Social Mobilization for Ecological Literacy

Abstract

The global environmental crisis is now widely recognized as one of themost pressing issues of our times. It can be argued that this crisis is primarilya crisis of values, with serious implications for future generations and forthe sustainable development of society. The nature and extent of theenvironmental crisis represents a context in which urgent responses frommany sections of society are required. This paper focuses on one particularresponse, the development of environmental education and activismamongst school students. In particular, the paper presents a case study ofschool students involved in the Mathrubhumi SEED project in Alappuzhaand how these students responded to a specific environmental issue. Theobjective of the case presentation is to highlight the importance of ecologicalliteracy and the ways in which school-based environmental programmesmay facilitate environmental education and subsequent activism. Thisarticle describes a situation which arose in Alappuzha where the districtauthorities moved to cut down trees along the canal-side as part of a
beautification project. The trees were an important habitat for a range ofwetland birds and were ecologically connected to the broader canal and
wetland systems of the district, an internationally recognized Ramsar site.Students involved in the SEED project engaged in protest actions in
response to this situation, mobilizing both media and wider communitysupport, resulting in an effective change. This paper argues that such
environmental education, focused on developing ecological literacy, is animportant step in securing an ecologically sustainable future