Synthesis of Richard Kahn’s Towards Ecopedagogy.

In Richard Kahn’s Towards Ecopedagogy, Kahn asks: “Will we surf the awesome tube of this grave peril and move laterally across it into newly imagined freedoms? Or will we head outward into deeper waters still, floating upon unfathomable depths, along with dangers and possibilities even as of yet unforeseen?” (Kahn 1). Kahn asks this as an inquiry to the reader, to help decide whether the environment should really be an issue taken seriously. Environmental stability is a growing debate on whether or not humans should take responsibility and work to reverse their wrongdoing. Although environmental stability is being debated, individuals have already taken action to work for a cleaner and more sustainable planet, but even if individuals live sustainability, the human species as a whole needs to take action. The main problem of environmental degradation is the reality that the people around the world are uneducated about a concept as simple as sustainability.

Individuals taking part to help make the world sustainable need to be recognized and be taken as an example. The underlying issue with only individuals taking part is that there are billions of other people continuing to degrade the planet. Large-scale efforts must take place with government regulations and large companies promoting sustainability. Companies worldwide, for example: Anglo American Platinum Ltd and Intel Co., are already sustainable and hope to set other companies and the people of earth an example. While this creates a great image of sustainability, many people are still unaware what being sustainable really means.

Kahn states: “Just as there is now a socio-ecological crisis of serious proportions, there is also a crisis in environmental education over what must be done about it”(Kahn 5). The reason behind the quote is the issue of the incompetence behind environmental education. Many humans see that the world is trying to “go green”, but many don’t even understand the concept. Kahn includes the shocking statistics of American’s inability to understand the most basic environmental ideas. 45 million Americans believe that the ocean is a freshwater resource (Kahn 6). It is a staggering statistic that about 15% of the American population believes the ocean is a freshwater resource. If this estimated statistic is true, it is easy to see how public schools should not be teaching Shakespeare, but they should be reinforcing the concept of sustainability.

As the human population of the world is projected to reach over 7 billion by April 2012 it evident that humans themselves need to intervene and take the blame for the environment’s condition. Richard Kahn points out great issues that need to be approached. Education is the key to success in all aspects, including the sustainability of the earth. Programs must be set up throughout the world to combat environmental degradation. The knowledge will grant hope to make the earth a sustainable place for future human generations to come.

Works Cited

"2012 Global 100 List." 2012 Global 100: The Definitive Corporate Sustainability Benchmark. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.global100.org/annual-lists/2012-global-100-list.html>.

Kahn, Richard. "Towards Ecopedagogy: Weaving a Broad-based Pedagogy of Liberation for Animals, Nature, and the Oppressed People of the Earth." Web. 5 Feb. 2012.

"World Population Clock." Census Bureau Homepage. U.S. Census Bureau. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.census.gov/population/popclockworld.html>.