Sustainability education and economic development has a snowball effect. We can get the ball rolling together.
Education is the foundation for a sustainable community. The idea that knowledge is power has been around for thousands of years. When Rome was founded in 753 BC it was one of the most advanced cities of its time. Running water and bath houses were just the beginning. The first philosophers kept asking more and more questions that led to a greater understanding of what they didn’t know that they didn’t know.
Socrates, Aristotle, and many others used their minds to think bigger about the world surrounding them. They knew that answering the why’s and how’s of the world would lead to progress. This is still the thought process behind our sustainability efforts today. If we truly understand what we need, we can then work together in coming up with a solution of how to achieve it. In order to gain understanding, education is key. Sustainability education and economic development are two sides of the same coin.
Education is an organic part of our society. From the day children are born parents are saving for college and making future plans. Education is a necessary means to a meaningful life and future. In order to achieve a truly great society we must invest in ourselves. Expanding our own personal knowledge base and helping those around us can help us all create a more sustainable educated community. In other words, sustainability education and economic development go hand in hand.
Sustainability education and economic development means learning from the past to avoid mistakes and do things better.
Learning from history is how the great leaders of today rule our country. In many smaller ways we each take this into our own day to day lives. While each of us may not be creating new water supplies or exploring new frontiers, we learn from our own mistakes as well as from those who came before us. Florida alone has had so many trailblazers (Ford, Edison, etc.) teaching the way of a sustainable life. This was once a fairly opaque concept. In thanks to education, the goal of creating a sustainable community becoming more and more clear.
Education creates understanding. Knowing how to think for yourself is something our school system here in Florida does every day with our children. Helping kids grow and learn to experience life in a hands on way develops naturally curious and dedicated adults. Being sustainable means thinking in new ways. Following the old path because its comfortable is no longer the answer.
More often than not we as a society are choosing the road less traveled upon, which leads to new and innovative ideas. Working together we can teach the younger generations the importance of community and a cohesive support system. There is nothing we can do alone, but together as a community everything is possible.
Sustainability education and economic development create a platform for future generations to succeed.
Asking the difficult questions will lead to better understanding, which in turn leads to better results. The whys and hows that happen all around us each day are important. The thought process behind decisions will help to educate others and provoke new ideas. Sustainability is a community that can rely on itself. When all parts work together we are able to accomplish much more. When a community is educated, they are invested. When a community is invested in itself, anything is possible.
But not just any kind of knowledge is important. Knowledge that is based in a firm foundation of good citizenship, community involvement, and pride in excellence. By teaching values like these to the next generation, we end up with business leaders who pursue corporate social responsibility. If we want to change the future, sustainability principles suggest that we incorporate leadership principles, such as the Johnson and Johnson Corporate Social Responsibility tenets that has led to their unparalleled success.
