Transformative Eco-Education for Human and Planetary Survival

A volume in Transforming Education for the FutureSeries Editors Jing Lin, University of Marylandand Rebecca Oxford, Air UniversityTransformative eco-education is environmental education that is literally needed to transform andsave our planet, especially during the global ecological crises of our present century. Such educationdemands inner transformation of many deeply rooted ideas, such as the following: the Earth exists merely toprovide for human comfort; the extinction or reduction of other species does not matter; we are free toconsume or destroy natural resources at will but are safe from destruction ourselves; and the Earth willcontinue to sustain us, even if we do not sustain the Earth. Unless these concepts are changed, we willincrease global warming and add to the ruin of much of the Earth.This book presents powerful ideas for transformative eco-education. At this time of ever-increasing ecological crisis, such education isneeded more than ever before. We urge readers to use the ideas and activities in this book with your students, develop them further, and create newconceptions to share with other educators and students.The chapters in this book provide key principles, of which the following are just a few. First, educators can and should prepare students fornatural disasters. Second, stories, case studies, the arts, and hands-on environmental experience, all enriched by reflection and discussion, can offerprofound learning about ecology. Third, education at all levels can benefit from a true ecological emphasis. Fourth, teachers must receive preparationin how to employ transformative eco-education. Fifth, Indigenous wisdom can offer important, holistic, spiritual paths to understanding and caring fornature, and other spiritual traditions also provide valid ways of comprehending humans as part of the universal web of existence. Sixth, transformativeeco-education can be an antidote to not only to environmental breakdown, but also to materialistic overconsumption and moral confusion. Seventh, wecan only heal the Earth by also healing ourselves. If we heed these principles, together we can make transformative eco-education a blazing torch tolight the path for the current century and beyond.