Education’s Role in Water Management Kevin J. Coyle, President National Environmental Education & Training Foundation

Water Management Without Education! Does education improve water management? Show results? Will future water management be the same or harder without stronger education?

A Personal “Map” Your place on the belief (that education can work) continuum? Your place on the “awareness” (vs. education) continuum?

Outreach or Education? (or both?) Awareness as a goal to itself and the “knowledge” debate What awareness, by itself, can achieve (one-step vs. two steps)

Awareness Impact 31% more likely to conserve water (61%) 10% more likely to save electricity (85%) 10% more likely to buy “green” products (50%) 50% more likely to avoid (somewhat) the use of chemicals in yard care (39%) 50% more likely to recycle (65%)

Common Ingredients for Awareness Impact Small changes in ongoing behaviors Very little “dot connecting” A sense of “togetherness”

“Dot Connecting” and Water Management Leading cause of water pollution (eg.)– how many steps? Does complexity keep the public from learning new answers?

Roper/NEETF ‘98 -- Main source of oil pollution in U.S. waters?

NEETF/Roper Emerging issues -- what is the most common cause of water pollution?

Watershed Runoff Education Points Reduce run-off Manage vegetation Comprehend drainage & spatial relationships Understand ecological sensitivities

Common Sense Toward the Audience Farming and “dot connecting” Rural does not automatically mean knowledgeable of resources Urban usually means clueless

Reason for Hope Roper’s Two Groups of Community Movers and Shakers –True Blue “Greens” –Community Influentials –A surprising overlap Numbers and attitudes toward learning

Awareness vs. Education ( Self Assessment) Spell out causation? –Stories and sequence Back up and cover underlying principles? –Definitions Display spatial relationships –Visuals

Awareness vs. Education ( Self Assessment -- cont.) Teach application? –Skills Enough time to absorb? Offer some hands-on experience?

Summation Water education will increase in importance as a part of any local strategy Does the information you seek to teach require awareness or deeper education? How good are you at a) explaining cause-effect, b) stepping back to cover definitions and c) using visuals. How good are you at reading the knowledge levels and attitudes of your audience? Are you looking toward the Influentials? Can we achieve improved water management without stronger education?