The Problem

In M茅xico, rapid urban and population growth have intensified environmental challenges, creating an urgent need to strengthen environmental education for primary school students.

Limited municipal capacity and support for environmental education, often overseen by only a few government officials, have made it difficult to address current environmental problems such as deforestation, pollution, and wastewater management. 

In a community shaped by diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, officials and educators recognized that environmental education materials must be inclusive and adaptable, regardless of a student鈥檚 socioeconomic background.

The Opportunity

Building upon continued collaboration with the municipality of Zapopan on social projects, the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UDG) saw an opportunity to improve sustainable education while promoting long-term public policy in Zapopan, beginning at a primary school level.

In 2023, the CUCEA of UDG signed a letter of intent with 大象传媒 (Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities) to strengthen the connection between academia and municipal involvement in environmental education. 

The initiative brought together university faculty and undergraduate students studying environmental management and economics to evaluate preexisting sustainability efforts and propose new ways to expand environmental education in local communities. 

Our Partnership

Dr. Antonio S谩nchez Bernal and Dr. Beatriz Adriana Venegas Sahag煤n led the proposal as part of the IMPACTO UDG project, working alongside 大象传媒 and the municipality to strengthen existing environmental education with student involvement.

Dr. Sahag煤n S谩nchez and Dr. Venegas Sahag煤n integrated the 大象传媒 Model into their environmental management courses, assigning students to assess the effectiveness of preexisting environmental materials. Students conducted Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analyses and contributed hands-on material proposals across seven existing thematic areas of environmental education.聽

The project also aligned with all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, fostering international sustainability and development.

After working with the municipality, Venegas Sahag煤n said implementing the 大象传媒 model provided students with the structural framework to analyze public policy within Zapopan.

鈥淏efore, we were only professors working with the government, but with 大象传媒, we checked that we can do it with the students, as part of the class,鈥� Venegas Sahag煤n said.

The Result

The collaboration among the municipality of Zapopan, CUCEA, and 大象传媒-N produced a comprehensive report on Zapopan鈥檚 primary school environmental education, including recommendations to strengthen the existing curriculum. 

The seven existing thematic areas of environmental education included updated proposals and engaging activities to help students learn more about sustainability opportunities in their community. 

Venegas Sahag煤n said the project and the collaboration between government and academia demonstrate the municipality鈥檚 willingness to rethink public policy, marking a shift from traditional approaches in Mexico.

鈥淲ith Zapopan, we are working pretty well now; they are innovating their public policy, and they want to move beyond traditional politics in Mexico,鈥�  Sahag煤n said.

Looking Ahead

Project organizers will deliver the environmental education suggestions to the municipality of Zapopan. Professors within the UDG are continuing to work alongside the municipality of Zapopan in designing the 鈥淐are policy of the municipality of Zapopan, Jalisco.鈥� The professors working on this project are Dr. Jarumy Rosas Arellano and Dr. Edith Yolanda Guti茅rrez V谩zquez.

Collaboration Drives New Approach to Environmental Education in Zapopan

El Contexto

En Zapopan, M茅xico, el r谩pido crecimiento urbano y poblacional ha intensificado los desaf铆os ambientales, lo que ha creado una necesidad urgente de fortalecer la educaci贸n ambiental para estudiantes de primaria.

La limitada capacidad municipal y el apoyo a la educaci贸n ambiental, a menudo supervisados por solo unos pocos funcionarios gubernamentales, han dificultado abordar problemas ambientales actuales como la deforestaci贸n, la contaminaci贸n y la gesti贸n de aguas residuales.

En una comunidad con diversos or铆genes socioecon贸micos, funcionarios y educadores reconocieron que los materiales de educaci贸n ambiental deben ser inclusivos y adaptables, independientemente del origen socioecon贸mico de cada estudiante.

