Abstract
M.A.
With this research, an Environmental Centre for the Northern Cape Province is suggested at Upington as an environmental management initiative.
Environmental management aims to create an awareness and a concern for the environment and all its facets. In this way, knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivation and commitment are striven for, so that the environment and its related problems can be identified and solved by the community.
Formal teaching cannot do this task by itself. An additional source is suggested. An Environmental Centre can benefit the community if it creates an awareness of the various elements of the environment, their interdependency and the necessity of a healthy environment for the survival of man. It can motivate the community to accept responsibility for the environment, provide the knowlegde and values so that solutions can be found for environmental problems.
Upington in the Northern Cape Province has several unique qualities which can justify an Environmental Centre:
• an unique climate with many human activities,
• the availability of the Orange River's water,
• its population composition,
• Various economic activities(intensive/extensive farming)
• a growing tourist sector, and
• a very well developed infrastructure.
A questionnaire was used to compile a residents profile to test the Environmental Centre initiative. Residents acknowledged the existence of environmental problems and that it must be addressed. An Environmental Centre with a well developed, co-ordinated and integrated environmental management plan, can be a solution.
The way man sees his environment, indicates how he will utilise his environment. Knowledge and education about the environment can lead to citizens that know, understand and protect their environment against every form of deterioration. Environmental adulthood can thus be achieved.