Sunday, February 5, 2012

Richard Kahn's "Towards Ecopedagogy"

Said by Richard Kahn, “…our moment is new – never before have the collected mass beings of the planet Earth been so thoroughly threatened with extinction as they are now and never before have so many of us raised this problem consciously and desperately together in the hopes of transforming society towards a better, more peaceable kingdom as a result.”  This statement speaks volumes for our future.  If our society does not step up and work towards making our world a better place to live, there will be a slim chance for future generations. 
            One way citizens can help make our world a better place to live, is to enhance environmental literacy.  According to the article, “95% of all American adults support having environmental education programs in schools, 85% of all American adults believe that governmental agencies should support environmental education programs, and 80% believe that corporations should train their employees in how to solve environmental problems.”  Due to these large percentages, I think it is vital for education on the environment to be a required part of the education system in schools and training systems for jobs.  “Federal and state legislatures have mandated that environmental education be included as part of the public education system’s curricular concerns with passage of legislation such as the National Environmental Education Act of 1990.”  This is very necessary because the individuals whom are educated on environmental issues are self-aware of the role they play in environmental destruction and they are more socially active in ways that can help to create a more ecological and sustainable world. 
            Another way to make our world a better place is to focus more on Ecology.  According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “Ecology is the scientific study of interactions of organisms with one another and with the physical and chemical environment.”  Ecology also includes the study of environmental problems such as pollution.  Ecology is very important and our whole society needs to work together towards the conservation and preservation of nature.  Citizens need to be aware that human interaction with nature is a key component of keeping our society from extinction.
            In order for social and ecological change, environmental education needs to remain a primary institution.  Change, for the better, deserves to be fought for.  Our citizens need to all step up and make a difference in society before it is too late.  This cannot occur unless individuals are aware of how important environmental literacy is and how important it is to work together towards the conservation and preservation of nature.
           

1 comment:

  1. Environmental education is extremely important. People need to be more aware and informed about environmental issues. Having environmental education required in schools and even for adults is essential in helping change the way people live. Becoming informed on the issues that our environment is facing will help people understand how to act towards the environment and help conserve the environment. Although becoming educated is extremely important, it is also important that people act after becoming informed. I think that is one of the problems that the ecopedagogy movement is facing. People are becoming informed, but they also need to start changing their lifestyles to benefit animals and the environment.

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