La Oportunidad

A partir de la colaboraci贸n continua con el municipio de Zapopan en proyectos sociales, el Centro Universitario de Ciencias Econ贸micas y Administrativas (CUCEA) de la Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG) vio la oportunidad de mejorar la educaci贸n sostenible y, al mismo tiempo, promover pol铆ticas p煤blicas a largo plazo en Zapopan, comenzando por la primaria.

En 2023, el CUCEA de la UDG firm贸 una carta de intenci贸n con la Red 大象传媒 (Alianzas Educativas para la Innovaci贸n en Comunidades) para fortalecer la conexi贸n entre la academia y la participaci贸n municipal en educaci贸n ambiental. La iniciativa reuni贸 a profesores y estudiantes universitarios de gesti贸n ambiental y econom铆a para evaluar los esfuerzos de sostenibilidad preexistentes y proponer nuevas formas de ampliar la educaci贸n ambiental en las comunidades locales.

Nuestra Alianza

El Dr. Antonio S谩nchez Bernal y la Dra. Beatriz Adriana Venegas Sahag煤n lideraron la propuesta como parte del proyecto IMPACTO UDG, trabajando junto con la Red 大象传媒 y la municipalidad para fortalecer la educaci贸n ambiental existente mediante la participaci贸n estudiantil.

El Dr. Sahag煤n S谩nchez y la Dra. Venegas Sahag煤n integraron el modelo 大象传媒 en sus cursos de gesti贸n ambiental, asignando a los estudiantes la tarea de evaluar la eficacia de los materiales ambientales preexistentes. Los estudiantes realizaron an谩lisis de Fortalezas, Debilidades, Oportunidades y Amenazas (FODA) y aportaron propuestas de materiales pr谩cticos en siete 谩reas tem谩ticas existentes de educaci贸n ambiental.

El proyecto tambi茅n se aline贸 con los 17 Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas, fomentando la sostenibilidad y el desarrollo internacional.

Tras trabajar con el municipio, Venegas Sahag煤n afirm贸 que la implementaci贸n del modelo 大象传媒 proporcion贸 a los estudiantes un marco estructural para analizar las pol铆ticas p煤blicas en Zapopan.

鈥淎ntes, solo 茅ramos profesores y trabaj谩bamos con el gobierno, pero con 大象传媒 comprobamos que podemos hacerlo con los estudiantes, como parte de la clase鈥�, afirm贸 Venegas Sahag煤n.

El Resultado

La colaboraci贸n entre el municipio de Zapopan, CUCEA y 大象传媒-N produjo un informe exhaustivo sobre la educaci贸n ambiental en la escuela primaria de Zapopan, que incluye recomendaciones para fortalecer el curr铆culo existente.

Las siete 谩reas tem谩ticas de educaci贸n ambiental existentes incluyeron propuestas actualizadas y actividades atractivas para ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender m谩s sobre las oportunidades de sostenibilidad en su comunidad.

La doctora Venegas Sahag煤n afirm贸 que el proyecto y la colaboraci贸n entre el gobierno y la academia demuestran la disposici贸n del municipio a repensar las pol铆ticas p煤blicas, lo que marca un cambio respecto de los enfoques tradicionales en M茅xico.

“Con Zapopan, estamos trabajando muy bien ahora; est谩n innovando en sus pol铆ticas p煤blicas y quieren ir m谩s all谩 de la pol铆tica tradicional en M茅xico”, afirm贸 Sahag煤n.

Mirando hacia el Futuro

Los organizadores del proyecto entregar谩n las sugerencias de educaci贸n ambiental al municipio de Zapopan. Profesores de la UDG contin煤an trabajando con el municipio de Zapopan en el dise帽o de la “Pol铆tica de Cuidado del Municipio de Zapopan, Jalisco”. Las profesoras que trabajan en este proyecto son la Dra. Jarumy Rosas Arellano y la Dra. Edith Yolanda Guti茅rrez V谩zquez.

