Motivating change: An Interactive journey in sustainability in environmental concerns

Abstract

Despite the grave environmental issues facing the world, little is being done to educate our future generation of "consumers" on resource consumption and waste generation. There is a need for major change in the approach to education about sustainability. In the classroom, environmental education has been presented statically through traditional teaching methods.

Environmental education is evolving to include information on how a person's efforts and behavior can affect global change. However, changes in education are not happening as rapidly as the deterioration of the environment. The sustainability of the environment requires action and reaction, therefore it requires a more interactive approach to education. Can education through interactivity result in major changes? Can the inclusion of computer graphics as an alternative approach to education promote and motivate change in a person's behavior in relation to the environment?

This thesis is an exploration of the role Computer Graphics can play in environmental education. It is divided into two main components, Design Center and Action Toolkit. Through interactive engagement of the user this thesis offers experiential learning that successfully communicates the issue of sustainability of the environment, creating the opportunity to develop a lasting change in their daily behavior.