Environmental Thought, the Language of Sustainability, and Digital Watches
Titel:
Environmental Thought, the Language of Sustainability, and Digital Watches
Auteur:
Jickling, Bob
Verschenen in:
Environmental education research
Paginering:
Jaargang 7 (2001) nr. 2 pagina's 167-180
Jaar:
2001-05-01
Inhoud:
The field of education, and derivatively environmental education, is filled with inherently difficult concepts, yet we have not, I believe, given sufficient attention to understanding these ideas that ground our work. For example, the term 'education for sustainability,' has gained rapid acceptance yet little critical attention has been given to the term. Before launching into a critique, I do acknowledge the importance of 'sustainability' and the usefulness of this concept in environmental thinking. Many ecological processes are not sustained-not kept going continuously. Species are going extinct at an alarming rate and whole ecosystems are at risk. So, it is important to talk about sustainability. However, I argue that this alone is not sufficient. In this article I examine limitations associated with the language of sustainability and their implications for environmental thinking. Using the idea of digital watches as a metaphor, I explore what sustainability is not. Contemporary examples from advertising, curriculum development, and 'wildlife management' will be used to illustrate the central theme.
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