Accessible Environmental Education Is Social Justice

This scrapbook-style collage aims to entwine science literature and the whimsical joys of being in nature, commonly lost to our youth. Combining research with the mind of a child unlocks a great potential to share work with any audience. Transparency is where environmental science falls short, and my work intends to demonstrate how simple it can be. The highlighted, underlined, and circled words represent my thought process as a college student while reading scientific papers. The little drawings portray a simple yet sophisticated understanding of the topic in visual form. Inclusive educational tools that cater to diverse learning styles enable consumption by a wider audience.

As a child, I loved to collect things from the outdoors. From sticks that I planned to whittle into 'wands' to shells, nature offered an abundance of treasures. The leaves were the central idea of this art project. I wanted to incorporate the act of going outside, cold fingers clutching a bundle of earth-smelling leaves. The drying and pressing processes were meditative and reflective. Usually when scientists take samples from nature, it's solely for answering a question in academia. The specimens are handled with precision and kept in sterile environments. This project used the leaves to answer a question to myself, why I chose to be in the environmental field. It is fulfilling to be reminded of my passion and through this creative outlet, I encourage myself and others to take moments to admire the small beauties in everyday life.

In the beginning stages of brainstorming, I also wanted the pieces to be multimedia. Watercolor is my preferred paint medium. The rapid drying time requires forethought and in-the-moment decisions. Ripping up the articles and papers felt a bit unlawful, however it was freeing in a way because I was physically tearing down the barriers of scientific communication.

My work also explores how expanding environmental education for children can contribute to solving environmental justice issues. In a few of the pieces, I included articles regarding the launch of environmental programs by institutions to highlight community partners working together. The Solar Schools Grant Program funded by the Cook County Department of the Environment and Sustainability and the Calumet Environmental Education Program established by Chicago's Field Museum gives youth opportunities to learn about sustainable energy and participate in environmental initiatives. Hands on experience this summer taught me the significance of these collaborations. I had the opportunity to work with high school students from the south suburbs of Chicago through the Forest Preserves Experience Program with the nonprofit organization, Friends of the Forest Preserves. The collage includes statistics from a survey given at the end of the program. With about 70% of the youth highly rating the program (5s and 4s) and 85.9% wanting to join again next year, the success of the program is evident. Most of the youth and leaders were people of color, primarily Black and Brown folks. Such communities more commonly experience environmental injustices whether it's lack of access to natural areas or being subjected to live in heavily polluted areas. This makes it crucial for programs to be targeted toward these audiences.

The injustice of it all is that these populations do not choose to be discriminated against. They have little to no say in the matter yet bear the burden of 'fixing' their situation and environment. Resources such as the Solar Schools Grant Program, Calumet Environmental Education Program, and Forest Preserves Experience Program provide opportunities to gain skills and knowledge in the environmental field. Drawing on scientific literature helps supplement understanding but also presents an obstacle to those without the resources to obtain it. Passion for anything should not be hindered by education level. Therefore, doing away with paywalls and translating over complicated language into common speech will help more folks solve environmental issues. Together with transparent science communication and more access to public natural spaces, environmental education can thrive.