Environmental Literacy. ERIC/CSMEE Digest.

This digest presents a case for the development of a precise definition of environmental literacy (EL) as a prerequisite to setting standards for environmental education. The discussion includes the following: (1) establishment of the relationship between EL, environmental education, and goals of the formal education system; (2) the development of the meaning of EL; (3) contrast between EL and other applications of the term "literacy"; (4) levels of EL; and (5) attributes of the environmentally literate. The report distinguishes between scientific literacy and EL, the former appearing to be built on a mechanistic paradigm and the latter built on an ecological paradigm. EL draws upon six major areas: sensitivity, knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, personal investment and responsibility, and active involvement. These are collected into four strands: knowledge, skills, affect, and behavior, that need to be addressed in education for EL. It is concluded that more work needs to be done to refine the components of environmental literacy and correlate these components with formal and nonformal education development levels. The education system should also be encouraged to adopt EL as part of its mission. (Contains 9 references.) (MCO)