EfSD Pillar: Values Clarification.

The Myth of The Big, Bad Wolf.

According to the Oxford Dictionary (2011) Values /ˈvaljuː/ are:
principals of standards of behavior; ones judgement of what is important in life:
     ie: they internalize their parents' rules and values. 

Clarifying Values has to do with Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD) because "it is concerned with the values people cherish and with the ways in which we perceive our relationship with the natural world (Matsuura 2002)". If societies general value perception towards the natural world and social equity go through a personal clarification process, then as ARIES (2009) points out, there is a connection to, and "sense of personal relevance in change for sustainability".

An influential professor once told me after a stumbling attempt of a workshop presentation that in trying to educate we often get the urge to blurt out endless spiels of information we find interesting and important, but the real learning takes place when the subject realizes things for his or herself. In other words, we facilitate learning by instigating thoughtful questions, but we do not make people learn. According to Tilbury & Fein (2000) values clarification in an education program is involves providing participants with "strategic open-ended questions" to help them reflect on what their values are and why.

Does this whole values clarifications business imply that there are right and wrong values?  If so then whose are right? I believe that there is a truth and it is what some people call God.  The character Pi, from Martel's Life of Pi (2001) says:

"There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless... (Pg 70)." Are there set values that everyone can agree on regardless of culture? 

Pi in the ocean on his lifeboat.

Pi is reveals the solidity of an ultimate truth that sustains each and everyone's frame of existance. The problem is that reality becomes cluttered by a lifetime of perception and external influence... we never just take it like it is because or beliefs, attitudes, or convictions (aka values) are what we use to judge the worth of concepts, ideas or actions, good or bad, and right and wrong. Our values are reflected in the decisions we make everyday and are passed along though culture.

Might the "right" values, which values clarification aims to uncover, be neutral? At one with the Earth; Truth; or God? Whereas, the "wrong" values are those "right" values covered in layers and layers of misguided bias?  Hmm.
Values clarification is useful because it attempts to organize the clutter, and biases brought upon externally, such as,  media, family, friends, gender, and ethnicity (Tilbury & Fien 2000) that personally have been absorbed in our brains since they developed in the womb and we were able to have a first perception. Values clarification gets "uncovers the highly personal and complex ways people build knowledge through interactions of various cultural factors (2000)",  gets to the core of our true sustaining reality and helps us be one with existence.

get it?

As mentioned earlier, here, the unique values and culture of people and entities influence the various definitions of sustainability. Even definitions of sustainability are influenced by people’s values and culture (ARIES 2009). The process of values clarification helps develop the ability within individuals to understand how background, culture, and values interact to shape their knowledge and perceptions of their world. In a sense, values clarification allows learners to become aware of the lens through which they interpret their surroundings.

Colors of the Wind
Pocahontas, my idol, teaches John Smith a valuable lesson after he calls her and her people savages. Being the understanding native american that she was, this little indian clarified John Smith's values by showing him the assumptions that he was making, like "You think you own whatever land you land on. The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim" & "You think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you". She teaches him about her people's perspectives on life and the natural environment and the very foreign concept (for him) of enjoying things for what they are, when she tell him to "come run the hidden pine trails of the forest, come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth [and to] come roll in all the riches all around [him], and for once, never wonder what they're worth. 

Thanks for your wisdom Pocahontas, I love you!

The Earth Charter

The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principals for building a just, sustainable and peaceful society in the  21st Century. 
It is a product of a decade-long, worldwide, cross-cultural dialogue, on common shred goals and shared values (The Earth Charter Initiative 2011).
This organization has done wonders for furthering the life-supporting 'agenda' of sustainable development. In finding people and entities to commit to their charter they are clarifying values by putting ideas of sustainability into context. Their charter outlines sustainability principals and values that we should be living by. 
Hit the jump for The Earth Charter full text. Say Yes.

After reading the Earth Charter my only confrontation was that I can see how some might disagree. Advocates for the differing schools of thought on the natural environment and sustainability are not usually tolerant of each other's ideas. The Earth Charter experiences difficulty to get countries and  large companies to sign their declaration. This is likely because the well rounded values and principals suggested are from their opposing school of thought, thus, perhaps do not coincide with with their mission statement. See Schools of Thought post.   As I described to my classmates... I think big companies might see this as hippy b.s. ('scuse mah French).
For Example, the following are parts under their principle:
"RESPECT AND CARE F OR THE COMMU NITY O F LIFE":

1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity. 

a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.   

