A large and diverse array of sustainable development initiatives has been implemented in schools around the world. These initiatives range from large-scale transnational programmes and national reforms to small community projects, from NGO initiatives across several schools to teacher-led projects in individual schools.
For an inspiring example, take a look at the following video developed by WWF, where members of the school community of the Warren Road Primary School in the UK explain how they build sustainable development into their everyday school activities. While you are watching this video, try to think of ideas that you could borrow from Warren Road School, as you seek to develop Education for Sustainable Development in your school.
Before sharing inspiring sustainability projects that have been developed in schools, we want to define the concept of sustainability. While sustainability, in general, focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, education for sustainability refers to learning that links knowledge, inquiry, and action to help students build a healthy future for their communities and the planet.
Education for Sustainable Development refers not only to what happens in the classroom but also what happens in the school and the wider community. It addresses the school culture and ethos, provides opportunities for meaningful engagement and participation to both students and the wider community, and guides decision-making about procurement, waste management, and energy and water use. Anna Rabajczyk, a professor at the University of Bielsko-Biala in Poland, highlights that ecology must become our nature, not a choice.
With this in mind, if you are interested in bringing education for sustainable development into your teaching but don’t know how to start, the following guidelines by WWF might support your efforts.