As wildfires rage, oceans rise, and extreme weather events strain vulnerable communities worldwide, the question is becoming increasingly urgent: Do people have a universal human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment?

Children don’t protect what they don’t love. Environmental education at its best cultivates a felt connection to living systems—wonder at a bee’s flight, delight in a sprouting seed, awe under a night sky. And those feelings can be further solidified by developing a spiritual connection in which to root them.

In an era dominated by digital screens and fast-paced living, the therapeutic and healing powers of time spent in nature are becoming more recognized by medical professionals, parents, educators, and spiritual leaders.