(This can be classified under Intrinsic-Ecocentric value givers, and 'turn-off' people who don't believe this, yet still value nature because it's human sustaining properties) 

b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.

Using the word faith might automatically repel people from accepting the entire declaration. Faith is a word that has been associated with religion & spirituality, which, subconsciously binds this document with things it was never intended to associate with.

2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love. 

"Peace and love baby, The Earth Charter is totally far out in my book! Stick it to the man! Right Obama?!! Right!?  he-hellooo? Anyone?"

* Stamped of tie die shirts and bare feet token hippies join me * "We'll back you up sister"   

"Sigh..., but what about the power holders? "Well NEVER win them this way!! NOOOOO!!!" 

*Meanwhile, hippies begin a jamming session and light one up in front of the parliament building.* 

4. Secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations.

Um,... bounty, beauty?  I'm for it, are you insert business executive here and ruler of country here?  Your not!!! Why?   It is very important to consider the baggage that certain words carry when carrying out a negotiation process.  Though I love The Earth Charter, the words they choose to use may repel people from the entire charter despite its universal values people because of immediate understanding of a word. 

Activities
Self Map

Draw a mind-map showing your perceptions of the world. 

I chose to seperate my "portals of perception" into childhood, adolesance, and adulthood, but it doesnt mean this is the way it has to be. Be creative. 

Allow participants to take their time doing this, but give reflective guidelines for during the process. 

Brookfield (1990) suggests the following critical reflection statements in order to explore possible assumptions: 

1. Identify the assumptions that underlie thoughts and actions.
2. Scrutinize the accuracy and validity of these in terms of how they connect to, or are descrepant with our experience of reality.
3. Reconstitute these assumptions to make them more inclusive.

Exploring my portals to understanding with a mind-map.

The BMW Guggenheim Lab

Confronting Comfort is "the Lab's" theme for their  first
two-year cycle. They will explore notions of individual
and collective comfort and the urgent need
for environmental and social responsibility.

The BMW Guggenheim Lab is a mobile laboratory that aims to adress issues of contemporary urban life & inspire innovative ideas to improve it. This project is led by international, interdisciplinary teams of emerging talents in: urbanism, architecture, art, design, science, technology, education, and sustainability. This organization practices serious community engagement making stakeholders the main impetus for change through programs and global public discourse. The BMW Guggenheim Lab describes itself as "part urban think tank, part community center and public gathering space (The BMW Guggenheim Lab 2011)" The organization hosts free events in cities for networking and instigating ideas.  Their website is extremely interactive allowing visitors from online communities to submit their ideas and simulate experiments with their city.  Check it out --> here.

___Useful Resources___
The Earth Charter - Seeks to promote the logic behind common values and principals needed to lead society to a transition  a sustainable future and a global society with a shared ethical framework. 
The Earth Charter Text
The Earth Charter & Education
The Earth Charter Teacher's Guidebook
The Earth Charter Good Practice


The BMW Guggenheim Lab
Design your future city and compare it to other's around the world

___Cite___

ARIES 2009,  Education for Sustainability - the role of education in engaging and equipping people for change, ARIES, Macquarie University, Australian Government - Department of the Environment, Water,  Heritage, and the Arts, Australia, <http://www.aries.mq.edu.au/publications/aries/efs_brochure/pdf/efs_brochure.pdf>

Brookfield, S. 1990, ‘Ch. 9 - Using Critical Incidents to Explore Learners’ Assumptions’ [in] Jack Merzirow et al, Fostering Critical Reflection In Adulthood: A Guide to Transformative and Emancipatory Learning, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 177-193

The Earth Charter Initiative 2011, The Earth Charter, accessed on the 10th of September,  <http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/>
Tilbury, D. & Fien, J. 2000, Education and Sustainability: Responding to a Global Challenge, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication
Matsuura, K. 2002, ‘UNESCO’s World Summit on Sustainable Development: Why education and public awareness are indispensable’,  Opening Session of the UNESCO and South African Ministry of Education Parallel Event “Educating for a Sustainable Future:  Action, Commitments and Partnerships” for a sustainable future - Johannesburg, Summer Place, 2 September
Martel, Y. 2001, The Life of Pi, Knopf Canada, Canada, Pg 70
Oxford Dictionary 2011, Oxford University, 4^th of September,  <http://oxforddictionaries.com/>

...Futures Thinking

Casper David Friedrich's Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog.
This artists works from the German Romanticist era are well known
for simultaneously portraying a sense of human dominion over a landscape,
yet the belittlement of individuals in nature.

