The Pathway to Stewardship How to develop a community-wide strategy to nurture environmental stewardship in children and teens By Jacob Rodenburg
many issues coming at you—from climate change to habitat destruction, from oceans of plastic to endangered species and from the loss of biodiversity to melting glaciers and the list goes on… Teaching children about these formidable challenges seems daunting, overwhelming and at times, well – hopeless.1 And despite our best efforts, things just seem to be getting worse. Perhaps like a reversed telescope, environmental educa-
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tion is being looked at in the wrong way. Instead of dealing with reactions to problems and to trying to solve environ- mental issues as they arise, it may be worthwhile to think about the type of citizen we want for our earth. Or, as Simeon Ogonda, a youth development leader from Kenya, asks: “Many of us often wonder what kind of planet we’re leaving behind for our children. But few ask the opposite: what kind of children are we leaving behind for our planet?” 2 Raising environmentally engaged citizens doesn’t happen by itself. As the saying goes, “it takes a village.” All of us collectively are responsible for fostering the stewards of tomorrow.
EING AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR in today’s world feels like you are asked to stop a rush- ing river armed only with a teaspoon. There are so
Now more than ever, there is a sense of urgency.
Studies are showing that there are rising levels of anxi- ety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anti-social behaviour in children.3 A sedentary, indoor lifestyle where the average child spends more than seven hours per day in front of a glowing screen and less than 20 minutes per day in active outdoor play, is leading to unprecedented rates of childhood obesity.4 Today’s children may be the first in generations not to live as long as their parents. At the same time there is mounting evidence to suggest
that exposure to nature while growing up reduces stress, improves physical and mental health, stimulates creativ- ity, builds self-esteem and encourages co-operation, col- laboration and self- regulation.5 In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv claims that children need contact with nature (or as he calls it – Vitamin “N”) as an essential part of a healthy childhood.6 The work of Joy Palmer, an environmental educational researcher, found that regular exposure to nature is the single most important factor in fostering care and concern for the environment.7 If chil- dren are spending more and more time indoors and direct contact with natural environments is important in fostering stewardship, one wonders where tomorrow’s stewards will come from?
GREEN TEACHER 113 Page 3
Photographs: Jacob Rodenburg, Camp Kawartha
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