Expanding Environmental Education: Thinking Critically, Thinking Culturally

Diverse Urban Youth's Nature: Implications for Environmental Education

“…Fifth, based on these findings and previous research (Baugh, 1991;Ewing, 1996;Palmberg & Jari, 2000;Vollbrecht, 1994), education programs should include content beyond simple ecological health and incorporate urban impacts. Few environmental programs currently focus on human ecology, and therefore, few are appropriate to use in a multicultural urban setting (Saul, 2000). Social issues, such as pollution, must be addressed (Baugh, 1991).…”

Environmental Education for Sustainability: A Force for Change in Higher Education

“…It identified a need for an education that questioned our current mental models and assumptions that underpin them and called for 'deeper, more ambitious ways of thinking about education, one that retains a commitment to critical analysis while fostering creativity and innovation ' (p. 8). This interpretation of education has been promoted by environmental educators such Saul (2000) who calls for culturally critical perspectives and by Huckle (1983;1997) who argues that only through asking socially critical questions can we progress towards a more sustainable future.…”

Environmental Education and Multicultural Education – Too Close to Be Separate?

“…Peter (1997/98) underlines the importance of understanding the cultural factors that generate environmental problems and Saul (2000) the need for changing these practices in order to reach a sustainable future. Running Grass and Agyeman (2002) call for environmental education content and pedagogies that reflect cultural perspectives in order to reorient environmental education for environmental justice.…”

“…Just as human behaviour affects the environment, the environment affects human behaviour (Salter-Stith et al, 1994). Environmental problems result from environmental practices, which in turn are cultural activities (Castells, 1997;Saul, 2000). Both environment and culture are subject to continuous change.…”

“…Suggestions have been made to better include the cultural dimension into environmental education (e.g. Agyeman, 2002;Marouli, 2002;Matthews, 1994;Miranda et al, 2004;Peter, 1997/98;Running Grass & Agyeman, 2002;Saul, 2000;Smith & Williams, 1999); then again, multicultural education is acknowledged to be important as an educational ideology on its own (e.g. Banks, 2006;Gay, 2000;Nieto, 2000;Sleeter & McLaren, 1995).…”