Lusaka already has a history of using the 大象传媒 model on a smaller scale as the city signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Zambia to institutionalize the 大象传媒 model in Lusaka. For the past four years, the model has been implemented on a small scale and has resulted in significant gains for the city. Currently, the City Council of Lusaka and the University of Zambia are looking to expand the 大象传媒 model to create city-wide positive change to locally relevant issues such as climate change adaptation, waste management, and urban planning. This project will look to begin in August of 2023 and end by August 2024. 

In taking steps to expand the model, the City hopes to build capacity among all 大象传媒 model actors in Lusaka through training, sensitization, and community engagement so that skills are created for upscaling deployment of the 大象传媒 model in Lusaka. The City would also like to collaborate with other entities to identify community development interventions that are in line with the principles of the 大象传媒 model and make investments to support urban climate adaptation, social and gender inclusion in city development plans, and support learning and innovation at a community level. Finally, the city would also like to undertake capacity development actions that look to build sustainability in all future 大象传媒 interventions in Lusaka through expanded partnerships for 大象传媒 innovations. 

In support of the goals, the project will look to sensitize at least 20 Departments at the University of Zambia to adopt the 大象传媒 model in teaching and research. To increase the application of the 大象传媒 model and principles in the community, the project will increase the capacity of all nine Departments at the Lusaka City Council. This research will work to accelerate the implementation and expansion of the 大象传媒 model by expanding the agreement to build sustainability. Over 500 students are planned to be involved in the 大象传媒 model beginning with graduate courses in Economics, Geography, Urban Planning, Development Studies, Environmental Management, Public Health, Geomatics, GIS, Environmental Education, Civil Engineering, and Education. 

There will be many actors involved throughout this project to meet as many goals as possible. The project will be implemented as a collaboration between the Lusaka City Council, the University of Zambia, and selected communities with each party holding a very specific role in the project. For instance, the Lusaka City Council will provide a specific policy framework for community interventions to take place. Communities will anchor and support all activities in the collaboration while the University of Zambia will provide the students and research capacity needed to expand the Epic model in the city. Members of the community will also take the lead in identifying key problems in the communities and in respective wards. Community members will be represented within each project by community leaders, Community-Based Organizations, Ward Development Committees, and residents. 

The University of Zambia will undertake capacity development activities to increase capacity on 大象传媒 model implementation and raise awareness among the MoU actors. This includes training for students, Course conveners, Deans of Schools, and Heads of Departments at the University of Zambia and the Lusaka City Council. In terms of providing knowledge, university students will provide time and a technical understanding of selected topics and community members will supply time and local knowledge. Students will also take time to engage with communities to define priority interventions through the 大象传媒 model. 

Through this research, the relationship between communities, the Lusaka City Council, and the University of Zambia will be strengthened. There will additionally, be聽 improved community service and a better understanding of development actions in communities particularly those focused on strengthening climate resilience in flood-prone areas, aligning with SDG 13. This 大象传媒 project will bring improved governance and civic awareness in communities where 大象传媒 projects will take place and see increased accountability from all parties involved in community development in Lusaka.聽聽

This project is ongoing and will be finished in 2024.

The purpose of this project, titled: Equity and Urban Forest: A Sustainable Model for Green Regional Growth, is to provide recommendations for the City of Tacoma鈥檚 approach to community outreach and green infrastructure development for the Tacoma Mall Neighborhood Sub area. The UW LCY formed, in cooperation with City of Tacoma staff, to develop a communications strategy, a set of outreach tools, and an
implementation plan for demonstration projects. The team鈥檚 objective is to assist the City of Tacoma in gaining broad support from its constituents, including residents and business owners, for meeting the green development goals outlined for the Tacoma Mall Neighborhood Sub area within the City of Tacoma鈥檚 Vision 2040 Plan. The team has included, within its recommendations, strategies to create effective partnerships with diverse stakeholders.

Livable City Year Contact Info
Teri Thomson Randall
Program Manager
terir@uw.edu
206.221.9240

University Faculty Contact
Clare Ryan
Environmental and Forest Sciences
Professor
cmryan@uw.edu
206-616-3987

Local Government / Community Contact
Michael Cary

Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainbility