Community social capital

The primary goal of education for sustainability (EfS) is to create a more sustainable future by encouraging environmentally-conscious actions in students and developing more-informed citizens who are actively engaged in critical thinking. Though EfS is designed for students, EfS can be a whole-school approach in which all members of the community (e.g., teachers, parents, community members, and students) can engage with sustainability principles. Understanding a school's organizational culture can illuminate EfS best practices.

Storytelling can alter one's place-based connection and feelings towards those experiences. Narratives and stories are deeply embedded into the practices of hunting and fishing. In some cases, the author noted, hunters and anglers spend more time talking about the hunting and fishing experiences than actually hunting or fishing. This article is a perspective piece in which the author explored how narratives can shape people's views of hunting and fishing.

Citizen science (CS) programs contribute scientific data and information that help policymakers make more informed decisions. There have been several studies that evaluated CS programs and demonstrated their role and value in policymaking. However, there is not as much information on how these programs influence pro-environmental behavior (PEB) and attitudes in participants. The researchers in this study reviewed a CS program in Australia called Scientist for a Day (S4AD). This one-day CS event sponsored by Earthwatch gathers citizens to learn more about a specific research project.

One of the goals of environmental education (EE) is to provide environmental knowledge and instill pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors in students with the hope that they will drive positive conservation outcomes. As a result, a great deal of research has been devoted to understanding what factors impact environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Time spent in nature and exposure to nature during childhood are two factors that have been linked to pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors.

Partnerships between universities and communities can benefit environmental education through the engagement, collaboration, and participation of demographically and ideologically diverse communities to address relevant and local environmental issues. However, institutions of higher education face challenges that affect their ability to develop such meaningful partnerships.

Taiwan created its nationwide ESD requirement, the Environmental Education Act (Act), as part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programs and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Act requires about one-sixth of Taiwan's population, including all K-12 students and civil servants, to complete at least four hours of ESD instruction each year. Topics include the circular economy, climate change, sustainable development, reducing carbon emissions, and more.

Most of the scientific community agrees that climate change is a real, pressing issue. However, the subject of climate change remains controversial and politically charged to the rest of the population. The researchers in this study looked at how science, emotion, and politics intersect and inform communication, particularly with youth. Youth will have to grapple with the devastating realities of climate change if action is not taken, yet not much research has focused on youth voice on climate change action.

When teaching environmental education and developing sustainably oriented students, an environmental communication teaching approach can effectively instill collaboration and problem-solving skills in students and communities. Complex environmental issues like climate change, water resources, and poverty require partnership and problem-solving in the decision-making process. Research has proven that communication training improves interdisciplinary thinking during collaboration and can lead to applying said interdisciplinarity in community and policy decisions.

Despite the increasing awareness that climate change poses a serious threat to human and planetary wellbeing, local communities may have limited ability to mitigate or adapt. Educational programs are essential to improve communities' preparedness for the consequences of climate change and reduce the severity of damage. In the US, Cooperative Extensions Masters Volunteering (CEMV) programs have been effective in combating other environmental challenges in the past.

Fostering pro-environmental behaviors within individuals and the community is increasingly important as the world faces the growing effects of climate change, resource depletion, and waste mismanagement. However, this effort is inherently challenging due to the complexity of various factors, some of which are still not fully understood by researchers. One of these factors is the role of partnerships between schools and other entities, the participants in these partnerships, and the role partnerships play in creating change in a community.