National: This year’s World Environment Day marked the beginning of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Aligned with this mega theme, Brainly, the world’s largest online learning platform, highlights the level of environmental awareness among school children in India through its latest survey. Garnering 1,781 responses from students across the country, the online survey captures key insights about the beliefs and actions of young Indians with regards to the climate crisis and the push toward ecosystem restoration. These include:
- Growing awareness about taking actions to conserve the environment
79 per cent of Indian students agreed that studying climate change is crucial, as is learning about how they can help conserve the environment. The finding underscores the growing awareness among the new generations of Indians to make sustainable lifestyle changes to accommodate immediate eco-friendly actions such as reducing the usage of plastic, conserving water, planting more trees, etc.
- Environmental awareness and education is being fuelled by classroom teaching, parents, and online learning platforms
74 per cent of students stated that they study environmental science at school. On being asked whether their school encourages them to plant more trees or reduce the use of plastic, 86 per cent replied in the affirmative. 80 per cent of surveyed students also admitted that a parent or a family member encourages them to be conscious about their actions and their impact on the environment. More importantly, the survey found that 73 per cent of students use online learning platforms to enrich their understanding of the environment and related issues. This underscores the increasing relevance of EdTech resources such as Brainly as an integral tool of information-sourcing and knowledge-sharing for the new generations.
- Young Indians are actively doing their bit to protect and restore the ecosystem
More than half (55 per cent) of students planned to plant more trees in the neighborhood to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day. The survey also revealed that most students have already been undertaking eco-friendly activities since the beginning of the lockdowns in India. These include reducing the use of plastic (59 per cent), planting more trees (58 per cent), water conservation by avoiding wastage (54 per cent), recycling (52 per cent), rainwater harvesting (30 per cent), and using rooftop solar panels (20 per cent).
Speaking on the survey, Rajesh Bysani, Chief Product Officer, Brainly, commented, “As we live under the shadow of a deepening environmental crisis, the need for focusing on ecosystem restoration has perhaps never been direr.”
“Young generations are more socially, politically, and environmentally aware than their predecessors. The increasingly easier access to information and knowledge enabled by the rise of online learning platforms is a major contributor to this much-needed movement. At Brainly, we are committed to helping young learners seamlessly access and share knowledge across all subjects, fields, and disciplines. It is only by ensuring that our children are well-informed and well-educated that we can equip them with the right tools, resources, and knowledge to steer the world towards a brighter, healthier, and more sustainable future.”
