TURN IT
AROUND!

How to

TURN IT AROUND! is a toolkit to help us radically reimagine education in response to the climate and ecological emergency.  There is no one right way to use them, but here are some ideas that may get you started in turning this emergency around.

 

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TWO COMMON SAYINGS USED IN MY FAMILY

There are two common sayings used in my family. They are the lessons from my ancestors: 1. जो प्राप्त है, वो पर्याप्त है (Whatever we possess, is what is enough) 2. ये दुनिया चलती...

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THE THOUGHT OF THE SUN RISING

Just the thought of the sun rising afresh the next day gives me hope and excitement about what the future holds....

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LIGHT SOMEONE’S DARKNESS

What stops me when I am on the verge of giving up is the fact that one day in the future my voice and words will motivate all those young minds who think that one failure can catastrophically destroy their future. Even in a situation when things make...

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Common Worlds Research Collective

How might common worlding pedagogies foster new ways of learning and living on our damaged earth? Common worlding pedagogies refuse to separate us humans off from our fellow earthlings. Instead of thinking about the world ‘out there’ as something...

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RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL LIVING AND NON-LIVING BEINGS

My ancestors have taught me that we are supposed to be custodians of all life on Earth. This means that we should not just plant trees and keep the environment clean where we can, but we should take the extra step to ensure that the rights of every s...

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NATURE COMMUNICATES WITH US

The real threat to human existence is humans. Humans have a tendency to take more from nature than they offer and to take nature for granted. It is mankind’s deficiency in empathy and the inability to listen to and feel the world around us that sha...

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EVERYTHING IS ALIVE!

Everything is alive! Every rock and mountain and tree and animal....

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DRAWING DOODLES

I find hope and resilience in drawing doodles, digital characters, flowers, and cartoons. Almost everytime when I face an uncertain future, I turn to doodling....

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LIVE SIMPLY AND GENEROUSLY

Nature has taught me the value of living simply, generously, and in harmony with others. A seed can grow into a tree with merely water and sunlight. This tree spends its life providing shelter, shade, food, and air for others, such as squirrels and b...

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EVERYTHING ON EARTH HAS ITS OWN PURPOSE

Human ego tends to think of things in nature as being useful for us or useless in general. It’s a pretty incredible conceit. Truly observing nature teaches us that everything on Earth has its own purpose and we should value what each creature d...

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EDUCATION FOR SURVIVAL

We really need to learn about climate because we need to know what dangers will come. We can't underestimate the climate. For example, when there is very heavy rain that doesn't stop for days, it can signal floods or landslides....

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WE DEPEND ON YOUR DECISIONS

Remember that the existence of the future generations depends on the decisions of today. Do not choose your political livelihood over the millions of lives that are affected by environmental degradation every day....

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WILLINGNESS TO QUESTION

There must be a willingness to question what it means to have a “good life.” It’s frustrating that so many people still very much define a good life in terms of how much they can buy, how lavishly they can live, how many things they can own. Bu...

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THE INNOCENCE OF HORNBILL

Flied semi-low, Hornbill exposed, Ambrosial comparable to drugs, In a lively space. Feeling dulcifies, Watching other birds fly, High expands, Let it be lost without winning. Proud of the rank, Endangered species; the hornbill nominated, Mankind’s...

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CHANGE CULTURAL CUSTOMS

The environment can only be protected if we generate a change in our cultural customs, and at the same time, this change can be achieved if we begin to educate from the youngest generations. Because ultimately we educate the little ones and they...

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THINK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The challenge before us today is to begin to think about sustainability through the lens of environmental health. The environment is a primary concern, not an afterthought. No human technology can fully replace “nature’s technology,” perfected...

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RESPECT THE HABITAT OF EACH BEING

My non-human teachers teach me to respect the habitat of each being, the need to have a home where to live in peace and safety, to be free, to have good health. Empathy is a quality that we must develop as much as possible to understand other human a...

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PRESERVE FORESTS

Preserving forests and living things on earth gives us the life we deserve. In recent years, there has been a massive exploitation of forests on the island of Borneo. Many people want to clear land by burning forests extensively for personal gain....

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HOLD CEREMONIES, EXPRESS GRATITUDE

My ancestors in Indonesia always taught us that we must care for and protect the universe. Nature and humans live side by side in mutual support of each other. My ancestors have taught us to hold ceremonies to express gratitude for what the universe...

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