Promoting Green Infrastructure Awareness through Education

Abstract

Green Infrastructure (GI) treats stormwater runoff by filtering and absorbing it at its source, utilizing soil and plants, permeable surfaces, rainwater harvesting, and more. Although GI is useful in mitigating stormwater runoff, gaining community acceptance and implementing GI face challenges because the approach is unique and unfamiliar to the public. Various forms of public outreach in the planning and design process can help create more awareness around GI, which can be critical for its successful promotion and application. This study focused on educating the public about GI with two main objectives: 1) Exploring the effectiveness of GI education by comparing survey participants’ perceptions of GI before and after GI education session and 2) evaluating the materials used in GI education to develop effective strategies for informing the public. The authors employed the 5E model, a research‐based lesson planning tool, to structure the GI education and develop education materials. Survey participants included future secondary school teachers who, because of their potential to connect with numerous students, were selected to expand the reach of GI education. Their role in this study also involved evaluating the educational materials that were developed. The survey results revealed that GI education had a positive impact on increasing the participants’ understanding of GI and their intention of promoting it. This study is significant not only for measuring the effectiveness of GI education but also for suggesting implications for the development of educational materials, particularly in the area of landscape architecture.