Ecological Literacy I: Ethics

Class Discussion

BASIC ECOLOGICAL LITERACY: A FIRST CUT  Kenneth M. Klemow Department of Biology, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766

Ecological Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World by David Orr, Chapters 1 through Chapter 5.

Sand County Almanac, by Leopold Part IV, pp. 237-264

Web Board:

1.      What does David Orr mean when he refers to a "social trap?"

2.      Similarly, what does Orr mean when referring to the "crisis as a consequence of economic growth."

3.      Is Orr, after all, really anti-market and anti-capitalist?   Explain.

4.      So what's wrong with "dominating nature" anyway?

5.      What was that "wrong turn" that Orr claims we as a species made?

6.      How does Orr claim that sustainability and technology contradict one another?

7.      So what conclusions does Orr ultimately draw in the first 21 pages of his book?

8.      How does Orr define ecological literacy?  How have others define it?

9.      Why has ecological literacy been such a difficult concept for Western culture to grasp?

10.    What are the six foundations of ecological literacy?

11.      What does Leopold mean when referring to a "land ethic?"

12.      Klemow identifies 11 basic concepts upon which ecological literacy is built.  Name 4 of these.

Post your responses to the questions on the Web Board for Session 7.