Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405.

ASS2: Essay

Assignment 2: Essay Kristy Snell, 5851157 Swinburne University SLEE405: Sustainable Education and Perspective Kate Chinarova 4th September, 2013.

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay Introduction The benefits and challenges of ecological education requires and enables individuals, organizations and societies to challenge and reduce the social, economic and environmental imbalances, also referred to as the three pillars of sustainability (WCED, 1987). Raising awareness and understanding of EFS (Education for sustainability) and developing realistic sustainable solutions for the overall wellbeing of future generations and the environment. The purpose of educating for a sustainable future is to understand the nine critical environmental

tipping points. The Earths population is already close or beyond four of these points, involving: ozone depletion, climate change, biodiversity loss and nutrient pollution. Flannery (2010) states that science and commonsense are telling us that our influences on Earth is eroding our future, and we cannot escape responsibility. Body Theoretical frameworks and world views are directly constructed from individual and collective ethical and moral value codes and subsequently lived and added to from experience therefore must be considered within varying contexts (Edwards & Buzzell, 2008). Randall (2012) states, thinking about climate change, makes people feel helpless and anxious but that is why we must talk about it openly. There is no one standard view as they vary due to the individual values and ethical codes of conduct; this results in difference of behaviours and definitions of sustainability regarding anthropocentrism, biocentrism and ecocentrism. Education for sustainability is to provide a change the way in which we think and view the world and its problems from a broader and developing perspective. Questioning the way in which we live,

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay according to the views that we hold and our impacts on the Earths natural systems will help to develop these views to better understand our part within the natural worlds systems. Education can be used as a vehicle for actively promoting positive attitudes and

behaviour that reflect the requirements of sustainable development (Bonnett, 2002). The purpose of ecological education is to understand and address the environmental issues that are arising due to factors such as climate change, population growth and consumption of the Earths natural and irreplaceable materials and ecosystems. The relationship to nature may be formed through awareness of our interconnectedness, cultural beliefs and practices and values we uphold regarding the ever decreasing ecosystems of the planet. EFS involves every subject that is taught within a schools curriculum; as Hydon (2007) states, children should be given opportunities to become active and informed environmental citizens and be included in discussions about their community, including environmental discourse. Raising awareness and educating about ecological sustainability, social sustainability, economic sustainability and political sustainability using government publications driven by the Department of Environment and Heritage (2005), the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts (2009) and Sustainability Curriculum Framework (2010) enables educators to develop students understanding and comprehension of the pressures we are placing on the Australian environment. Bonnett (2002) describes sustainability as a frame of mind, a frame that impacts on every thought, decision or action and a frame that is inclusive of social, economic and environmental perspectives. Social constructs consist of the invisible intellectual and organizational frameworks that shape everything we do and by facilitating new levels of

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay responsibility and acceptance and sustainably altering, forming and implementing these

institutional frameworks (Understandascope, 2013). Educating students about the facts, concepts and theories regarding the environment and how to sustainably view and protect our future as belonging to us, before the issues reach an irreparable state. An essential element in changing our mind shift involves incorporating the principles of EFS by understanding transformation and change; providing education for all and lifelong learning; systems thinking (connections); envisioning a better future; critical thinking and reflection; participation; partnerships for change. This supportive pedagogy involves the deconstructing of these principles as education is a platform for exploring issues and ideas of sustainability. Establishing changes in the community devised through work, lifestyle and consumption patterns for issues such as population growth. There are too many people on the planet, the ecological footprints that are stamped into the Earth from over seven billion people (UNESCO, 2005) adding dramatic pressure for the environment to provide enough food and energy through natural ecological resources at a faster rate than they are being consumed. The consumption of resources leads to the waste that is dumped back into the environment. Through extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal becomes the system of material economy (Lenard, 2007). Extracting from the planets natural resources and systems such as deforestation, tapping into the fossil water supply has a negative effect on the environment. These resources are irreplaceable, especially the fossil waters, once they are depleted they will be gone forever. Deforestation is occurring because farmers are clearing more land to grow food due to the

