The environmental education movement in this country has been around for quite some time. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and the first Earth Day 40 years ago were both important factors in bringing environmental education to the fore. My personal journey is not nearly as long. Nearly ten years ago I worked for a school district in Southern California at their outdoor science school as well as for a non-profit out of New York teaching environmental education. As a classroom teacher then, I attempted to integrate environmental education into the courses I taught. David Orr, noted author and professor at Oberlin College says, “All education is environmental education.” Orr’s 1994 book, Earth in Mind, calls for an overhaul of education. I agree that there is a need for redefining education. However, I would argue that we need to move beyond environmental education and into sustainability education.

Too often sustainability is equated with environmentalism. Although there is undoubtedly a connection, sustainability touches on more than just the environment. We need to educate the next generation as to how they can reap the benefits of economic growth without sacrificing shared natural resources or exploiting populations (both human and non-human). In my mind, this is the power of sustainability education (or Educating for Sustainability, EfS). In order to get to point where society can grow sustainably there needs to be a wholesale reconfiguration of education and teacher preparation. High schools in particular have become compartmentalized institutions that lose sight of the interconnectedness of curricular endeavors. Science and Language Arts rarely get mentioned in the same breath. These, as well as social studies, math, and foreign language are treated as completely autonomous, disparate subjects. Orr suggests in his book that teaching economics without discussing biophysical laws of nature makes no sense whatsoever because economics depends on the natural world for its inputs.

There is much that needs fixing in education, public and private. Statewide legislation in Colorado (Bill 191, available as a PDF) written to address teacher accountability has a viable goal, but lacks the structure to adequately implement real change. As it stands, there is no assessment tool to measure teacher performance. According to the legislation 50% of the assessment lies in the hands of school administrators and 50% depends on student performance. However, without student accountability and a standardized way for principals to assess teachers, the legislation creates more red tape.

Curricular and pedagogical reform are also essential. The way we teach, much like what we teach, must be reconsidered. High stakes, multiple choice tests do not lend themselves to innovative curriculum that can address such issues as sustainable development and the regenerative economy. Project based, authentic experiences rank at the top of the list. In order for students to compete for jobs, they must think critically, create, and problem solve. A thematic approach to education revolving around sustainability may just be the answer.

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