Richard Kahn's "Towards Ecopedagogy"

"[I]t would be a worthwhile educational venture to have students become involved in banning dolphins from the zoo (hardly a native species to Minnesota) and to have them returned to either a sanctuary or nondomesticated oceanic habitat. Instead, as of 2006, one can pay $125 to swim with the zoo’s dolphins, a practice generally condemned by marine ecologists and environmentalists/animal rightists alike as both inhumane and beyond the bounds of good environmental stewardship" (Kahn 7)

Richard Kahn discusses "outdoor education" which is based on getting students outside and learning about the natural world. Kahn argues that these programs are not sufficient because they do not make students think deeply and critically about environmentalism. This relates to my place, the Blue Ridge Mountains. In this area, there is much land that is protected by the United States Forest Service. This area contains land which is ideal for "outdoor education" programs. Upon a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, one would discover the beauty of nature and the diversity of wildlife. One would not realize the environmental effects of carbon emissions, or deforestation. Environmental education needs to make students realize environmental issues, instead of merely learning about the water cycle or types of trees.

In the above quote, Kahn describes how such outdoor programs can be counterproductive. The "Zoo School" in Apply Valley, Minnesota allows students to engage with a nearby park. However, Kahn notes that by cooperating with the park, students are supporting practices which are inhumane. Instead, students of environmental education should realize that there is a need to change these practices. The "Zoo School" reminds me of the Envirothon competition. In middle school, a club called the Envirothon club would visit forests and swamps in Western NC to learn about soil, air, and water. Instead of learning about environmental problems, we just learned about types of trees, classification of soil, etc. While this was a good educational program, it would have been better if we thought more deeply about the environment, which is what Kahn is expressing in this quote.