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay increasing demands set by the population; clearing of land to provide more space for communities, towns and cities to be developed. Chemicals are part of production, as these chemicals cant be broken down they are simply being used to produce a product then entering back into the environment for consumption. Distributing these products for consumption creates more pollution and stress on the environment as the products need to be sold quickly to keep the prices low and consumption at a high. Consumption is the key to the system; through tactical consumerism products are made to not last or outdate. If these products are easily disposable

consumers arent going to worry about throwing it away in order to purchase a new or up to date product. This is through planned obsolescence (easily disposed to purchase a new one) and perceived obsolescence (throw away products that are in working order) depicted in Lenard (2007). Advertisements, media and companies play a detrimental role in consumption. It is because of these factors that the United States disposes of 4.5 pounds of garbage a day, per person. Most of this garbage cant be recycled as it contains high levels of toxins or it is designed not to be recycled in the first place, enabling individuals ecological footprint to increase in size. The ability for modifying and adapting practices to become more environmentally sustainable is needed to be recognized throughout societies and countries. Overfishing is the act whereby fish stocks are depleted to unacceptable levels, regardless of water body size. Resource depletion, low biological growth rates, and critically low biomass levels (e.g. by critical dispensation growth properties) result from overfishing (Wikipedia, 2013). Agriculture plays a vital role, contributing to social, economic and environmental sustainability. Traditionally, farmers cleared land, grew crops for a few harvests, then let the fields lie fallow for 10 or 15 years to rejuvenate as they moved on to clear more land. As they try to feed a rapidly growing population, the farmers instead grow crop after crop, sapping the soil's fertility (Dugger, 2006).

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay Over mining of minerals, oil and gas are finite and non-renewable resources; their consumption today poses a threat of scarcity to future generations. Ores recovered by mining include metals, coal and oil shale, gemstones, limestone, and dimension stone, rock salt and potash, gravel, and clay. Mining is required to obtain any material that cannot be grown

through agricultural processes, or created artificially in a laboratory or factory. Mining in a wider sense includes extraction of any non-renewable resource such as petroleum, natural gas, or even water (Wikipedia, 2013). The conservation of plants and animals and the way in which they interrelate and depend on each other are key features of biodiversity. Children are highly interested in plants and animals and enjoy finding out about them (Young & Moore, 2010). Children have an ability to understand basic concepts of ecology and this can be promoted through experiences such as making compost, categorizing plants and animals, sensory exploration of natural materials found in the outdoor environment, exploring the germination of seeds and plants, creating nurturing and effective habitats for animals, exploring and discovering the life cycles of plants and animals such as, the stages of a tadpole maturing into an adult frog. These concepts are naturally available to be explored through education within schools and communities, as investing time based on interest in learning about and protecting the environment is detrimental to future generations. Respecting and promoting a sense of place within the land can be achieved through excursions for children to visit local landmarks, they could walk to these landmarks (depending on distance) to reduce fuel emissions. Discuss land conservation using strategies such as planting trees in the school grounds or local communities, tidying up after ourselves when we use and

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay leave the natural environment and respecting who and other creatures that might also use and inhabit the land. Intentional teaching can be a valuable tool in the design of play spaces in both outdoor and indoor environments. Exploring the outdoor environment to perhaps find some wildlife can

lead to creations of habitats for those animals, how to keep the animals and children safe without removing the animal from its natural environment. By creating a natural indoor environment through the use of environmentally friendly resources, such as leaves that have fallen from a tree could be used for discussion of changes in seasons. Developing awareness on the importance of recycling by promoting nude food in schools and understanding what materials are able to break down and be put back into the environment. Creating discussion based on intention of promoting awareness on environmental sustainability can be achievable regarding the environment. The use of plastic materials contributes to air, land and water pollution. Plastic does not break down; the only way to destroy it is to burn in turn releasing chemicals and contaminants which the Earth is unable to digest. Air pollution is caused by industry, energy supplies, transport that omits chemical pollutants into the air through smog. Land pollution is formed through the disposal of waste that either breaks down slowly or is incapable of breaking down all together, poor agricultural practices and continually taking from the environment and not replenishing these materials leads to decrease of finite resources. Water pollution is created through storm water drains, waste finding its way into the ocean, animals digesting waste products and ending up in the oceans, bottom feeders that pick up broken down fragments of contaminants such as plastics and then are consumed higher up the food chain leading to consumption by larger members of the animal species.

