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We are living in a
time of extremes. While technology advances at a staggering speed, nature cries
out for help. There are wildfires, intense droughts, catastrophic floods, and
an alarming loss of biodiversity. In the face of this scenario, the question we
must ask is not merely “what is happening to the planet?”, but “what is missing
from our formation as human beings?”. The answer, unfortunately neglected for
decades, is clear: environmental education is missing. And this isn’t just
about learning to recycle or save water. We're talking about a change in
mindset—a new way of being in the world. Without environmental education, the
planet gets sick—and we get sick with it.
Science has already
demonstrated, with ample evidence, that the environmental collapse we are
witnessing is a direct consequence of human behavior. According to a recent
study by Yale University, individuals who received environmental education from
early childhood show more sustainable attitudes, a stronger sense of ecological
responsibility, and greater civic engagement in environmental issues. This
proves that we can’t just wait for laws to change or for major political
leaders to act. Transformation needs to begin with each of us—and especially in
the classroom. Children taught to love and respect nature grow into adults
committed to protecting all forms of life.
However, educating for
the environment requires more than transmitting data about pollution or global
warming. It demands an integrated approach, one that involves emotion, art, and
practical action. This is where the methodologies developed by Antônio Carlos
dos Santos stand out and prove revolutionary. His MAT methodology—Mindset,
Action, and Theater—proposes that we only change our attitudes toward the
planet when we change our mindset and, above all, when we are touched by
aesthetic experience. In this context, theater is not mere entertainment, but a
powerful educational tool capable of awakening empathy, critical thinking, and
ecological awareness.
Here’s a practical
example. In a public school in the countryside of Bahia, elementary school
students staged a play titled “The Forest Whispers”, inspired by real
environmental tragedies in the Amazon. Using the MAT methodology, the students
didn’t just portray animals fleeing from fires or rivers drying up. They experienced
these pains by assuming roles, debating causes, and proposing solutions at the
end of the play. The result? The school reduced water waste by 70% and
implemented a community reforestation project, involving parents and local
residents. This is environmental education that is alive, transformative, and
tangible.
Another pillar of
Antônio Carlos dos Santos' methods is Theater Movement (ThM), which uses
the body as a language to express the relationship between humans and nature.
Imagine a group of teenagers participating in a movement workshop, mimicking
the flow of a river disrupted by human interference: at first, fluid and
harmonious; then, full of obstacles, trash, and blockages. This bodily
experience raises awareness in a way that no graph or lecture ever could. And
this kind of experience, according to research from Stanford University,
stimulates brain areas related to empathy and ethical decision-making.
Educational science and behavioral neuroscience now walk hand in hand, showing
that we learn best when we are emotionally and physically engaged.
With this philosophy
in mind, we also have the TBMB method (Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater),
designed especially for young children. With simplicity and charm, the puppets
give voice to complex topics like deforestation, river pollution, and species
extinction. In a pilot project conducted in river communities in Pará, puppets
like Dona Stingray and Mr. Anteater enchanted and educated simultaneously,
awakening in children the awareness that they are guardians of the forest. This
approach aligns perfectly with studies from Harvard University, which emphasize
the importance of play and symbolic storytelling in building sustainable values
in children.
On the cultural front,
we have historical figures who used art to raise ecological awareness. Chico
Mendes, the rubber tapper and activist assassinated in 1988, became an
international symbol of the fight to preserve the Amazon rainforest. His life
has been turned into plays, documentaries, and novels, inspiring movements
around the world. He famously said: “Ecology without class struggle is
gardening.” This reminds us that environmental education is not neutral—it
is critical, political, and liberating. It must question destructive production
models, promote conscious consumption, and strengthen solidarity among peoples.
We must also value
international experiences. Finland, a global reference in education, has
integrated sustainability as a cross-cutting theme throughout its school curriculum.
There, students learn from an early age about circular economy, resource
preservation, and the ecological impact of human actions. And it's not just
theory: students care for school gardens, participate in ecological cleanups,
and are involved in environmental decision-making at school. Unsurprisingly,
the country has one of the lowest ecological footprints on the planet. This
proves that academic excellence, social responsibility, and environmental
commitment can go hand in hand.
But the real change
begins at home. Parents who teach their children to respect animals, not waste
food, and recycle are planting the seeds of a more balanced future. Here lies
the role of educators, psychologists, artists, and scientists. It's time to
join forces, to set aside ideological disputes and work together for a single
purpose: saving the planet. As systemic thinking teaches us, there is no
individual health without environmental health. Human ecology and environmental
ecology are inseparable sisters.
In times of
misinformation, we need education that reconnects humans to the Earth.
Environmental education is not a luxury—it is an emergency. It’s not about
occasional campaigns but must be a daily commitment, present in schools,
universities, media, and public policy. It’s about forming a new generation of
conscious, critical, active citizens who care for all forms of life. It's
either this—or collapse. We plant or perish. We educate—or witness the end.
If we truly want a
dignified future for our children, we must start now. Transformation begins
with each of us: rethinking habits, supporting sustainable initiatives,
demanding action from our leaders, and, above all, educating with passion,
science, and hope. Because without environmental education, the planet dies. But
with it, it flourishes—and with it, so do we.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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