<p> Addressing current environmental, economic, and social challenges requires a transformation in thinking. Education, if reoriented toward sustainability, has the potential to promote environmentally responsible behavior and advance society toward environmental, economic, and social well-being. Teachers have an important role in this shift in education, both as models of environmental sensitivity and as agents of change. Beginning and experienced teachers alike struggle to adapt to a model of education that allows young people to build the experience and skills necessary to address the sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations. </p><p> This mixed-methods case study presents practices from whole-school sustainability programs in four U.S. K-12 institutions, with the purpose of providing resources and examples for further development of K-12 whole-school sustainability programs. Based on results from 35 interviews, four classroom observations, and four campus tours, I provide other school administrations and staff with institution-appropriate pathways towards implementing and refining their own whole-school sustainability education programs.</p><p>

<p> In recent years a surge in research focused on the influences of water on humans. However, few have studied the effects of water on our relationship with nature, particularly to explore enduring impressions from a longitudinal perspective. Addressing these gaps, this qualitative exploratory research enlisted a case study methodology that employed multiple methods to investigate how a multi-day wilderness trip on the Tatshenshini River might affect participants&rsquo; connection to nature and position toward a sustainable lifestyle. The 12 participants were administered the Kellert Shorb Biophilic Indicator (KSBVI) questionnaire prior to the trip and reflected in journals during the experience. Six months after the trip ended a survey was administered. After 16 months, in-depth interviews were conducted. The results suggest that immersion into <i> river time</i>, an experience conceptualization that connected participants to nature&rsquo;s rhythm, generally equated with a <i>flow</i> state and a condition of <i>blue mind</i>, positively influenced their connection to nature. It appears that living water in concert with awe-inspiring encounters in the natural world enhanced and affirmed participants&rsquo; position toward a sustainable lifestyle. Furthermore, this multi-day wilderness experience seemed to inform their orientation toward sustainability. The findings suggest that further research into the lasting effects of river time and awe within these types of contexts is warranted.</p><p>

<p> Mountains are filled with both mystery and grandeur. They are places where the natural world can be experienced in its most raw form. Humans have been climbing mountains for centuries, yet it is still difficult to adequately explain what draws people to the mountains. There is danger in the mountains, but there can also be rewards in the form of physical health, mental well-being, and personal growth. My climbing experience has led me to believe that these benefits are felt most when climbers approach a mountain with a sense of reverence and respect, and that the colonizing mindset of conquering a mountain or completing a tick-list is detrimental to the climber, the people that the climber interacts with, and the natural environment of the mountain. This study examines the worldviews of mountain climbers and the aspects of mountaineering that seem to enhance these worldviews. The worldviews of the mountaineers are explored in regard to both the natural environment and human society. Focus is placed on the aspects of mountaineering that seem to encourage biocentric worldviews, with the hope of being able to apply these findings to future sustainability initiatives. This study finds that mountaineers have a generally negative view of societies which put too much emphasis on material wealth, social prestige, and power structures. These materialistic tendencies of society are in direct contrast with the world of mountains. The benefits of climbing mountains are extensive, with personal and spiritual benefits being even more essential to the experience than the physical benefits. Climbers do not climb mountains for these benefits though; they climb mountains to climb. The findings of this study are discussed in terms of the future of climbing, environmental and social sustainability initiatives, and genuine learning experiences. </p><p>

<p> This dissertation research examines the perceptions held by African Africans as they pertain to the environment and nature and the factors influencing those perceptions. The research covers the ecopsycological elements, historical narratives, and current social dynamics of African American culture in order to understand their frame of reference in connection to the environment. Two populations of African American adults in Michigan and South Carolina were used to study the perceptions and behaviors exhibited by the culture. The research study used interview sessions and questionnaires in order to generate qualitative and quantitative data. The data focused on outdoor childhood activities, adult involvement, concerns about the environment, perceptions of individuals and mainstream organizations associated with the environment, current and potential environmental behaviors, and factors contributing to the participants&rsquo; environmental actions and decisions. With unanimous responses indicating that research participants have engaged in some form of outdoor activity during childhood, as well as a majority of these individuals expressing time spent outdoors or in nature as positive, there is indication the environment plays an integral part in the lives of African Americans. Additionally, participants acknowledged discussions about the environment and nature rarely occurred between themselves and their parents or other adults during their childhood, especially in regards to conservation, preservation, and pollution prevention measures. What they did experience, however, was language through demonstration; any specific actions about managing or taking care of the earth was learned through hands-on approaches rather than verbal communication. Lastly participants in this study overwhelmingly cited Caucasians and elements oftentimes associated with Caucasians as the frame of reference for environmentalism. In contrast, African Americans are just as interested in and concerned about the environment, yet they do not perceive themselves as environmentalists. The study results indicate there are significant correlations between some environmental and social aspects exhibited by the participants and overall, African Americans are interested in the environment and some of the components associated with it.</p>

