Volume : 6, Issue : 12, DEC 2020

GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY RELEVANCE TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: PRINCIPLES AND PERSPECTIVES FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY

GADDEYYA GANDIPILLI*, RANGANATHAN R, SUBHASHINI K

Abstract

In general, Environment Education (EE) denotes a study of environment and its dynamics, and its various forms, factors degrading environment and its impact on man’s life. The main concept of EE is to prepare suitable strategies for saving our environment. Environmental education is a process to promote the awareness and understanding of the environment, its relationship with man and his activities. Environment education is education ‘about’ the environment, ‘from’ the environment and ‘for’ the environment. The main goal of Environmental Education is to create an awareness and understanding of the evolving social and physical environment as a whole, its natural, manmade, cultural, spiritual resources together with the rational use and conservation of these resources for the development. Environmental issues came to the fore in the 1970s.The first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (1972) was held in Stockholm, Sweden. It brought environment to the centre stage of the global agenda and later led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It has been acknowledged by environmentalists that Gandhian insights serve as a guide to understand the problem in a proper perspective. It is to be noted that Gandhi has not left any aspect of life untouched. He clearly expressed his views on basic issues relating to life. Though he has not dealt specifically with the issue of ecology and environment one can easily gauge his perspective on issues relating to environment from his basic approach to life. Gandhi led a holistic life which was in tune with principles of nature and environmental friendliness. Environmental problems are more challenging today to each developed and developing countries. Environmental degradation threatens not just the quality, but the very existence of life on earth. In the view of Environmental degradation and Climate change, the Gandhian ideas or philosophy, his idea on social transformation and basic education are a debate of global concern. In search of different approaches in tacking with environmental challenges, we are naturally attracted towards the Gandhian approach. Gandhi had emphasized the importance of natural resources and its conservation. Gandhi was deeply concerned with all problems confronted by humanity, and it was quite natural that he expressed his concern on matters relating to ecology and environment. Nowadays the environmental consciousness of humans came centre of the climate change due to many anthropological activities such as industrialization, urbanization, deforestation, pollution of various ecosystems etc. The Gandhian Philosophy can moulds the human minds with environmental consciousness through Ahimsa, Dharma,and Truth. Hence, in view of environmental protection, the authors emphasize the Gandhian Philosophy to conserve nature and natural resources.

Keywords

BASIC EDUCATION, DEEP ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE), GANDHIAN APPROACH, MOHANDAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI, SARVODAYA, UNEP.

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