Queensland University of Technology

CRICOS No. 000213J

Young children and the environment –

Educating for sustainability

Julie DavisSchool of Early Childhood

QUT

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

• The Big Picture

• What is sustainability?

• What is education for sustainability (EfS)?

• What might EfS look like in ECE?

• Resources for ECEfS

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Australia: The lucky country

An affluent country in affluent times…– Have a booming economy– We can afford to lower taxes– We can afford big cars and big houses– More students go to private schools– International travel is on the rise

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Recent reports/ alarms

Doctors for the Environment Australia, 2007

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Recent Wake-up Calls

• Sept 06 – Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth• Nov 06 – Stern Review into economics of climate

change - UK• 06/07 – UN Intergovernmental Panel on climate

change • Nov 07 - Global Environment Outlook 4 • Nov 07 - Healthy Planet, Places and People • Feb 2008 - Garnaut Interim Review - Aust.

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Older reports/ alarms re sust

• The Silent Spring – Rachael Carson - 1962

• Population Bomb - Paul Ehrlich – 1968

• Our Common Future - UN Bruntland Commission - 1987

• Rio Earth Summit – Rio Declaration 1992

• GEO reports – 1995; 2000; 2003

• Rio plus 10 - Johannesburg - 2002

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

The challenges

• World population– 1.2 billion to 6.7 billion in 100 years– have added 1.7 billion in last 20 years– greatest growth in less developed world– 20% world’s pop. uses 80 % resources

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

The challenges

• Resource use & biodiversity– Each human requires 1/3

more land to supply their needs than Earth can provide

– Australians (& others in the over-developed world) have heavy ecological footprints – need 3-4 more Earths

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

The challenges• Global warming inevitable; Aust. one of largest

greenhouse gas emitters/ pop.• World water cycle unlikely to cope with coming

demands - 6 in 10 rivers no longer reach the sea• Increased agric. productivity negated by land

degradation • Species loss around 1000 times pre-industrial rate • ‘Old’ diseases & new re/emerging• Gaps between rich and poor continue to widen

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Challenges for children

• 20% of chn do not have clean, safe drinking water• nature deficit disorder

– 57% of all chn growing up in urban slums or where wilderness is severely impoverished

– Traffic increasingly dominates most children’s outdoor experiences

– Contact with animals most likely to be cats, dogs, caged birds, cockroaches, rats and mice

– Houses getting bigger, yards getting smaller

• ‘bubble-wrap generations’ – over protection & risk avoidance

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

• Do any of these issues ‘ring true’ for you in your work or

experience?

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Fundamentally….

• While global warming is the particular environmental issue capturing the headlines, the larger issue is that….

• “Our present course is unsustainable – postponing action is no longer an option” (Global Environment Outlook 2000)

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

What is sustainable development?

• …development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

(UN World Commission on Environment and Development 1987)

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

What is sustainability?

• Recognises ecological limits of human activity on Earth

• Is an equity issue including intergenerational equity

• Is eco-centric rather than anthropocentric

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

How can we achieve sustainability?

• change thinking and actions– ecocentric rather than anthropocentric– consider future generations and their needs– consider the other 80%– recognise resource & ecological limits

– rethink education for new & challenging times

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Education for Sustainability

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

• Education for sustainability is a positive response to critical issues!!

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Key Characteristics of EfS

• Transdisciplinary –not a subject

• Action-oriented – creates change

• Participatory – people working together

• Applied learning – real-life

• Inquiry-based learning – problem-solving/ seeking

• Concepts, skills & values learning

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Simply translated as….

• Education in the environment

• Education about the environment

• Education for the environment

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

• Education for sustainability is good early childhood education!!!

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

What does ECEfS look like?

• Under-practiced and under-researched!

• But some great exemplars:

• Little Green Steps NSW

• Eco-kindies NZ

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Campus Kindy, Brisbane

– Sustainable Planet Project since 1997

– Started as team building

– Became a whole of centre project

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What happens?

SustainablePlanetProject

Vegetable Garden

Native Plant Regeneration

Environmental Aesthetics

Efficient use of Natural Resources

Chooks

Reusing/Recycling Program

Worm Farm

Composting

Possum Boxes

Frog Pond

Litter-less lunches

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Water Conservation Project

• Observation - Too much water being wasted.• Discussion - Shared knowledge and experiences

-“What are we going to do?”• Research incl. ‘Water-Wise’ Visit• Decisions - Many ideas• Actions – Chn made signs

– Reduced water use, empowered chn

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Shopping Trolley Project

• Issue: Children found trolley in playground• Discussion: “What are we going to do ?”• Decision: Write letters to Coles and ‘trolley stealers’.

Research: – Excursion to Coles– Analyzed situation

• Action: Made signs• Community education

– Cleaner environment, informed community, empowered children

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Creating cultural change at CK

• Children contribute to planning and development of project

• Active involvement of whole CK community• Connections made between EfS learning and all

other curriculum content areas• Environmental, social, economic benefits • Children as agents of change for sustainability

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How to create change1. Analyse your context – Is there an issue or topic that

has been identified?

1. Research the issue - involve chn, parents, wider community

2. Get support, resources - funds, people, chn’s books

3. Create a collaborative learning culture where teamwork and mentoring become normal social practices

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

How to create change cont…..

4. Make and implement a plan – take your time

5. Make changes – record progress & process; make policy changes

6. Ensure that informed, reflective practice infuses interactions and deliberations.

7. Celebrate and consolidate ‘small wins’. Build on these to scale up their impacts. Start again!

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Share your stories and experiences.

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

What’s happening in ECEfS?

• UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014)

• 1st international workshop on ECEFS - May 2007, Sweden

• 1st Aust ECEFS conference – Nov 2007

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

What’s happening in ECEfS?

• Early Childhood Australia – global warming and its impact on young children a

key advocacy platform – Code of Ethics :‘work with children to help them

understand that they are global citizens with shared responsibilities to the environment and humanity’

• Various national & state conferences have ECEfS as theme – ECA, ECTA

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Get active!!

• QECEEN – Qld Early Childhood Environmental Education Network – ECA – relaunching in May 2008

• Aust Assoc for Envir Educ – Special Interest Group ECEfS – run by Sue Elliott http://www.aaee.org.au/

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WHY? Because…

Good planets are hard to find!!

CRICOS No. 000213Ja university for the worldrealR

Useful References

• Bower, L. (2004) Everyday learning in the Backyard Canberra: Early Childhood Australia.

• Boyle, L. (2006) Environmental experiences in childcare. Putting children first. September National Childcare Accreditation Council.

• Davis, J. & Elliott, S. (2003). Early childhood environmental education: Making it mainstream. Canberra: Early Childhood Australia.

• Elliott, S. (Ed.) (2008) The outdoor playspace naturally. Pademelon Press

• Kinsala, R. (2007) Greening services: Practical sustainability. Canberra: Early Childhood Australia.