ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ

New research in the Global Business and Economics Review suggests that we could and should be encouraging green shoots to grow in preschool-aged children regarding environmental matters.

The influence of the media on the public understanding of environmental issues reaches far beyond headlines and news reports. Online content, interactive apps, television, and even print outlets are shaping what people know and think about the environment and, perhaps more importantly, are shaping their behavior.

Environmental awareness, in this context, is not merely familiarity with the facts but shows the connections between knowledge, social norms and personal action. But, little attention has been paid in research to children and one particularly overlooked demographic group, the preschooler, whereas growing greener children should be part of our plan for a sustainable future.

Many preschoolers are exposed to a lot of media content at home, in their nursery schools, in the shopping malls, and beyond. The evidence suggests that we might design media experiences, such as educational television programs, interactive online activities, and even game-based or theatrical content that could be used to cultivate their environmental consciousness from an early age.

We could encourage children to adopt environmentally friendly habits, from conserving water and energy at home to growing into influencing youngsters that change the social norms within their communities. Early exposure is key. Attitudes and behavior are formed in childhood and generally persist into school age and then into adulthood. If we can encourage interest and engagement early, then our preschoolers might grow up to be lifelong adherents to sustainable practices.

However, studies indicate that simply presenting information is insufficient to foster meaningful engagement. Individuals must grasp both the causes of environmental problems and the range of practical solutions available. Without this context, knowledge rarely translates into action.

Media that frames environmental challenges with clarity, providing narrative and visual cues alongside actionable guidance, has the potential to move audiences from passive awareness to active participation. This applies just the same to those preschoolers, although, of course, the detail and depth of that information must be carefully crafted for the audience to have any impact at all.

Children who develop environmental awareness early often affect wider change as they grow up, influencing their families, their friends, and into the educational setting as they mature and, ultimately, into the workplace.