Effects of Environmental Education on Young Children’s Water-Saving Behaviors in Japan

Abstract

While environmental education in early childhood can raise children’s environmental awareness and shape environmental attitudes, little is known about the effects of environmental education programs on pro-environmental behaviors in children. This paper analyzes the impact of the Eco Experience Education Program for Early Childhood (EEEPEC), an educational program featuring lectures on global warming and water-and energy-saving, as well as visual prompts, on young children’s water-saving behaviors in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Through observations, interviews, and survey data, this study found that the EEEPEC was associated with increased water-saving behaviors. The results suggest that the behavioral changes were driven by the program’s visual prompts (e.g., water coils placed next to water taps) that provide children with immediate feedback and enhance pro-environmental communication among teachers, parents, and children. Early childhood environmental education programs such as the EEEPEC have the potential to foster long-term pro-environmental behaviors in young children.