What is Futures Thinking?

Futures Thinking is an exercise that engages people from their own perceptions and ideas on the topic of sustainability.

Purpose.

The Future's Thinking process asks participants to envision their ideal future guided by key questions (see "Questions for Participants" below).  These futures can be drawn, written about, or expressed in other manners. By doing this they are instantly immersed in creating what their sustainable world would be like. 

Outcome.
Giving them the opportunity of  having time, alternatives, motivation, choice & using holism results in personal ownership of that world and the process of getting there (ARIES 2009; & Tilbury and Wartman 2004). See more about this in the previous post. The process explores how to achieve change, offers direction for taking action (ARIES 2009) as well as  empowers participants to "realize the stake they hold in the future with a positive framework that motivates them toward taking action on those visions (Tilbury and Wartman 2004)."

Do not direct all your energies towards seeking pleasure but rather towards a sublime ideal. Your energies will then serve you and contribute to the realization of your goal or ideal. - Omraam Aivanhov

Planning an Activity.
Though I'm a fan of stream of consciousness art and believe it has value beyond aesthetics, maybe entering into psycho-analytics, "going with the flow" might not be a good start when doing a Futures Thinking activity. Educators should generally always enter educational activities with a plan knowing what are their outputs, short-term desired outcomes, and long-term desired outcomes. See more about that here.
       Questions and Considerations for Planners...
Tilbury et al (2005) use the following questions and considerations sort of as checkpoints for a complete Futures Thinking, Envisioning process for the participant, I thought they'd look nice on a chart 

An entering script for the 'futures thinking'  envisioning process.
(Tilbury and Wartman 2004)

Facilitating Futures Thinking.
The image to the right depicts a possible entering script for the Futures Thinking, Envisioning process, but there are many ways Futures Thinking can be done. 
Be as creative as you want. 
There are key questions towards participants that will help guide a Futures Thinking activity while exercising core education for sustainable development (EfSD) principals.
Questions for Participants...

Draw your vision… think of five key [sustainability] words that you associate with it… take time to reflect…what assuptions  influenced and informed your vision?...Do any assumptions underpin it?… What elements would need to be present to create this vision?… What implications does this vision have for what you or your community does now?…. What are the implications of this vision for your life, work , and future action?... How does your  neighbors vision differ from yours? (Tilbury & Wartman 2004). I came up with, Why might your neighbors vision differ from yours? What do your vision and your neighbor's have in common? Why might this be? 

Guinea Pig Myself.
I was part of this Futures Thinking activity in a class. The prof. asked the class to close their eyes and clear our mind. Then asked us many questions similar to those above. I envisioned my world and what I wanted for the future. When that part of the "trance like" exercise was done the prof. eased us back into the room and asked us to grab a paper and go somewhere in the room to express ourselves on the page for 15 mins. (more or less). Afterwards, when that time was sadly over the class was asked to walk about the room and look at everyones expressed visions while we reflected on some more questions. Then we chose the closest partners and explained our work and our vision. When we sat down and got back into class-mode the prof. guided a reflection on what just happened; what the purpose of the activity was and about the what we learned.

I envision...

   
   


My Short Reflection.
Like all activities that allow you to explore yourself internally, this felt like precious free time, even despite being guided by someone else through the imagery I created in my mind it. It was very relaxing. I can see how this exercise gives the imagineer a feeling of motivation and ownership of the future world and the path to get there.  To be honest, I wanted to keep drawing and coloring for the rest of the class... ¬  ¬ , not possible.

The five words that have to do with sustainability that I related this to were:

Ecologically Sound.

Integration. 

Local-ism.

Energy Smarts. 

& Pristine.

Okay I know they aren't just words, but it counts. These words helped me give my vision some direction, if it weren't for them, I would have never come close to finishing any specific idea at all in 15 mins. 

Time to reflect on my work afterwards and the way that it compared to others got me thinking. There were many assumptions in my vision. I assumed we'd leave fossil fuels and become a solar powered world. I assumed that everyone would be down with changing the structures of their entire communities anndddd ...would willingly grow trees that would engulf their homes. 

