Benefits of addressing sustainability
There are a broad range of benefits to the school community through exploring education for sustainability in a coordinated manner. There is much evidence to support the claim that sustainability be taken seriously by leadership, staff, students and families. Such an approach will provide tangible benefits to your school and the wider community. Evidence and discussion from a range of websites is grouped below under the following headings; student wellbeing, reduced financial costs, career pathways, real life learning.
Student Well being
Talking to Children about the Environment
This information booklet has been prepared for adults who want to talk with children and adolescents about the environment. It provides parents with tips on helping children to develop environmentally-friendly values and behaviors, helping them to understand the environmental challenges we face, and easing their anxiety about the threat of climate change.
psychology.org.au/publications/tip_sheets/children_environment/
Aussie school kids happy to grow and cook new foods, study reveals
Primary school children have increased confidence in cooking and gardening and a willingness to try new foods, a new report reveals. The University of Melbourne and Deakin University have released a research report evaluating the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and confirmed that it has created positive health behaviour change. The Melbourne Newsroom, 21 June 2010.
newsroom.melbourne.edu/news/n-310
Screen-time and Nature Deficit Disorder
This article discusses the implications of children spending increasing time in front of an electronic screen.
daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2010/06/02/screen-time-vs-green-time
Playing in dirt is good for Kids
A report on a study that links mice reaction to soil bacteria with the need for humans to be exposed to same.
montrealgazette.com/travel/Playing%20dirt%20good%20kids/3066456/story.html
Nature Deficit Disorder: the mind in urban combat
Richard Louv argues we and our children are suffering a kind of cultural autism, a sensory deprivation which he provocatively calls 'Nature Deficit Disorder'. And with that, he's seeded a small revolution for change. Also, secret places - remember them when you were a kid?abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2010/2872548.htm
Richard Louv Articles
Links to a range of interesting articles centred on evidence relating to children spending time in the outdoors and the environment and links to wellbeing.
richardlouv.com/articles
Climate - The Australian Psychology Society
Evidence that student well being relies on students being provided with an opportunity to take action for the environment.
psychology.org.au/publications/tip_sheets/climate/
Teaching Expertise
This British education site discusses the economic benefits of going green. Part of the discussion covers the health benefits that occur through green pursuits, such as an increase in exercise through using less transport and better health as a result of an increase in food awareness and the benefits of improved emotional wellbeing through becoming more engaged with the community and the environment.
teachingexpertise.com/articles/the-economic-benefit-of-going-green-1645
Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
This American site explores the impacts of climate change on health.
cdc.gov/climatechange/prevention.htm
Cost Savings
Science Daily (July 3, 2008)
Would shrinking your carbon footprint, recycling more, and going green be easier if you could monitor your household's environmental impact? That's the question a team of Canadian industry consultants set out to answer.
sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701103606.htm
Teaching Expertise
This British education site discusses the economic benefits of going green.
teachingexpertise.com/articles/the-economic-benefit-of-going-green-1645
Corporations find business case for going green
This site discusses the benefits of going green for businesses; including improving product marketability, reduced costs through reduced resource consumption and the pride which is engendered through such green actions.
msnbc.msn.com/id/17969124/
Frugalist
How to go green and save a boat load of money. This site has a large number of tips and links on how to save money and at the same time go green.
frugalist.instantcreditcard.com/2007/how-to-go-green-and-save-a-boatload-of-money-57-tips-tutorials-and-ideas/
Richard Eckersley, Never better – or getting worse?
The health and wellbeing of young Australians. 2008 This insightful paper explores the inverse relationship between western culture, consumerism and the ‘individual’, with mental health and wellbeing. He also suggests that the current orthodox of treating health issues in isolation to the world in which young people find themselves in, needs re-evaluating.
australia21.org.au/pdf/Youth%20Health%20Text%2008.pdf
Career Pathways
Green Jobs:
Towards decent work in a sustainable, low carbon worldThis report offers a global perspective of the emerging possibilities and likely positive economic and social impacts that will emerge from such economic pursuits. The report suggests a “green economy” will not only help to tackle issues such as climate change, it has already created new jobs and will continue to bring about the creation of millions of new “green jobs” in both the developed and developing countries.
unep.org/PDF/UNEPGreenJobs_report08.pdf
Real life learning
Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - South Australia (AuSSI_SA)Jonathan Noble from DECD suggests there are far reaching benefits of embracing a whole of school approach to sustainability. One of the benefits for students is “reaching full potential in life” and he goes on to argue “More use should be made of innovative teaching approaches such as …experience and issue-based learning to build stronger links between the curriculum and young people’s lives and passions.” For more information on a systems approach to sustainability, and to reap the far reaching benefits that such an approach can offer go to the following site:
decd.sa.gov.au/efs/