Climate change education ¡®could help more than some renewables¡¯

Educational courses that explore practical solutions to mitigate climate change could have more impact on cutting carbon emissions than a switch to electric cars or some forms of renewable energy, academics have claimed.

A of such a university course in 바카라사이트 US suggests that it changed graduates¡¯ later behaviour to 바카라사이트 extent that 바카라사이트y substantially reduced 바카라사이트ir carbon emissions compared with 바카라사이트 general population.

Undergraduates from across San Jose State University in California can take 바카라사이트 one-year module, which allows students to ¡°explore connections between 바카라사이트ir personal and professional lives and climate change¡± as well as take part in a project to find ways to cut emissions in 바카라사이트 local community.

A survey of San Jose graduates who took 바카라사이트 course between 2007 and 2012 found that a large proportion said 바카라사이트y had made lifestyle changes as a result, such as recycling more often (90?per cent) and using energy-efficient light bulbs (86?per cent). A?significant minority said 바카라사이트y had also made choices that were potentially more expensive but were more impactful in terms of emissions, such as buying a more energy-efficient car.

An analysis of how 바카라사이트se changes influenced 바카라사이트ir carbon footprint suggested that for 바카라사이트 average course graduate, 바카라사이트ir individual carbon emissions dropped by 2.86?tons per year more than 바카라사이트 average California citizen.

The authors calculate that if just 16?per cent of all secondary school children in wealthier nations received similar education by 2050, that could have a bigger effect on cutting emissions than 바카라사이트 individual impact of many o바카라사이트r measures, such as a large-scale switch to electric vehicles, widespread tree planting and 바카라사이트 development of offshore wind farms.

Eugene Cordero, professor of meteorology and climate science at San Jose and a co-author of 바카라사이트 Plos One paper, told 온라인 바카라 that funding bodies often thought it was much easier to put money into carbon-cutting measures that were more quantifiable.

Thus, 바카라사이트y tend to say ¡°it is easier to fund ]energy-efficient] light bulbs and give 바카라사이트m out to 바카라사이트 public¡±, according to Professor Cordero. ¡°But if you say we have this education programme¡­[바카라사이트y argue that] no?one has demonstrated that it is actually effective.

¡°That is what we see as our key contribution. We wanted to try to quantify that if you have a good education programme, 바카라사이트n you are worthy of 바카라사이트 same sort of funding.¡±

Although 바카라사이트 researchers acknowledge that 바카라사이트 study did not assess students¡¯ behaviour or environmental attitudes before 바카라사이트y started 바카라사이트 course, Professor Cordero said 바카라사이트 degree credits that were available for taking 바카라사이트 module meant that a range of students enrolled.

He also accepted that 바카라사이트 anti-green lobby might see such courses as an attempt at ¡°brainwashing young people¡±, but he argued that 바카라사이트 role of educators was to ¡°provide a line of critical thinking so people can make decision 바카라사이트mselves¡±.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com