The Importance of Air Pollution as Part of the Environmental Literacy Studies to School Students

Abstract

Education about environment, sustainability, and ethically sourced practices became mandatory in school curriculum. Pennsylvania State Board of Education adopted new academic standards for Science, Technology and Engineering, Environmental Literacy, and Sustainability (STEELS). The new academic standards will integrate new disciplines including science, technology, and engineering. Disciplines also include teaching the relationship between humans and the environment. Environmental literacy and sustainability discipline will focus on human social practices, ethical and non-ethical practices, and their impact on the environment. In this chapter, the authors introduce the addition of environmental literacy and sustainability to the Pennsylvania academic curriculum. The topic of air pollution was chosen as the effect of air pollution on the health of school students, absenteeism, and life expectancy are not covered by much scholarly research. Importance of education about air pollution and the knowledge of school students on air pollution sources, air quality regulations, air quality, and its substantial gains to public health are briefly included. In general, this chapter emphasizes the importance of including air quality science in school curriculum. To demonstrate what can be added to the atmospheric science classroom, Clean Air Act (CAA) rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are recommended as examples.