My first thoughts of sustainability were living a life that is sustainable; with the focus on the planet and how much of the resources we use. When I used to teach one of the modules I taught was about the environment and we did a quiz to see ‘how many Earths’ you need to sustain your current lifestyle. Most students it was more than 1 Earth, some needed up to 4 which is obviously not sustainable for future generations. As a former teacher and learning technologist, I look at ways in which we can be sustainable, such as using a Virtual Online Learning Environment to share resources instead of printing them out, online marking and switching off computers when not in use. We are currently looking at a possible replacement for interactive whiteboards with interactive screens which use less power. Additionally sharing resources and collaborating with staff is a way to be sustainable and reduce replication. After reading the introduction of Learning for Sustainability I can see a much broader picture emerging where a carbon brainprint (Speight, 2013, p.24) includes developing my own values as well as supporting others. In my volunteering, demonstrating sustainable values can influence young people and help them to look at being sustainable as a natural way of living, rather than something that you have to consciously do.
Speight, S. (2013) Learning for Sustainability. Smashwords.com [Online]. Available at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/292679 (Accessed: 4 December 2013).