Teaching children about the environment can affect the knowledge and behaviour of parents, says research by Imperial scientists in the Seychelles.
Teaching children about the environment can affect the knowledge and behaviour of their parents, according to new research. Scientists from Imperial College London surveyed the families of 160 schoolchildren in the Seychelles, some of whom took part in educational activities about the island's valuable wetland resources. They found that the parents of children who took part in the wetland activities were more knowledgeable about wetlands and, were more inclined to undertake 'environmentally friendly' behaviours such as conserving water in their homes. The findings are published this week in the IOP Publishing journal Environmental Research Letters . The study took place on Mahé Island in the Republic of Seychelles, which is located in the Indian Ocean. Here, schools and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) -supported wildlife clubs have long conducted environmental education programmes that include taking children out of the classrooms and to explore some of the island's wilder parts. "School children in the Seychelles are fortunate to have a curriculum that emphasises the teaching of environmental concepts across a broad range of subjects," said lead author of the study Peter Damerell, who carried out the research from Imperial's Department of Life Sciences.
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