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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Reimagining Our Futures Together

To re-learn how we are interconnected with a living, damaged planet we must unlearn the human arrogance that has resulted in massive biodiversity loss, the destruction of entire ecosystems, and irreversible climate change. Pedagogy needs to be framed...

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WHEN THE STEPPES FALL SILENT

Day by day, year by year, Life passes me quietly near. I no longer greet the morning light, Youthful strength has taken flight. The river valleys did not rise – They lie in sand, beneath dull skies. Where green once ruled in gentle sway, Now reeds...

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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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ME

In the end, it’s not the world that must change – it’s me. If I don’t clean up after myself, then who will?...

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INEVITABLE COLLAPSE

The fragile balance of our planet’s climate depends on many factors. Reckless, thoughtless human actions negatively impact environmental health and weaken its resilience – much like a game of Jenga. As we remove pieces from the tower, we destroy...

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LEARN ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY

The energy that the majority of people use is mostly wasteful and harmful. It is important to learn more about renewable energy, since there’s no denying that energy is a basic necessity during this time and age....

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Global Youth Biodiversity Network

We are living in a social-ecological crisis. Societal values and principles, colored by systemic inequalities, are shaping our economies, policies, and institutions in unsustainable and inequitable ways. The result is an global social-ecological cris...

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NATURE’S CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

Nature has been able to work out creative solutions to support all forms of life on earth. By observing and studying these life forms — their behavior, movement, form, adaptability, and so on — humans can develop new technologies or optimize exis...

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NATURE IS THE SECOND MOTHER

Nature is the second mother from whom I learn the lessons of four elements essential to life. Water teaches me how to calm and keep going when meeting any obstacles. Fire teaches me how to be a burning star. Earth teaches me how to be patient. Air te...

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CARING FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU

In spring, we admire the flowers, mountain rivers, and beautiful landscapes – and we want them to last forever! Just as our parents care for us, we must care for Nature, which brings us joy today and will bring joy to our children tomorrow....

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EMPATHY

Humans often think in an anthropocentric way considering only what is best for an individual human, in a given moment. We build over environments and corral animals to suit our needs. This has led us to the brink of planetary disaster. The future...

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WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED

We have everything we need in this moment to solve our problems....

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MONEY WON’T SAVE US

No matter how much money polluting industries have made, when wildfires consume the last forest, when the last city is flooded, when we are unable to produce any food and are severely dehydrated because of the extremely high heat and no water to drin...

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DON’T BE SELFISH. SCALE DOWN

Overfishing endangers food webs and ocean ecosystems by disrupting the balance of all sea life. How to fix it? Change our fishing method by catching fish with large populations. Today's version of large-scale agriculture drives deforestation that wor...

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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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WALK ON THE LAND WITH LIGHT STEPS

Walk on the land with light steps. When there is no space for the indigenous person on the land, there will be no space for any human being. Listen to the Original peoples, take care of the land as you would take care of your mother, do not take anyt...

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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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ONE PLASTIC BOTTLE

Many children – and even adults – don’t understand the consequences of throwing away just one plastic bottle....

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TRANSFORM UNSUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS

We are living through a social and environmental crisis, which is rooted in systemic inequities. Young people are confronted with this every day. We can’t achieve the change necessary for our survival by using the same systems that got us here in t...

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