| Increasing Awareness Through Environmental
Education
| Helping to motivate changes
in attitudes and behaviors |
From its beginnings in 1997, NCI has developed
an extensive program of environmental education, aiming to increase
the general public’s knowledge and awareness of a wide array
of environmental issues. We stress the adequate management of natural
resources, active participation by local community members and the
importance of living in a healthy environment free of contamination.
 The
program is helping to motivate a change in people’s behaviors
and attitudes, as evidenced by the public’s great acceptance
of the issues and by environmentally-friendly actions of authorities,
students, professionals and the public in general.
One of our priorities is working with students
of all ages, encouraging them to think critically about environmental
topics, and to talk about the issues with their families outside
of the classroom. We also hold workshops with teachers to give them
the information they need to integrate environmental education into
their everyday classes.
Through a program of over 40 annual Ecological
Events, we work with local EcoClubs to help to boost the participation
of citizens and students, forming a critical mass that affects decision
making on matters such as the administration of natural resources
and the quality of the environment.
 The
Schoolyard Ecology program prepares
teachers and students with a simple methodology of scientific research
applied to the environment.
NCI has also organized and sponsored several International
Congresses to educate and train students about specific themes on
a practical yet academic level. Through a number of fairs
including the local EcoFair and the Bi-national Fair/Expositions
of Science and Technology (FEBICYT), students from Ecuador and
Peru demonstrate their knowledge and development of the environment
through scientific projects.
We also produce a number of publications
that are distributed to the government agencies, students, farming
communities, and the general public depending on the topic.
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