A Basic Guide To Educating Those Around You
One of your greatest roles as a green leader will be helping promote environmental literacy in your community! In this section, we provide a basic guide to educating those around you about topics such as climate change, sustainability and stewardship.
Step 1: Do Your Research
It is essential to educate yourself before you hope to educate others. Make sure to seek out reputable sources to attain a quality understanding of climate change.
For more information on finding quality resources, click this link to view the Information on the science of climate change section of the toolkit!
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* link to Information on the science of climate change section of Toolkit
Step 2: Pick An Area of Focus
There are so many aspects of climate change, and it is difficult to communicate all of these aspects at once. That is why it may be a good idea to focus on a particular aspect at a time so that you do not get overwhelmed. Have a goal in mind on the kind of impact and valuable resources that you would like to provide to those in your community. You may choose to focus on educating people on one or a few of the following areas:
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Lifestyle choices that individuals can make to lower their carbon footprint
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The science of climate change, how global warming occurs
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Current and upcoming climate change solutions
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The politics of climate change
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The economics of climate change
Step 3: Choose Methods of Education
There are several methods that can be used to spread education on climate change including:
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Hosting events (virtual or in-person) for climate change discussion
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Giving presentations at school
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Sharing climate change news on social media (you may also choose to start your own social media account to share reputable climate change news and information)
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Starting a green club or getting involved in an existing one
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Recommending resources for individuals to educate themselves on climate change (again, visit Information on the science of climate change section of our toolkit for examples of quality resources)
Closing
When educating others, always remember to be respectful and open minded. Not everyone is as educated about climate change as you are, or may agree with what you have to say. Seek out methods that aim to provide people with reputable resources to help them become more environmentally conscious, rather than methods that aim to shame them for a lack of awareness and/or action. We are all on our own climate change education journeys, and that is completely okay!