Problem #2: Eco-Justice

ES 3950
Problem 2
Eco-Justice

Objectives–

1. Recognize the danger our culture and society is now in.

2.
Recognize the changes we must make now in our culture and society to create an ecologically sustainable future for our children.

3. Begin to recognize how our economic well-being is interconnected with our environmental well-being—no one can have one without the other. Further, each student (even kindergarten students) will recognize how our environmental well-being depends upon that of other’s which means our economic well-being is inextricably dependent on that of other cultures and nations.

4. Begin to grasp how an EcoJustice Education helps communities revitalize those practices, relationships, policies, and institutions that lead to strong democratic and sustainable communities.

5. Begin to learn how to impart an Ecologically Just Education, not as an additional item added to the curriculum but as teaching and learning practices and ways of life.

6. Begin practicing Eco-justice in your own life.

7. (Each group will decide on one more objective we will work to attain.)

Problem –

As a whole, what do the contributors to Ecological Literacy mean by the term 'sustainable'? As a whole group, what do the members of the sustainability committee at Western Michigan University mean by the word sustainable? What is it that must be sustainable? What must we sustain? How do both groups want to change our everyday thinking?

Write a single persuasive essay, 600-800 words which answers the most important of these questions (what these authors see as the most important of these questions), not a disjointed set of answers. Carefully and conscientiously follow the guidelines of the first 3 lessons in LRS. Submit this paper as an email attachment to Jerry at pillsbury@wmich.edu by the date on the schedule!

I will submit the top three strongest papers to Harold Glasser, Executive Director for Campus Sustainability & Professor, Environmental Studies.

This paper needs at least 3 cited scholarly sources. To reduce my confusion, I will only accept papers when you:

1.
put in the subject line of your email message to Jerry: Group Letter, Last Name, Problem #

(Please don't include the words "group" or "problem") and,

2. you save your paper using the same file name Group Letter, Last Name, Problem #

Notice you must use that string twice before you send your email to me!

Fill out the following forms and include them in the body of your paper in the order stated below. Please do not send them as separate attachments!

1.
Getting Started on a New Problem filled out by the group,

2.
4 questions to create an introduction, filled out individually,

3.
Your paper

4.
Your group's rubric for evaluating the functioning of the group, filled out by the group,

5.
Your group's rubric for evaluating the functioning of the group, filled out individually,

6.
All reading records for this problem that you posted on NiceNet.org,

7.
My rubric for evaluating your introduction, individually filled out, I ask you to evaluate yourself so I can see how well you can assess your own work. Fill out the form carefully and completely, including giving yourself an overall score. See how close to my assessment you can get.

8.
My rubric for evaluating your first and second papers, individually filled out. I ask you to evaluate yourself so I can see how well you can assess your own work. Fill out the form carefully and completely, including giving yourself an overall score. See how close to my assessment you can get.

Include the above forms, in the order specified--each on separate pages of the same single document.
Send in just one long atachment that includes your paper followed by all of the attachments.

Message from Harold Glasser

Send comments regarding this page to: pillsbury@wmich.edu
Last revised: May 16, 2012

1.	Recognize the danger our culture and society is now in.
2.	Recognize the changes we must make now in our culture and society to create an ecologically sustainable future for our children.
3.	Begin to recognize how our economic well-being is interconnected with our environmental well-being—no one can have one without the other. Further, each student (even kindergarten students) will recognize how our environmental well-being depends upon that of other’s which means our economic well-being is inextricably dependent on that of other cultures and nations.
4.	Begin to grasp how an EcoJustice Education helps communities revitalize those practices, relationships, policies, and institutions that lead to strong democratic and sustainable communities.
5.	Begin to learn how to impart an Ecologically Just Education, not as an additional item added to the curriculum but as teaching and learning practices and ways of life.
6.	Begin practicing Eco-justice in your own life.
7.	(Each group will decide on one more objective we will work to attain.)

1.	Getting Started on a New Problem filled out by the group,
2.	4 questions to create an introduction, filled out individually,
3.	*Your paper*
4.	Your group's rubric for evaluating the functioning of the group, filled out by the group,
5.	Your group's rubric for evaluating the functioning of the group, filled out individually,
6.	All reading records for this problem that you posted on NiceNet.org,
7.	My rubric for evaluating your introduction, individually filled out, I ask you to evaluate yourself so I can see how well you can assess your own work. Fill out the form carefully and completely, including giving yourself an overall score. See how close to my assessment you can get.
8.	My rubric for evaluating your first and second papers, individually filled out. I ask you to evaluate yourself so I can see how well you can assess your own work. Fill out the form carefully and completely, including giving yourself an overall score. See how close to my assessment you can get.