NEW LEARNING

ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING Russ Swann

Victoria University

Some Questions(in small groups spend 15 minutes on first four)

1 Why “Environmental Learning”? ie should it be privileged over other areas?

2 Where are you now in your understanding of “Environment”?

3 What would you like to know more about, in an environmental sense?

4 How can you incorporate “Environment” in your teaching method(s)? What have you already done?

5 What were the influences in your life that led to your current environmental understanding/interest? Write an Environmental Autobiography.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

• Environmental issues are many and varied. • They are dynamic and inherently value-laden. That

is, they actively change and how you interpret or react to them is very much governed by your cultural, scientific, economic, political, spiritual (and other) values. [A value can be understood as a deeply-held belief about what is "right"].

• Three fundamental and interwoven issues are population, resource use and pollution.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 2

When teaching and learning about these issues you should:

• 1. Develop a feeling for the interconnectedness of things and actions

• 2. Understand the great breadth of coverage of subjects contributing to an appreciation of environmental issues

• 3. Be aware of the connections between actions and lifestyles in developed and less developed countries

• 4. Debate a variety of resolutions related to environmental issues

• 5. Critically examine your own life in relation to various environmental issues

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 3

• The major ones of Population, Resource Use and Pollution. • Global problems of biodiversity loss, deforestation, ozone depletion and

global warming (see website skepticalscience run by UQ Physics grad, John Cook). Check iphone apps for this issue – carbontracker, green travel choice, cool Australia.

• Human population growth and measurement factors. Population regulation in China and India. Age structure diagrams in developed and developing countries.

• Environmental history - different streams of environmentalism. Environmental groups and their work. Links between Social Justice and Environmental issues - education levels, status of women, human rights, relative levels of resource consumption and pollution output between developing and developed countries.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 4

• Energy as a resource. Non-renewable energy sources: Oil, gas, coal, nuclear fission and fusion. Comparison with renewables of hydro, solar, wind, biomass geothermal

• Water as a resource. Problems with water – too much, too little, water pollution. Types of pollutant. Point and non-point sources. Sewage treatment. Reducing water waste.

• Air as a resource. Air pollution. History and key incidents. Outdoor and indoor pollution and scales of the problems in developing/developed world. Effects on organisms. Control methods.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 5

• Food as a resource. Green and gene revolutions. Impact on developing countries. Food quantity and quality. Nutritional diseases. Loss of genetic variability. Land degradation. Sustainable agricultural answers – permaculture and the work of David Holmgren. Intnl Botanical Congress in Melbourne August 2011

• Scarcity and Abundance. Environment and economics. Externalities not accounted for in traditional economic theory. GNP and the environment. Full-cost pricing. Environmental leadership, global governance of environmental issues and the role of governments, corporations and NGO’s.

• Environmental worldviews and ways of creating environmentally sustainable societies through political action.

ENVIRONMETAL GROUPS 1

• AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION• Level 1 60 Leicester St. Carlton 3053 9345 1111 www.acfonline.org.au Australia’s largest

environmental group. Publications are “Conservation News” and glossy “Habitat”.Comprehensive non-lending library (accessible to the public) covering a wide range of issues. Headed by Don Henry. Ian Lowe is president.

• ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA Level 3 60 Leicester St. Carlton 3053 9341 8100 www.envict.org.au Umbrella group for many (small) local/regional/single issue environmental groups Publication is “Environment Victoria”.

• GREENPEACE Level4/39 Liverpool Street Sydney www.greenpeace.org.au• (02) 9261 4666 Supporters Freecall 1800 815 151. Global group (formed 1971)

concerned with nuclear issues, oceans, atmosphere/energy, toxics.• CERES Centre for Education & Research in Environmental Strategies 8 Lee Street

Brunswick East 3057 9387 4422 www.ceres.org.au• IRAMOO at VU St Albans 9919 2815 and www.iramoo.org

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS 2

• ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AUTHORITY40 City Road Southbank 9695 2722Library 9695 2766 Student Line 9695 2744

www.epa.vic.gov.auVictorian government statutory authority.

• GREENING AUSTRALIA VICTORIABuckingham Drive Heidelberg 9457 3687 www.greeningaustralia.org.au

• VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATIONLevel 3 60 Leicester St. Carlton 3053 9347 5188 www.vnpa.org.au

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS 3• FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

312 Smith Street Collingwood 9419 8700 www.foe.org.au • WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (formerly World Wildlife Fund)

1st floor 288 Russell St. Melbourne 9669 1300 Freecall 1800 032 551www.wwf.org.au

• AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL14 Risley Street Richmond 9427 7055 www.amnesty.org.auGlobal human rights organization.

