my thoughts on the values of education
I share my thoughts on the values of education. The education system in the United States has not changed over the centuries. If there are any changes, then they are very insignificant. This is based on the fact that we are still facing the same challenges that were there in previous centuries. Shockingly, some problems are even getting out of hand. So much has gone wrong with the world, and sadly we are turning a blind eye instead of offering solutions. All these challenges are attributed to the problems of education. While education is a good thing, it has also ruined the world. For instance, before the industrial revolution, people did not rely on fossil fuel energy since carbon had not been discovered. While it could be argued that the discovery of carbon-based energy has revolutionized the world leading to massive industrialization, this discovery has led to the encroachment of the natural environment, thus occasioning global warming.
Here is a quote that stands out:
“The truth is that many things on which our future health and prosperity depend are in dire jeopardy: climate stability, the resilience and productivity of natural systems, the beauty of the natural world, and biological diversity” (orr, pg. 7).
The United States education is only focusing on how we can solve human needs rather than how to address the prevailing environmental concerns. We need to rethink the values of our education system.
My question: How can we redesign our education to take care of both human and environmental needs?
Education should promote sustainable living. There is no need for imparting knowledge to learners if the same experience will result in environmental degradation. Students should be taught about sustainable agriculture. It is good to encourage students to come up with innovative ways of growing and harvesting crops provided that the method used is environmentally friendly. The United States education system should fuse efficiency with sustainability. By doing this, we are going to save the lives of our future generations.
Response to Maya
Hi Maya
I am thrilled with your knowledge about the current affairs regarding climate change incidences that are currently being witnessed around the world. I agree with you that humans are always slow to react, especially when they are not directly affected. All these environmental challenges we are currently experiencing would have been averted if the proposed measures were implemented immediately. Several publications and studies had warned that the earth would experience harsh climatic conditions in the 21st century. Developed countries should be blamed for what is happening since they only care about economic development and ignore environmental integrity. I urge my fellow youths to stand up and speak about the importance of ecological conservation and the dangers of ecosystem encroachment. Environmental studies should be entrenched in our education system in a bid to save mother nature. If we destroy our ecosystem now, even the economic progress we have made will not make sense in the future.