Intensity level of EE programs affects the environmental behavior resultsThis study was designed to evaluate the mechanism through which environmental education (EE) programs affect environmental attitudes and behaviors in green schools in Israel. There are two types of green schools in Israel. Schools with informal EE programs are referred to as “green schools,” while schools with a more intensive EE program are designated as “persistent green schools.” A “green school” provides 30 annual teaching hours of EE in two of six elementary grades. Green schools are also required to reduce consumption and increase recycling. A “persistent green school” implements EE in all six grades and is required to show a significant reduction in the use of at least three resources (energy, water, paper goods, and non-consumable products). Additionally, both the green schools and persistent green schools are required to implement a project in the surrounding community for the purpose of raising awareness of environmental issues and encouraging positive behavioral changes.
For this study, a survey was conducted at six elementary Jewish public schools in five communities in northern Israel. Two of the schools were regular schools with no EE program, two were green schools, and two were persistent green schools. A total of 589 students in grades 4 through 6 completed the survey, with students from the green schools assigned to classes where the EE program was being taught. Items on the survey addressed environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Information was also collected about (1) households’ recycling behavior, (2) pupils’ activities and perspectives on other issues not related to the environment, and (3) demographics.
Results indicated that EE programs in both the green schools and the persistent green schools had a positive effect on environmental attitudes. Results also indicated that proficiency in environmental knowledge promoted environmental attitudes, but only to a marginal degree. The persistent green schools showed a direct positive effect on environmental behavior, while the green schools did not. Students who indicated that they spend the greater part of their leisure time watching TV or engaging with other digital media generally scored lower on environmental attitudes, while students who said they enjoyed spending time in nature with their parents tended to have higher environmental attitudes scores.
This study indicated that the EE programs in both green schools and persistent green schools contributed to the development of environmental attitudes, which, in turn, contribute to environmental behavior. The results, however, imply that “stronger” environmental behaviors are associated only with the more intensive EE program offered in the persistent green schools.
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