• OXFAM AUSTRALIA (formerly Community Aid Abroad)156 George Street Fitzroy 9289 9444 Freecall 1800 088 110 www.oxfam.org.au

• AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEERS INTERNATIONAL (formerly Overseas Service Bureau – Australian Volunteers Abroad)71 Argyle Street Fitzroy 9279 1788 www.australiavolunteers.com

ENVIRONMENTAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY 1

• An autobiography, with an environmental slant to it is an opportunity to think about your own life and reflect upon who you are and why you are where you are now.

• You are asked to reflect on questions such as: What physical environment (internal and external) do I most like? Why might that be? What are my early memories of environment? [spend 5 minutes now on this]

ENVIRONMENTAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY 2

• What sort of housing/lifestyle would I like to attain – or have attained? What is there about some environments that annoy me or scare me? Why am I pursuing teaching as a career? What people have influenced me in this path? Which skills do I already possess that will help me improve the world? What sort of people do I admire? Why might that be? Where would I like to be in my life in five/ten years from now?

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

• Developed countries include USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, all of Europe. These countries (in 2006) had 1.2 billion people (18% of the world’s population), have 85% of the wealth and income, use 88% of the natural resources and create 75% of the pollution and waste. Now 7 billion

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

• Developing countries are all the other nations, mostly in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Their 5.4 billion people (82% of the world’s population in 2006) had only 15% of the wealth and used 12% of the resources. More than 95% of the increase of the world’s population will be in developing countries where 1 million are added every 5 days.

ENVIRONMENTAL STATS 1

• 1 in 5 people are hungry or malnourished (1.3 billion) and lack access to clean water, decent housing and adequate health care, 2 in 3 lack access to sanitary toilets and 1 in 4 adults (1.3 billion) is illiterate

• An additional 200 000 people per day (or about 2.5 per second) and 190 000 of that increase is in the developing world. India alone adds an Australia per year.

ENVIRONMENTAL STATS 2

• 64 million tonnes of topsoil is lost to erosion per day – land clearing; monocultural farming.

• 30-100 species are lost per day.• 470 square kilometres of tropical forest are lost

per day. • At least 27400 people die each DAY

prematurely due to malnutrition and from contaminated water. Half are children under 5 years. 2011 African famine – 11 million.

SOUTH SUDAN

• World’s newest (193rd) nation is South Sudan, bordering Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, DRC, Central African Republic

• 8.5 million Christians (largely) most living on < $1/day; oil wealth; • 50 years of war and 2 million dead• 10% of children do not see their 5th birthday• 75% of adults cannot read; 1% of homes have

bank accounts; army takes 60% of budget

TEACHING APPROACH 1

• Terrible statistics like those just seen can cause students to lose hope that anything they do can make a difference – so to encourage environmental resilience and reduce environmental burnout, it is important not to swamp them. However, these ARE the stats and older secondary students need to know them – encouraging an early love for environment as a value is crucial

TEACHING APPROACH 2

• Start with something local, relevant, positive, action-based. eg: shower length; clothes from where?; make-up ingredients; minerals in phones; where ewaste & batteries go; toxins in Maribyrnong land; Google ‘Sustainable Schools’

• How you can incorporate environment within your subject areas? Who can you link with?

• Visit CERES/IRAMOO www.ceres.org.auwww.iramoo.org

NATURE-DEFICIT DISORDER

• 2005 Richard Louv wrote ‘Last Child in the Woods’ and proposed that with less time outdoors, more time at screens, parent fears of stranger danger, and difficulty accessing nature, children are suffering ‘sensory deprivation’ and ‘cultural autism’, or nature-deficit disorder (which is not a recognised psychological illness). “No Child Left Inside” movement. PNG, Coorabin, Warrandyte.

SOME ISSUES/IDEAS 1

• Sustainable schools – energy use/food• White boards electricity use• Hepburn Wind Farm 2500 houses• Water use 170litres/household -1974 and

now; 250 in 2000.• Env Literature Judith Wright, Les Murray, Gary

Snyder, Ruth Ozeki, Annie Proulx, Joe Conrad

SOME ISSUES/IDEAS 2

• “Sustainable” population - “Big” Australia, but how big?

