WR~
I particularly liked both of these articles which you've posted:
Message 21316972
Message 21316988
This is where everything really needs to "start".
People have to learn that re-using, recycling, conservation, etc..
are a way of life and not just something you do from time
to time when someone reminds you or when it's trendy,
or the price of some commodity goes up.
If you wait too long to learn, it's almost like shutting the gate
after the horse has run off.
Very difficult to get people thinking "way of life" long
after they've learned some bad habits. I know because
i've had to relearn plenty along the way.
So, yep,
school-based programs are probably one of the best ways
to change people's heads as far as thinking of everything
as being disposable.
I've lived in the same community from close to 30 years now
and the kids that i've watched growing up... the ones who
had "aware" parents, have turned into very aware adults and
there's no need to convince them of better ways to conserve
energy, etc.. They are already doing it, or thinking of
ways to do it.
Bit of a digression here.. but somewhat related:
Yesterday, while out for a walk in the woods with a friend,
I was explaining how, when i'm moving about outdoors,
one of the things that i think about a lot is "plant associates"...
like, i look at plants as homes to other
plants and creatures -- constantly looking for that web
of relationships in all flora and fauna.
My friend listened for a minute while i explained about
what associates i would expect to see around some Salix sp.
bushes, and also about how we humans can become or are
associates of the Salix in various ways. She said that
this way of thinking reminded her of when her kids were
growing up and attending a Waldorf school in her city...
that they were taught to think about almost all things
in a similar way.
That got me thinking of how different her kids turned out...
very community and humanity-oriented.. and that other kids
i've known who grew up attending a Waldorf school also
seem to be that way too.
That's not to say that that's the only answer, because i also
have many friends who home-schooled their kids and have
taught them about nature, how to grow things, etc.. along
with the more academic stuff.
But it does make me think that there just isn't enough
emphasis on "connection" and "associates" and basically
just the idea of a web-of-life in most people's thinking,
and by extension, in the typical school setting.
That's pretty scary to me, because i can see a whole
new generation growing up ignorant and in some cases
even worse than their parents as they have spent their
whole lives living in this throw-away society.
I don't know the answer, but it sounds like the Laytonville
school system is taking a good approach.
For myself, i realize that i should probably have spent
more time working with school kids over the years.
I don't have children, so it was not something i gave much
thought to. However, recently, i've been doing some volunteer
work with high school science classes and that's been
interesting -- and i'm gradually learning ways of passing
along some of the things that i know about nature,
biology, etc.. to the kids. Just could have done more.
However, also not too late to try either. (o:
~croc |