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay

When we encounter with living things we experience emotions ranging from attraction to aversion, from awe to indifference, from peacefulness to fear driven anxiety (Wilson, 1984). The continually changing and evolving planet due to the impact of human activities and processes is detrimental to the survival of the future. The changes in our lifestyle have been immense compared to our ancestors, yet we continue on advancing with the blind assumption that the human species has an unlimited capacity to adapt to the environment, no matter how far its removed from that in which we evolved. Conclusion The difference of opinion between individual, political and prioritizing views can have adverse effects on eco literacy. Regarding the effects that we have on the environment can be interpreted in differentiating ways depending on the view of the individual or organization. Using approaches with the desire to control the natural world through tendencies and practices that may be destructive to environmental sustainable education will not help the situation. Building negative assumptions or values of nature are created by lack of information, disbelief, and denial and through negative experiences with nature. These negative relationships with nature can impact on our species evolution through disorders across cultures. About 2 million years ago when Homo sapiens first appeared on the earth their world was biologically rich. Millions of species of plants and animals flourished from the single celled to the complex, every ecosystem harbored life in many forms. Educators can harbor humanities effects on the environment as a group of problems. Some of these problems are able to be solved, using analytical tools and methods of reductionist science, and creating value-neutral, technological remedies striving to create positive side effects (Orr, 1992).

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay The opportunities and challenges of an ecological perspective of education regarding the relationships between an individual's and a collective group's needs, rights, goals, and capacities and the qualities and operations of their physical environments within particular cultural and historical contexts. When the relationship is favorable or even minimally adequate, it represents

a state of relative adaption, promoting development and satisfying, sustaining and enhancing the environment. It is never a fixed relationship but shifts in accord with shifts in reciprocal exchanges throughout time. To prevent this negative functioning eco literacy provides the foundations for building positive and sustainable education throughout the worlds population.

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay References Bonnett, M. (2002). Education for sustainability as a frame of mind. Environmental Education Research, 8(1), 9-20. DEH (2005). Department of Environment and Heritage. Educating for a sustainable future: A national environmental education statement for Australian schools. Melbourne: Curriculum Corporation. Retrieved May 21 2013 from http://www.environment.gov.au/education/publications/pubs/sustainable-future.pdf DEWHA (2009).Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

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Education for sustainability: The role of education in engaging and equipping people for change. N.S.W. Australia: Retrieved May 21 2013 from http://aries.mq.edu.au/publications/aries/efs_brochure/pdf/efs_brochure.pdf DEWHA (2009). Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Living Sustainably: The Australian Governments National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability. Canberra: Retrieved from: http://www.environment.gov.au/education/publications/pubs/national-action-plan.pdf Dugger, C. (2006). Overfarming African Land is Worsening Hunger Crisis. The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/world/africa/31soil.html?_r=0 Edwards, S., & Buzzell, L. (2008). The Waking up Syndrome.

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay Retrieved May 8 2013 from:

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http://www.hopedance.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=413&Ite mid=32 Flannery, T. (2010). Here on Earth: An argument for hope (pp. 271-280). Melbourne: Text Publishing. Hydon, C. (2007). 'A way of travelling: the environment and our code of ethics'. Retrieved June 06, 2013 from: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_index/eve ry_child_vol_13_no_1_2007_sustainability.html Leonard, A (2007) The story of stuff [Illustration]. Retrieved May 6 2013 from http://thisisyoke.com/story-of-stuff Randall, R. (2012). The id and the eco. Retrieved May 8 2013 from: http://www.aeonmagazine.com/being-human/rosemaryrandall-climate-change-psychoanalysis/ Orr, D. (1992). Ecological literacy: Education and the transition to a postmodern world. Albany: State University of New York Press. Understandascope (2013) Retrieved May 5, 2013 from: http://understandascope.org/ UNESCO. (2005). United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-

Running head: Kristy Snell SLEE405. ASS2: Essay 2014. Draft International Implementation Scheme. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved from: www.unesco.org/en/esd/ WCED. World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. Retrieved May 21 2013 from http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm Wikipedia (2013). Overfishing. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overfishing Wikipedia (2013). Over mining. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining Wilson, E. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. Young, T., & Moore, D. (2010). Biodiversity the essence of life. ECA Environmental SIG. Retrieved June 6, 2013, from:

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http://www.earlychildhoodvictoria.org.au/edit/Special_Interest_Groups/BIODIVERSITY _FACT_SHEET.PDF