Since the 1970s, environmental education has prepared citizens to prevent and solve environmental problems. Knowledge - to help social groups and individuals gain a variety of experiences in, and acquire a basic understanding of, the environment and its associated problems. Attitudes - to help social groups and individuals acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment and motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection. Skills - to help social groups and individuals acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems. Participation - to help social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in working toward resolution of environmental problems.
Environmental education is mission-oriented.
A good environmental education program does not stop with the presentation of information, but helps learners wrestle with values and gain the skills to take relevant and responsible action. Formal environmental education differs from social marketing and environmental communications in that it does not always directly target specific behaviors. Thus the goal of environmental educators is to help their students form the capacity to collect and analyze information, make good judgments, and participate fully in civic life. Because research shows that people who take action not only have some knowledge and awareness of the problem they are addressing, but also knowledge of how to effect change, environmental educators often stress civic and public participation skills. The goal is to instill in learners the knowledge about the environment, positive attitudes toward the environment, competency in citizen action skills, and a sense of empowerment.