[pt] O potencial de autoconstrução de estruturas adaptáveis de bambu é o foco deste trabalho que visa ampliar a ótica do design como método projetual com ênfase no processo e não no produto final e como produtor de significados, podendo gerar autonomia de grupos em uma produção local pautada na educação ambiental/sustentabilidade. A adaptabilidade destas estruturas é um conceito central onde o objeto e o seu processo construtivo é determinado pelas condições locais de material, mão de obra e demanda de uso. O campo do design se estabeleceu no Brasil de acordo com a ótica do desenho industrial concebido nos países desenvolvidos que prioriza a fabricação, distribuição e comercialização dos objetos em grande escala. Neste contexto a atividade projetual deixa de focar no ser humano para se dedicar ao consumo em massa. Acreditamos que por meio do design é possível formar cidadãos conscientes da problemática ambiental planetária conduzindo-os através de metodologias participativas desenvolvidas no LILD PUC-Rio. O meio acadêmico (universidades e escolas) se apresenta como contexto geográfico favorável para aplicação destas metodologias que se baseiam na autonomia de grupos para a produção de objetos utilitários localmente. A esfera local/ regional é o ponto de partida para a concepção do design do objeto, determinando recursos materiais disponíveis, demandas de uso e aspectos culturais. Destacamos a metodologia de Técnicas & Convivência onde os professores-técnicos orientam os alunos-voluntários na concepção, construção e uso das estruturas adaptáveis de bambu em diversas aplicações. Neste processo os voluntários são coautores e são levados a pensar o objeto a partir de seu ciclo de vida – concepção, fabricação, uso, manutenção e descarte/pós-uso. O bambu representa um material acessível, de grande resistência com versatilidade para ser aplicado em diversos usos e é explorado aqui para fins estruturais. A abordagem transdisciplinar envolvendo os campos do design, arquitetura, engenharia e geografia nos leva a uma analise complexa do processo construtivo e do objeto final, contextualizando a produção no espaço. Em estudos de campo no Brasil e nos EUA concluímos que esta ótica de design com base na produção em esfera local/regional pautada na educação ambiental/sustentabilidade, tem grande acessibilidade e pode ser potencializada a partir da colaboração transdisciplinar para outros usos na sociedade, seja com foco na educação, na autonomia produtiva ou no uso diversificado das estruturas adaptáveis de bambu. / [en] The self-building potential of adaptable bamboo structures is the focus of this work that is aiming to enlarge the concept of design as a projetual method with emphasis on the process rather than the end product and as a producer of meanings, which can generate autonomy groups in a local production based in the environmental education / sustainability. The adaptability of these structures is a central concept where the object and its constructive process is determined by local conditions of material, labor and demand of use. The design field was established in Brazil in accordance with the perspective of industrial design in developed countries that prioritizes the production, distribution and marketing of large-scale objects. In this context the projetual activity fails to focus on the human being necessities to devote to mass consumption. We believe that through the design is possible to form citizens aware of global environmental issues leading them through participatory methodologies developed in LILD PUC-Rio. The academia (universities and schools) is presented as favorable geographic context for the application of these methodologies that are based on the autonomy of groups for the production of utilitarian objects locally. The local / regional level is the starting point for the design of object design, determining material resources available, use, social demands and cultural aspects. We are highlighting the methodology of Techniques & Coexistence where technicians-teachers guide the students-volunteers in the design, construction and use of adaptable bamboo structures in various applications. In this process the volunteers are co-authors and are led to think the object starting from his lifecycle - design, manufacture, use, maintenance and disposal / post-use. Bamboo is an accessible material; high strength with versatility to be applied to various uses and is explored here for structural purposes. The transdisciplinary approach involving the fields of design, architecture, engineering and geography leads to a complex analysis of the construction process and the final object, contextualizing the production space. In field studies in Brazil and the United States we concluded that this concept of design based in the local/regional production lined in the environmental education / sustainability, has great accessibility and can be enhanced from the transdisciplinary collaboration to other uses in society and is focusing on education, productive autonomy or diversified use of adaptable structures of bamboo.