Environmental Education Program Directors

The environmental movement in the 1960s and 1970s elevated people's interest in nature, wildlife, the earth, and conservation. Many environmental initiatives began in 1970: It brought the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency to standardize and enforce environmental laws and regulations; Earth Day was introduced, to honor the planet; the Clean Air Act was passed; and the Natural Resources Defense Council was created. In the decades since, dialogue about environmental issues has gone global. Numerous books, magazines, documentaries, and television shows have focused on topics such as pollution and hazardous waste, damaged habitats, and threatened species. The desire to learn more about the planet in order to better appreciate and safeguard it for future generations has created new and expanded areas of research and education. Many colleges and universities now offer degree programs in environmental studies. And many organizations have created specialty environmental education programs to educate people of all ages about the natural world.