Towards Ecopedagogy

             Richard Kahn’s essay “Towards Ecopedagogy: Weaving a Broad-based Pedagogy of Liberation for Animals, Nature, and the Oppressed People of the Earth” discusses globalization’s role in a forth-coming “ecological catastrophe.” Globalization has created a world “in which services and money are exchanged much like oxygen and carbon-dioxide.” Globalization has created a world in which both tree consumption and global fishing have doubled resulting in the disappearing of forests and the fish species. Additionally, the re-introduction of whaling and the filling or draining of wetlands has further created a world that does not support life. Furthermore, globalization has created a world in which the population continues to rise, increasing the consumption of land, trees, and animals, as well as the poor people and nations of the world who suffer most. If the world is to continue to sustain life, then the world’s people must be educated. Kahn argues a blending or synthesis of critical pedagogy and environmental education must occur. This ecopedagogy should not be reduced to the current environmental programs.

            The “Zoo School” is an example of an environmental program. Although educational reformists praise the school and the No Child Left Behind legislation, Kahn argues the school’s philosophy is not doing enough to educate the youth of America on environmental issues. The students of the school “lack the deep critical, social, and ethical focus that contemporary environmentalism demands.” Zahn feels rather than the school allowing swimming with the dolphins, they should be fighting to return them to their natural habitat. 

            Environmental education programs are not enough if we want all the environmental problems occuring to cease and for our world to be sustained. Therefore, the blending of pedagogies is necessary and ecopedagogy cannot be reduced to environmental education. Kahn discusses the work of Jim Cummins and Dennis Sayers. Cummins and Sayers define three literacies in order to transform our society into one with greater justice and equality. The justice and equality needed to liberate animals, nature, and the oppressed people of the earth. The literacies as follows are functional literacy, cultural literacy, and critical literacy. Kahn blends these literacies to the current environmental crisis and terms them ecoliteracies. In order for society to survive, these ecoliteracies should be blended together and should be taught by the environmental education programs. Educational settings must teach ecopedagogy and not be reduced to the current environmental educational programs.

            Educators in today’s world have a responsibility to teach the ecoliteracies if ecopedagogy is to reduce, or even eliminate, global catastrophes brought about by the human species. As a nineteen-year-old college freshman student, I agree that environmental education must be expanded. I have received little education on the environmental issues within our nation and in the world. My education mainly consisted of recycling and conserving. Recycling aluminum, not allowing the water to run while I am brushing my teeth, and turning off electricity components when they are not being used have been to the extent to which I received an environmental education. Much more needs to be accomplished if the world is to survive indefinitely.

            What will I do to turn “today’s rage” to “tomorrow’s hope?” To quote Paulo Freire, “It is urgent that we assume the duty of fighting for the fundamental ethical principles, like respect for the life of human beings, the life of other animals, the life of birds, the life of rivers and forests. I do not believe in love between men and women between human beings if we are not able to love the world.” I intend to “love the world,” become more educated on environmental issues, and fight for a change in the environmental catastrophes that globalization has created.