APPENDIX 36
Memorandum from the Royal Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
1. The RSPCA welcomes the opportunity to
comment on the issues highlighted for consideration by the sub-committee
2. We would suggest that ESD is more than
learning to live more sustainable lifestyles. Knowledge and understanding
about the concept is important. However an important consideration
must be how do we change values, and therefore behaviour, so that
individuals contribute to sustainable living?
3. In terms of formal education, what strategies
are in place to ensure that what young people learn about sustainable
living in the classroom are actually in practice in the whole
school environment? What opportunities are young people given
to bring about more sustainable practices within the school? Young
people are experts at identifying the "do what I say, not
what I do" philosophy.
4. Sustainable living requires effort and
quite often has cost implications, schools need to be provided
with incentives to become more sustainable. At the present time,
how many Ofsted reports comment on the school as a model of sustainable
living?
5. If the government are committed to "helping
us all live sustainable lifestyles" then there does need
to be a coherent national strategy. With reference to formal education,
this needs to ensure that all government departments and agencies
are required to have "helping us to live more sustainable
lifestyles" as part of their remit.
February 2003
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