Overview

Education, training and the provision of good information are key to achieving long-term change for the benefit of Swansea, its people and its environment. Environmental education is not however an end in itself but a means to an end; it is only effective if it inspires understanding and action towards a more sustainable future, providing both the knowledge and the desire to make a difference. Education and awareness raising does not simply take place in schools and colleges; throughout our lives we have opportunities to increase our understanding and participate more fully in making our world a better place in which to live. We make choices every day about the way we live, what we eat, how we travel, what we buy and so on.

Changes in our lifestyle can soon become an accepted part of everyday life and thus have a huge impact; for example, until recently very little household waste in Swansea was actually segregated for recycling or composting but within just a few years the amount has increased to over a quarter of the waste we produce.

It is not just individuals and households that can contribute to making Swansea more sustainable. Businesses and other organisations can assess the impact they have on the environment and introduce processes and management schemes that reduce waste and demonstrate care for the environment and communities. Environmental improvements can often have financial benefits too.

Swansea benefits from having the Environment Centre and Swansea Environmental Education Forum (SEEF) which between them have provided a focus and impetus for environmental education, information and action in the area for over a decade.

SEEF is an active network of over 40 local organisations that deliver and support environmental education and education for sustainable development throughout the City and County of Swansea. The Environment Centre and SEEF have successfully initiated a wide range of projects and services that help to raise awareness of environmental issues across different sectors of the community in both formal and informal settings