flora and submerge
rivers. Human-induced alteration such as climate change may cause more massive repercussions.
Land use change – from forests to agricultural land to human settlements – change the composition of
vegetation and animals. Human-induced changes can be managed so that the negative impacts are
minimized and positive changes accentuated. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) provides a tool
for the projection, planning and management of change brought about by industrialization and human
settlement expansion. Effluents can be managed through policy and pollution control techniques by
both industry and government to achieve clean air and water Sustainable development presents a
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paradigm of change for the 21st Century. Sustainable development promotes ecological integrity,
equitable sharing of resources and people empowerment as pillars of growth. Biodiversity conservation
contributes to ecological integrity, through both in-situ and ex-situ techniques. Biodiversity conservation
becomes successful only if coupled with poverty alleviation, improving equity of access to resources,
and instituting social change. Environmental education facilitates social transformation by modifying
attitudes and behavior of people towards an ecological ethic.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE

A. House & Garden

• Grow your own food.
• Redecorate with Eco-
products.
• Buy energy-efficient
appliances.
• Reduce your electricity
use.
B. Water Conservation
• Take short showers and
share bathwater.
• Pollute less.
• Turn off taps properly.
• Fix dripping taps.
• Use appliances
efficiently.
C. Transportation
• Use a bike.
• Walk short distances rather than drive.
• Use public transportation or carpool for long trips.
• Consolidate your trips
• Research biodiesel.
• Research energy efficient, electric, hybrid and diesel engines when buying a new car,
motorbike, or scooter.
D. Community
• Knowledge is power.
• E-mail relevant articles to your friends and family to get them up to speed about global warming.
• Write to your local council to ask for environmentally minded services such as recycling
collection.
• Educate yourself, you family, your friends, and everyone you meet.

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: NATIONWIDE INITIATIVE (GOODPRACTICES)

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