The concept of sustainability and its connection to education
Sustainability is a multidisciplinary notion that involves the fields of environment, social science and economics, which has been introduced into a variety of curricula in high schools, colleges and universities that teaches students how to rationally deal with the resources available on the Earth and develop new technologies to produce more renewable resources to maintain a dynamic equilibrium (Robertson, 2014).
Up to the modern society, sustainability has become a hot topic. Due to the huge increase of population in the world, the resources available on the Earth have outstripped the supply, therefore, specialists in many important fields such as politics, philosophy, economics and science have realised the significance of sustainable development and been tried to exploit renewable resources as well as new technologies. In order to meet the goal, the idea that develops sustainability skills and intensifies the awareness of environmental protection has been integrated into many curricula, which also has been prevailing in the public. If you want to learn more about sustainability degree, check here.
What sustainability involves?
Sustainability encompasses three major fields, which are environmental, economic and social development (Mason, 2018).
To be more specific, when it comes to
environmental sustainability, we are incline to think about the problems of the emission of hazardous air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and methane, oil contamination and water pollution. Also, the heavy use of chemical toxins such as pesticide and fertiliser exterminates substantial animals. (Robertson, 2014). These problems have been threatening human beings' lives. There, how to maintain the future lives on the Earth is the core in this field. For example, how to reduce the discharge of various contaminants, protect endangered animals, and develop new energy and resources in order to maintain the balance of ecosystems. Learn more information about environmental sustainability, please click the video at the right-hand side.
The definition of economic sustainability, generally, is to meet the needs of human beings from generation to generation. It is also closely related with the environmental system (Basiago, 1999), including resources about the land, nature, labour and capital (Study, 2018). Moreover, economic development figures out ways to reduce people's financial burden and protect those from suffering poverty.
In the field of social sustainability, there are three different elements, which are maintain the fundamental material needs, inter-generational and intra-generational equilibrium (Vallance, Perkins, & Dixon, 2011). In addition, social equity plays an important role in this field. For example, how to optimise the access to resources as well as to fairly distribute resources.
Besides maintenance and social equity, the concept of social sustainability is also penetrated in people's thoughts by education, which incentives the individual to participate into the activities of environmental protection in order to satisfy social sustainability (Mason, 2018). Check the example of social sustainability in Kerala.
Rachel Carson "Silent Spring" (1962)
One of the most important pioneer of advocating environmental sustainability is Rachel Carson who was a biologist as well as a marine scientist. In 1962, she wrote a book called "Silent Spring" that recorded many true stories and illustrated the catastrophic damage on the environment due to the indiscriminate use of pesticides. In this book, the author mentioned many toxic chemical pesticides, and one of the most famous one was dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), which extinguished large-scale wildlife, animals, and even human beings. Also, she portrayed the situation that there was no bird tweet in the spring, and silent spread over all, which gave readers a sorrowful impression and an aversion of the use of pesticides.
Carson used the book to appeal the public to pay more attention on the future of the Earth and human beings. She hoped that people should be responsible and prudent to use pesticides as well as consider the potential threats that these pesticides brought to the whole ecosystem. In addition, this book mentioned that the country and the society need to have a radical revolution so that every citizen could participate the activities of environmental protection.
"Silent Spring" was the advocacy of modern environmental movement. Read the whole book, click here.
Sustainability in education
What is education for sustainability? In simple term, it means the notion of sustainability integrates into the curriculum, and teaches students to develop skills, knowledge and abilities to make “a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations” (UNESCO Education Sector, 2009). In particular, how the policy and curriculum makers create courses that encompass sustainability, and how these courses instruct students to possess sustainable skills for the environmental, economic and social development.
Additionally, education for sustainability is a platform that offers students more opportunities to flexibly meet various problems as well as figure out appropriate solutions. Meanwhile, it inspires students to be active participators that devote themselves into a sustainable future.
Click the video👇👇 to learn The Integration between Sustainability and Cross-Curriculum in Montpelier High School.
Sources
1. Sustainability explained. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r4loXPyx8
2. Robertson, M. (2014). Sustainability principles and practice. New York, NY: Routledge.
3. Sustainability degree. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.environmentalscience.org/degree/sustainability
4. Mason, M. (2018). What is sustainability and why is it important.
Retrieved from https://www.environmentalscience.org/sustainability
5. What is sustainable economic growth? Definition & overview. (2018).
Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-sustainable-economic-growth-definition-lesson-quiz.html
6. Vallance, S., Perkins, C. H., & Dixon, E. J. (2011). What is social sustainability? A clarification of concepts. Geoforum,
42(3), 342-348. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718511000042
7. Basiago, D. A. (1999). Economic, social, and environmental sustainability in development theory and urban planning
practice. The environmentalist, 19(1), 145-161.