I suppose what influenced these crazy thoughts was that...at my very core I feel close to the earth, I'm a green-y, and I wish everyone else could be to, or at least understand why they should go along with green-y or sustainability efforts.  I've taken many environmental  courses so I understand these things that aren't the norm of knowledge...I cannot assume that others would understand the immanence. Moreover, I grew up being exposed to raw nature, so I have experienced the power of its aesthetics overcoming me ...so I love it even more. 

Others who have grown up never knowing this might not have this appreciation of the natural world, thus creating even more of an obstacle to understand why its important that we change. 

To create this vision there needs to be more education on the matter, its urgency and what can be done, there should be an effort to expose more young people to the wonders of nature, accompanied by legitimate policies, and stronger global agreements.  This means, the community has to change and I have to change too.  

___Cite___
ARIES 2009,  Education for Sustainability - the role of education in engaging and equipping people for change, ARIES, Macquarie University, Australian Government - Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts, Australia            <http://www.aries.mq.edu.au/publications/aries/efs_brochure/pdf/efs_brochure.pdf

Tilbury, D., Keogh, A., Leighton, A. and Kent, J. 2005,  A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education, Canberra: Australian  Government Department of the Environment and Heritage and Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES).

Tilbury, D. and Wortman, D. 2004, Engaging People in Sustainability, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication, Gland and Cambridge

Definitions, Concepts, & Key Pillars of EfSD

Definitions 
Sustainability can easily be defined by splitting up the word:
sussed /sʌst/ - astute and well informed                           (Thanks Hala!!)
       &        
able  /ˈeɪb(ə)l/ - having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something.
Therefore, well informed power for now and later. Its hard to believe that there is any debate at all over such an undeniably positive trait to have. Just look at it!

Photo by: Ivai Acevedo
A photographer who focuses on surreal scenes or "real dreams"

 Tilbury and Cooke (2005)  say the key goals of sustainability are "to live within our environmental limits, to achieve social justice and to foster economic and social progress." The UN was the major catalyst in making sustainability part of the global discourse. Quality of life for present as well as future generations was finally promoted into the global public eye by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). 

Sustainability is open to different interpretations and takes on different meanings not only between cultures but also between different interest groups within societies. Sustainability embraces equality for all, and for this reason a key aim of sustainability is to enable multi-stakeholder groups to define  heir vision of sustainability and to work towards it.

The term Sustainable Development is often used to portray the process of becoming sustainable since it will not happen over night. Many people and entities that have committed to sustainability and have gone through with adopting its principals. Now organizations that exist in order to advocate for it. Different cultures, and interest groups in society have their own contextual interpretations of sustainability. 
In creating personal viariants of the definition some are truly looking to commit to creating a better future and sustaining themselves for the long run. Others may be green washing (Huh?) to keep up with current trends and maintain brand and company reputation. 


        Activity
   The following are examples of different conceptualizations of Sustainability.
            As you read reflect on these questions: 
            Is it important to include diverse definition sources?
            How does each unique stance affect its' definition?
            What other perspectives are important?
            Can you spot the Green Washer?!
            What language indicates possible green washing?


IE 1 : Sustainability & 
"Our Common Future" 
From the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) this document was published in 1987 and targeted multilateralism and interdependence of nations in the process of  sustainable development. Their's is the most commonly cited definition of Sustainable Development (SD). (more here)
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."


IE 2: Sustainability & 
The Boston Consulting Group 

One of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world. (more here)

            “Sustainability is an issue that is relevant and important to all companies across all industries, although certain industries and organizations may be more directly affected than others. The question of how to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs has important environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

            The world's population has more than doubled since 1960; given that fact, combined with economic growth in emerging economies, demand for many natural resources is rising faster than supply. The speed and scale of change in today’s world are unprecedented, resulting in a fast-changing market environment.

            This landscape presents not only challenges but also opportunities. The leading companies today can recognize tangible savings through energy efficiency, waste reduction, and more efficient supply-chain management. A focus on sustainability can also be leveraged to create intangible values such as brand recognition, employee motivation, and attraction of top talent.

            The question is no longer "Why is sustainability important?" but rather "How do we approach sustainability most effectively to gain advantage, leverage our capabilities, and reduce future risks?" BCG has created a global Sustainability Initiative to support our clients in developing robust, long-term strategies and help them leverage competitive advantages from their sustainability efforts." 

