Reassessing Our Approach to Environmental Education

For over forty years, Americans have faced continuous warnings about environmental disasters. Concerns have centered around acid rain, the ozone hole, melting ice caps, rising seas, violent storms, and mass extinctions. Public figures like Al Gore intensified these worries with dire predictions about global warming, now often termed ‘climate change.’

Today, the impact is visible. Many young Americans are gripped by fear about the future rather than respect for the environment. A survey from Lancet Planetary Health involving 15,793 Americans aged 16 to 25 revealed that 85% felt at least somewhat anxious about climate change, with 58% expressing serious concerns. More than half admitted climate worries made them reluctant to have children. Other studies corroborate these findings, connecting climate anxiety with the desire for fewer children.

This fear stems from a perception of a dying Earth, yet the reality differs. NASA noted that significant greening occurred on 25 to 50% of the world’s vegetated land between 1982 and 2015, a leaf area growth roughly twice that of the continental U.S. Researchers credited about 70% of this increase to rising carbon dioxide levels, emphasizing its role as plant nourishment.

Agricultural advances paint a hopeful picture. Current grain production has nearly tripled on the same acreage compared to 1961. The land spared amounts to the size of the U.S. and India together, thanks to improvements in seeds, machinery, irrigation, modern farming techniques, and carbon dioxide’s contribution.

Air quality has also improved. The EPA noted a 79% drop in emissions of the six main air pollutants from 1970 to 2024. Meanwhile, economic growth surged by 338%, Americans drove 195% more miles, and the population increased by two-thirds.

Global prosperity has expanded as well. The number of people in extreme poverty fell from about 2.3 billion in 1990 to 800 million today, despite a nearly three-billion increase in global population. Life expectancy, literacy, and living standards have reached unprecedented heights.

Certain historical predictions of catastrophe have proven unfounded. Paul Ehrlich’s 1968 bestseller, “The Population Bomb,” forecast mass starvation by the 1970s. Instead, Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution fed an additional billion people. Despite their inaccuracies, doom mongers continue to propagate fear.

This does not suggest environmental problems are unreal. It indicates these are challenges to address, not reasons to give up. Past generations built infrastructural marvels, overcame diseases, harnessed atomic energy, explored space, and persevered through world wars and other crises, often with a focus on building a better future for their children.

Elon Musk, although acknowledging the risks posed by man-made carbon dioxide, advocates for innovation and growth over despair. This mindset should guide our education of young people.

Educate on manageable issues and real-world successes. Discuss how human innovation has resulted in cleaner air and water, improved agricultural yields, reduced extreme poverty by two-thirds, and increased greening globally. Parents should engage with schools about the content of climate education. Review the curricula, highlight any factual omissions, and advocate for balanced teaching at school board meetings.

We have a role to play. Instead of promoting fear of the future, encourage future generations to shape it constructively.

Frank Lasee is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow.