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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FRAGILE LIKE A BALLOON
Today, Earth is as fragile as a balloon – yet the world treats it far too harshly....
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DISAPPEARING GLACIERS
It pains me to see our glaciers – which for centuries fed rivers and lakes – disappearing so quickly. The mountains, once proud symbols of our country, now seem to cry out for help. Each year, the summers grow hotter, the rains come less often, a...
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BLACK SNOW IS NO LONGER SCIENCE FICTION
Black snow is no longer a fantasy – it’s our daily reality. It’s not a natural wonder, but a desperate cry for help from nature. This crime is man-made. Black snow is the air you and I breathe. But it’s not a sentence – it’s a challenge w...
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THE WORTH OF INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence is not worth anything when you do not use it....
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THE FRAGILE FABRIC OF LIFE
When we pollute nature, we’re not just leaving waste on the Earth’s surface – we’re tearing apart the fragile fabric of life. We poison rivers, destroy forests that give us clean air, and condemn future generations to struggle for survival in...
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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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THE SACRED
For centuries, the Kyrgyz people lived in harmony with nature, showing it deep respect. Mountains, rivers, and forests were not just landscapes – they were sacred, an inseparable part of life. The epic Kojojash warns us of the consequences of break...
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THE SEA
I wish I could see the sea my grandmother once told me about....
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WHO IS TO BLAME?
The twenty-first century – filled with alarm, Our planet suffers, nature loses its charm. It slips through our fingers, drained and dry, Leaving behind only grey in the sky. Forests vanish, rivers run bare, Waters grow murky, life gasps for air. Fi...
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Incandescence
Like this little one’s incandescent wing Life already shines brightly Though we do not heed it Though we do not allow it To permeate its existence in this world full of writ and developmental strife It would be enough For us to live incandescently...
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DEVELOP ECOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS
The future is in our hands. Climate change isn't new, and treating it like taboo amongst the youth gives no sense of global citizenship. As a human on earth, we are obligated to give back to the land that's raised us. How can we prioritize solving cl...
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UNDERSTAND PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
We study history to learn and understand our past. We must learn about climate crisis, too, for us to understand what will happen in the future if we don’t act now....
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WE NEED MORE THAN TRADITIONAL SUBJECTS TO FIGHT THE CLIMATE CRISIS
We should view climate education as important as any other studies such as medicine or law. In climate education, we, the young generation, are not just bound to study the science behind climate change. Instead, we should see climate education as the...
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A TREE LEAF ONCE TAUGHT ME
I keep this photo to remind me of what a tree leaf once taught me. Feeling exhausted after a hard mornings’ work, I sat in the grass to have lunch and picked up this fragile heart-shaped leaf. In that moment, the tree leaf taught me two things, sha...
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CHANGE OURSELVES
To change the world for a better planet we must change ourselves - our own behaviors, thoughts, and ways of being. And this can only be achieved through environmental education. We need to mentor the next generation by equipping them with ecological...
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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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TURN IT AROUND! Central Asia
The TURN IT AROUND! Central Asia Climate and Ecology Flashcards are a message from the youth of Central Asia to their governments and educators: ‘We care about our planet. We want you to take climate and ecological action – and education â€...
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ONE PLASTIC BOTTLE
Many children – and even adults – don’t understand the consequences of throwing away just one plastic bottle....
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DON’T PAINT THE FACADE OF PROMISE, ACT NOW
When leaders make a decision, they need to address problems at their root cause rather than treat just the symptoms. Things are not as simple as saying "reduce, reuse, and recycle" or adding more renewable energy resources. Climate change, our econom...
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