IE 3: Sustainability &
Interface
A company led by Ray Anderson, a pioneer  in green business from the early 1990's, Interface is the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally-responsible modular carpet.  (more here)
"Interface will become the first name in commercial and institutional interiors worldwide through its commitment to people, process, product, place and profits. We will strive to create an organization wherein all people are accorded unconditional respect and dignity; one that allows each person to continuously learn and develop. We will focus on product (which includes service) through constant emphasis on process quality and engineering, which we will combine with careful attention to our customers’ needs so as always to deliver superior value to our customers, thereby maximizing all stakeholders’ satisfaction. We will honor the places where we do business by endeavoring to become the first name in industrial ecology, a corporation that cherishes nature and restores the environment. Interface will lead by example and validate by results, including profits, leaving the world a better place than when we began, and we will be restorative through the power of our influence in the world."


IE 4: Sustainability &
Walmart 
You know Walmart. They own your supermarkets, everywhere. (more here)

"At Walmart, we know that being an efficient and profitable business and being a good steward of the environment are goals that can work together. Our broad environmental goals at Walmart are simple and straightforward:

• To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy;
• To create zero waste;
• To sell products that sustain people and the environment.

Our efforts have been recognized through numerous awards, which would not be possible without the support of our customers, associates and communities around the world."

Education for Sustainable Development

The Future of the Earth is in Our Hands.
We must take care of it in order to be a part of it.

The importance of Education for Sustainable Development reaches many dire issues that humanity and our supporting biosphere face today. Food security, poverty, sustainable tourism, urban quality, women, fair trade, green consumerism, ecological public health and waste management as well as those of climatic change, deforestation, land degradation, desertification, depletion of natural resources  and loss of biodiversity are concerns at the forefront of  both environmental and development education.

Like Sustainability, Education for Sustainability has multiple definitions from varying sources with varying interests.
      Below are a few. 

Reading them had me wonder what the ideas were behind each one. I thought it would be fun to draw images are associated to each 'definer' to give an idea of where they might be coming from with their definitions.


Do I sense an Activity popping up? Yes, I do! 

         Activity
For each set, draw images which you associate to the writer of the definition. 
Give an idea of their surroundings to show where their idea of an environment might be coming from?


After this activity participants should be asked to share their ideas with one another in groups, then summarize insights aloud with everyone. 

The Key Pillars of Education for Sustainable Development
The Key Pillars of Education for Sustainable Development (EfSD) outline the overarching tools that aim towards enabling individuals to become sustainable citizens conscious of a global society.


   Envisioning.                               Values clarification.      
                       
           Critical thinking and reflection.           
  
                                                                        Participation.


      Partnerships.
                                            Systemic thinking.


Each pillar will be explained and given examples for in later posts. It can be a lot of fun to spot things in everyday life that encourage use of either of these pillars. Though each one will have its individual post they will all be inevitably alluded to throughout this journal.




___Cite___

ARIES 2009,  Education for Sustainability - the role of education in engaging and  equipping people for change, ARIES, Macquarie University, Australian Government - Department of the Environment, Water,  Heritage, and the Arts, Australia
Tilbury, D. and Ross, K. 2006, Living Change: Documenting good practice in Education for Sustainability in NSW. Macquarie University, Sydney, and Nature Conservation Council, NSW.

Tilbury, D., Keogh, A., Leighton, A. and Kent, J. 2005, ' A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education', Canberra: Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage and Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES).

Hopkins, C & McKeown, R. 2000, 'Chapter 2, Education for sustainable development: an international perspective' in Tilbury, D., Fien, J., Education and Sustainability: Responding to the global challenge, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication, Pg 13-24

Walmart Corporate 2010, ‘Sustainability’, Walmart Corporate, accessed on 4^th of September, <http://walmartstores.com/sustainability/>

Interface 2008, ‘Interface Values – Our Guiding Principals, Our Vision’, 4^th of September, <http://www.interfaceglobal.com/Sustainability/Interface-Story.aspx>

Oxford Dictionary 2011, Oxford University, accessed on 4^th of September,  <http://oxforddictionaries.com/>

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) 2011, BCG, accessed on 4^th of September, 2011, <http://www.bcg.com/expertise_impact/capabilities/sustainability/default.aspx>

WCED 1987, ‘Our Common Future: Brundtland Report’, UN Documents Gathering a body of global agreements, April 3, 2011 <http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm>