Graduate Students’ Perspectives On The Human-Environment Relationship

The purpose of the present study is to determine graduate students’ views on the relationship between human and the environment. TUBITAK, one of the biggest national scientific research organizations in Turkey, ran a Summer Environmental Education Program (SEEP) in Trabzon in 2004 for graduate students. 10 graduate students (six females and four males), who were from a different department and a different university, participated the present study voluntarily. The data gathered through the interview schedule were analyzed by using qualitative research procedures. The data indicated that almost all of the participants agreed that human beings were not adequately aware of their environment and have been using environmental resources by only considering their own needs. Fortunately, they have recently started to become aware of the environmental issues and take responsible behavior for sustaining the environment since they have realized the negative effects of the ruined environment on themselves.