On January 24th, we celebrate International Education Day and today, January 26th, we celebrate World Environmental Education Day, dates that invite us to reflect on the importance of education in all its spheres, especially environmental awareness as a pillar for sustainable development. In a world where climate challenges, pollution and loss of nature and biodiversity are increasingly evident, education plays a crucial role in building environmentally engaged societies.

Much more than just transmitting knowledge about ecology and biodiversity, Environmental Education is an instrument for us to rethink our behaviors and take responsibility for the planet we call home. It is imperative to recognize that preservation is intrinsically linked to collective awareness, which is why it is not limited to classrooms; it occurs everywhere, from local communities to global digital networks.

By providing the construction of knowledge about the impacts of our daily actions, education empowers individuals to make informed choices. From the efficient management of natural resources to the promotion of recycling and the reduction of waste, every small action guided by environmental education contributes to healthier and more balanced relationships in the environment.

Copaíba and Environmental Education

As one of the 4 pillars of the Association's activities, Environmental Education is a fundamental and integrative part of several of the actions that involve the organizational mission. It was the basis for the founding of the NGO we know today, as it had 4 young students and their biology teacher as actors in nature observation and agents of landscape transformation.

The multiplication of the beginning of this journey also happened with the educational pillar, through Educational Plantings, mobilizing children, young people, schools and institutions to plant and restore local biodiversity. More than 30 thousand people have been served by EA in more than two decades of work in the Atlantic Forest, and this journey is just beginning.

EA coordinator, Tatiana Terasin, intends to expand educational programs this year and bring new features to the agenda. "Let's go Reconnect people with nature, raising awareness about the importance of conserving and restoring ecosystems, especially the Atlantic Forest”, says Tatiana.

Experiences in nature, visits to the Copaíba headquarters and its educational spaces and the Geração Restauração Project – present in schools and with a book about the Atlantic Forest as teaching material, are part of the activities already implemented by EA and continue to be practiced and developed. The new projects that arrive this year are: Copaíba Jovem and Training to multiply knowledge about the relationship between water resources and forests

The invitation we leave to the entire community, on this special date of World Environmental Education Day, is also a request for them to commit to continuous learning about sustainable practices. May each of us become an agent of change, promoting environmental awareness in our homes, schools and workplaces. As we move into 2024, there is a renewed opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the environment, through education and action.