If you think that's a bit much, get a load of this, from the "Environment Education" section of an Ontario Ministry of Ed doc outlining the curriculum of the province's just-introduced all-day kindergarten program:
The three goals outlined in Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow [the Min of Ed doc detailing eco-education in general] are organized around the themes of teaching and learning, student engagement and community connections, and environmental leadership. The first goal is to promote learning about environmental issues and solutions. The second is to engage students in practising and promoting environmental stewardship, both in the school and in the community. The third stresses the importance of providing leadership by implementing and promoting responsible environmental practices throughout the education system so that staff, parents, community members, and students become dedicated to living more sustainably.Gosh, that sounds very educational, doesn't it? Teaching kids to "appreciate" the value of fresh air and outdoor spaces, I mean.
The Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program offers many opportunities for accomplishing these goals. The learning environments for early learning include the school yard, fields and trails in the vicinity of the school, and various other outdoor venues. Teaching children to appreciate and respect the environment is an integral part of being active in these spaces. Appreciating the value of fresh air and outdoor spaces, understanding the environmental benefits of healthy practices such as active transportation (walking, biking) and the environmental implications of various food choices, being aware of the impact of using trails, and understanding the health risks associated with environmental factors such as sun exposure and air pollution are all components of environmental education that can be integrated with learning in Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten programs. To facilitate these connections, Early Learning–Kindergarten teams are encouraged to take children out of the classroom and into the world beyond the school to help them observe, explore, and appreciate nature.
What nanny state eco-tripe! And, with its emphasis on "nature," eerily reminiscent of what Hitler-era kidlets were "learning" in German schools (minus the Judenhass, of course).