Designing sustainable global gardens fits into the wider issue of reducing our consumption – the 6 Rs: rethink, refuse, reuse, reduce, repair, recycle.

Teaching resources

John C Ryan Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things Sightline 1997
Traces the environmental impact of the consumer decisions most of us make without thinking, from a morning cup of coffee to the trainers on our feet. Teaching pack to accompany the book explores the impact of our high consumption lifestyles, including a focus on wood and chips.

Good Stuff? A Behind-the-Scenes Guide to the Things We Buy Worldwatch Institute, 2004
Look at the social and environmental impacts of 25 everyday items through their life cycle. Aims to help young people to rethink their consumption in order to create a more sustainable world. Also available as an online resource.

 

 

 

Background reading

The Handbook of Sustainability Literacy Arran Stibbe ed, Green Books, 2009
Online version of the Handbook which brings together reflections from a range of sustainability educators - literary critics, permaculturalists, ecologists, artists, journalists, engineers, mathematicians and philosophers in a deep reflection on the skills people need to survive and thrive in the challenging conditions of the 21st century. Includes active learning exercises. Highly thought provoking.

Education for sustainable development: improving schools – improving lives Ofsted, 2009
Evaluation which found that ESD increased pupils' knowledge and understanding of the importance of leading more sustainable lives.

Weblinks

The Renewable World is a rich resource developed by the DCF's Growing Schools programme. It explores the diversity of renewable materials, past and present, and their role in a sustainable future. Lesson plans for maths, science, geography and D&T. Some activities feature crops such as hemp in UK, sugar cane as a bio-fuel in Uganda, non-food use of bananas in the Windward Islands and bamboo in Bangladesh.

The Little Rotters Composting site provides primary schools with practical information and advice to get composting. Includes a good selection of curriculum-related activities.

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