• Climate change – analyse “shock jocks” (see next slide on Misinformation)

• Within a school: Food (and Indig) gardens; water tanks; solar hot water/electricity; animal care (chooks); building design & insulation; composting; low tech sport and recreation; singing/choir as an instrument;

MISINFORMATION

• As teacher, check misinformation concerning Climate Change that is on www for students

• Aust. sites such as the Lavoisier Group (Hugh Morgan and Ray Evans ex-WMC) and The Galileo Movement (patron -Sydney ‘shockjock’ Alan Jones) without climate scientists. Coal to oil.

• Propose that ‘Forces of darkness’ control science, unis, science journals and government – see Tim Ball – a geographer - UofWinnipeg

What next?

• How might your teaching and school community be strengthened using “Environment”?

• Who are the ‘movers and shakers’ in your school? How can you ‘connect’ with them environmentally?

• What evidence is there that your school takes ‘big’ issues seriously? Learn and teach about context (such as Environment and Globalisation), not just content. ie incorporate into lessons.

Ewaste 1

• ‘New technology’ has an environmental downside if not properly disposed of. So consider your need for, usage of, disposal plan for.

• Old computers, TV’s, VCR/DVD recorders, cameras, microwaves are an increasing worldwide problem (and batteries).

• This ewaste is largely sent to landfill or illegally exported to developing countries (China, India, Pakistan). UNEP projected data shows that in the next decade, China’s ewaste will increase 400% and India’s 500%

Ewaste 2

• Recycling such waste in developed countries like Australia is costly and higher than the cost of materials retrieved. But it is safe. Not so in developing countries. Major health issues for whole communities. Social Justice issue like car batteries of two decades ago. Low cost of labour and child workers make for low costs in developing countries. Australia (and 92 other countries) signed the 1992 Basel Convention which makes it illegal to export ewaste and calls for environmentally sound disposal

Ewaste 3

• Waste products include: • Lead – 20% of a TV (2.5kg in each) can cause

cancers, behavioural/learning problems and death.

• Mercury – in most electronic items including CFL bulbs (about 3mg/bulb).

• Cadmium, Beryllium, Arsenic, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Released from landfill to water and released to the air if burnt. Carcinogens.

Ewaste 4

• The Australian government has been slow to act but should have ewaste recycling in 2011.

• Currently the consumer must dispose of their ewaste and most choose landfill – with toxic chemical issues and loss of resources.

• One idea would be to pass recycling costs back to the manufacturer (as in Canada, Japan, the EU and South Korea). Zoo for old phones.

GLOBAL WARMING 1

• Huge amount of misinformation, largely for short-term political/economic gain

• 5% reduction of GH gases by 2020 is far to little, yet this is what is headlined/politicised despite need for 80% by 2050

• Having a carbon price will introduce a level of certainty that electricity and other industry wants – decades of planning needed for power plants http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weVU0-fEvjc&feature=player_embedded

GLOBAL WARMING 2

• Each Chinese is responsible for one-fifth, each Indian one-tenth, of emissions of one Austrln

• China’s UN target is 40-45% cut by 2020• Current tension between Turnbull/Abbott;

earlier tension between Gillard/Rudd over ETS• Recent visit by sceptic Lord Monckton –

classics degree, journalism dip, curer of AIDS

GW 3: WHAT FUTURE?

• Read Clive Hamilton’s “Requiem for a Species” where it is argued that:

• We will have to let go of our rosy view of the future – life harsher, more unpredictable leading to despair and necessity of going through GRIEF stages. Shock, disbelief, anger, anxiety, longing, depression, emptiness. To suppress these we use numbness, pretence that there is no loss, aggression, self-blame

• How we navigate these, then reconstruct is key

GW 4 WHAT FUTURE?

• Mature acceptance of death, not self-gratification materialism to avoid thinking of it

• Self-acceptance, personal development, community orientation lead to more fulfilled lives than materialism, physical attractiveness, celebrity

• Fresh values of moderation, humility, reverence for nature MAY emerge, leading to resourcefulness and selflessness, not bored, apathetic, alienated

GW 5 WHAT FUTURE?

• That MAY NOT emerge – rather, self-preservation, with wealthy/powerful excluding others. So a new democracy needed to counteract energy and other corporations which control governments (a la Murdoch). Political lobbyists and spin meisters rule over honest communication.

• If governments ‘wake-up’ in a decade, it will most likely then be too late. Hence the importance of you as a teacher, addressing environment.