Retrieved from https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/media/0972/fulltext.pdf
8. Carson, R. (1962). Slient spring. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Retrieved from http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/More_Books_and_Reports/Silent_Spring-Rachel_Carson-1962.pdf
9. Integrated Studies: Sustainability and cross-curricular connections. (2015).
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7VBc5RqCmo
10. Sustainability curriculum framework. (2010).
Retrieved from https://ensi.org/global/downloads/mailing/53/Sustainability%20Curriculum%20Framework.pdf
Up to the modern society, sustainability has become a hot topic. Due to the huge increase of population in the world, the resources available on the Earth have outstripped the supply, therefore, specialists in many important fields such as politics, philosophy, economics and science have realised the significance of sustainable development and been tried to exploit renewable resources as well as new technologies. In order to meet the goal, the idea that develops sustainability skills and intensifies the awareness of environmental protection has been integrated into many curricula, which also has been prevailing in the public. If you want to learn more about sustainability degree, check here.
What sustainability involves?
Sustainability encompasses three major fields, which are environmental, economic and social development (Mason, 2018).
To be more specific, when it comes to
environmental sustainability, we are incline to think about the problems of the emission of hazardous air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and methane, oil contamination and water pollution. Also, the heavy use of chemical toxins such as pesticide and fertiliser exterminates substantial animals. (Robertson, 2014). These problems have been threatening human beings' lives. There, how to maintain the future lives on the Earth is the core in this field. For example, how to reduce the discharge of various contaminants, protect endangered animals, and develop new energy and resources in order to maintain the balance of ecosystems. Learn more information about environmental sustainability, please click the video at the right-hand side.
The definition of economic sustainability, generally, is to meet the needs of human beings from generation to generation. It is also closely related with the environmental system (Basiago, 1999), including resources about the land, nature, labour and capital (Study, 2018). Moreover, economic development figures out ways to reduce people's financial burden and protect those from suffering poverty.
In the field of social sustainability, there are three different elements, which are maintain the fundamental material needs, inter-generational and intra-generational equilibrium (Vallance, Perkins, & Dixon, 2011). In addition, social equity plays an important role in this field. For example, how to optimise the access to resources as well as to fairly distribute resources.
Besides maintenance and social equity, the concept of social sustainability is also penetrated in people's thoughts by education, which incentives the individual to participate into the activities of environmental protection in order to satisfy social sustainability (Mason, 2018). Check the example of social sustainability in Kerala.
Rachel Carson "Silent Spring" (1962)
Carson used the book to appeal the public to pay more attention on the future of the Earth and human beings. She hoped that people should be responsible and prudent to use pesticides as well as consider the potential threats that these pesticides brought to the whole ecosystem. In addition, this book mentioned that the country and the society need to have a radical revolution so that every citizen could participate the activities of environmental protection.
"Silent Spring" was the advocacy of modern environmental movement. Read the whole book, click here.
Sustainability in education
What is education for sustainability? In simple term, it means the notion of sustainability integrates into the curriculum, and teaches students to develop skills, knowledge and abilities to make “a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations” (UNESCO Education Sector, 2009). In particular, how the policy and curriculum makers create courses that encompass sustainability, and how these courses instruct students to possess sustainable skills for the environmental, economic and social development.
Additionally, education for sustainability is a platform that offers students more opportunities to flexibly meet various problems as well as figure out appropriate solutions. Meanwhile, it inspires students to be active participators that devote themselves into a sustainable future.
Click the video👇👇 to learn The Integration between Sustainability and Cross-Curriculum in Montpelier High School.
Sources
1. Sustainability explained. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r4loXPyx8
2. Robertson, M. (2014). Sustainability principles and practice. New York, NY: Routledge.
3. Sustainability degree. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.environmentalscience.org/degree/sustainability
4. Mason, M. (2018). What is sustainability and why is it important.
Retrieved from https://www.environmentalscience.org/sustainability
5. What is sustainable economic growth? Definition & overview. (2018).
Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-sustainable-economic-growth-definition-lesson-quiz.html
6. Vallance, S., Perkins, C. H., & Dixon, E. J. (2011). What is social sustainability? A clarification of concepts. Geoforum,
42(3), 342-348. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718511000042
7. Basiago, D. A. (1999). Economic, social, and environmental sustainability in development theory and urban planning
practice. The environmentalist, 19(1), 145-161.
Retrieved from https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/media/0972/fulltext.pdf
8. Carson, R. (1962). Slient spring. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Retrieved from http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/More_Books_and_Reports/Silent_Spring-Rachel_Carson-1962.pdf
9. Integrated Studies: Sustainability and cross-curricular connections. (2015).
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7VBc5RqCmo
10. Sustainability curriculum framework. (2010).
Retrieved from https://ensi.org/global/downloads/mailing/53/Sustainability%20Curriculum%20Framework.pdf
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