Abstract
Water is one of the primary resources for humans; however, clean water available for consumption is a constant problem worldwide. Nonetheless, environmental education is fundamental to promote social consciousness and orientate people to improve water management, and children are the main target as they are prone to adopt long-lasting habits. Therefore, this study aimed to implement an environmental education program on water conservation in 10-year-old students from two rural communities within the Nenetzingo River catchment in Mexico. The study was a three-step methodology that included diagnostics, education, and evaluation. It was found that the students that participated in the educational program enriched their knowledge, attitudes, and perception towards water. Therefore, implementing environmental education programs in young students can improve water use and conservation in Mexico. Additionally, the design used in this research allows identifying the target groups for immediate intervention.
Highlights
Water is a critical resource for human survival because many crucial activities depend on its availability
We found that after the water conservation program, Ahuacatitlán students improved their knowledge towards water, even significantly surpassing the group with the initial highest level of knowledge (San Miguel Laderas) (Table 4)
We evaluated the effectiveness of an environmental educational intervention regarding water conservation in fifth-grade students from two rural communities of central Mexico that face different challenges regarding water availability
Summary
Water is a critical resource for human survival because many crucial activities depend on its availability. As the first United Nations World Water Development Report states “of all the social and natural crises that humanity faces, the water crisis has the most harmful effect on survival and sustainability in the planet” [1]. Deficient integrated water resources management is one of the main environmental problems that pose a harmful effect on society [2]. On the face of this, environmental education is fundamental to promote social consciousness orientated to the protection, conservation, and sustainable water management. The development of environmental education programs is a worldwide necessity and may become a powerful tool to build sustainable societies [3,4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
