Life on land

Learners in groups are asked to enter in the Environmental Justice Atlas and look for socio-environmental conflicts around biodiversity. They are asked to choose one, and gather the information and arguments of each side of the conflict (i.e. company extracting natural resource, government, local community and activist, foreign NGOs, etc.). Each member of the group takes the role of an actor and analyses the arguments of this actor, building a SWOT analysis grid (Strengths; Weaknesses; Opportunities; Threats). The groups present their analysis to the class.

Learners are then asked to produce a compromise solution from the perspective of their actor in the role-play. These solutions are discussed among the members of the group to make them stronger: what negative impacts are reduced? What potential benefits? How to hold accountability?

Finally, the whole group of learners assesses the solutions presented in terms of their credibility and plausibility. For this assessment, the barometer activity will be applied, in which learners distribute physically in the space according to their degree of agreement.

Each group will then go to the “Classroom Environmental Justice Court” to defend their solution to one of the courtrooms formed by fellow classmates (e.g. another group working on a different conflict). Then the “Classroom Environmental Justice Court”, after hearing all the stakeholders will have to take a decision and justify why it has taken that decision.

Learners in groups are asked to enter in the Environmental Justice Atlas and look for socio-environmental conflicts around biodiversity. They are asked to choose one, and gather the information and arguments of each side of the conflict (i.e. company extracting natural resource, government, local community and activist, foreign NGOs, etc.). Each member of the group takes the role of an actor and analyses the arguments of this actor, building a SWOT analysis grid. The groups present their analysis to the class.

Learners are then asked to produce a compromise solution from the perspective of their actor in the roleplay. These solutions are discussed among the members of the group to make them stronger: what negative impacts are reduced? What potential benefits? How to hold accountability?

Finally, the whole group of learners assesses the solutions presented in terms of their credibility and plausibility. For this assessment, the barometer activity will be applied, in which learners distribute physically in the space according to their degree of agreement.

Learners in groups are asked to enter in the Environmental Justice Atlas and look for socio-environmental conflicts around biodiversity. They are asked to choose one and gather the information and arguments of each side of the conflict (i.e. company extracting natural resource, government, local community and activist, foreign NGOs, etc.). Each member of the group takes the role of an actor and analyses the arguments of this actor, building a SWOT (Strengths; Weaknesses; Opportunities; Threats) analysis grid. The groups present their analysis to the class.

Conduct a fieldtrip to a nearby rural community. Visit the community and talk with local residents and authorities about the impact of the transformation of the community (e.g. rural tourism, abandoning of cultivation, abandoning of local varieties, reduction of farm land, etc.). Research alternative practices. Learners also meet with local and non-local activists and authorities and gather secondary data on the region and the main problems. Each group prepare a report of findings and conclusions drawn.

Introduce the concept of grassroots innovation and some of their examples such as l’atelier paysan (or others in the field of seeds, rural development, maker spaces, etc.). Discuss what grassroots innovation means and how it can be applied to the case study.

Engage with stakeholders in the fieldwork case and, using critical design thinking and grassroots innovation methodologies, involve the local community of the fieldwork in designing a solution for one of the issues raised in the previous stages.

Conduct a fieldtrip to a nearby rural community. Visit the community and talk with local residents and authorities about the impact of the transformation of the community (e.g. rural tourism, abandoning of cultivation, abandoning of local varieties, reduction of farm land, etc.). Research alternative practices. Learners also meet with local and non-local activists and authorities and gather secondary data on the region and the main problems. Each group prepare a report of findings and conclusions drawn.

Introduce the concept of grassroots innovation and some of their examples such as l’atelier paysan (or others in the field of seeds, rural development, makerspaces, etc.). Discuss what grassroots innovation means and how it can be applied to the case study.

Conduct a fieldtrip to a nearby rural community. Visit the community and talk with local residents and authorities about the impact of the transformation of the community (e.g. rural tourism, abandoning of cultivation, abandoning of local varieties, reduction of farm land, etc.). Research alternative practices. Learners also meet with local and non-local activists and authorities and gather secondary data on the region and the main problems. Each group prepare a report of findings and conclusions drawn.

Ask the learners to watch a documentary such as Joe Barker’s (2017) In our hands: seeding change about local initiatives to overpass current industrial food systems and, if possible, attend a local agro-ecological fair, producer, cooperative, etc. and learn about it. In class, discuss how shifting consumer patterns can change things and explore barriers to change. How we can change our food provision in our community? Who are the actors that can help us to make this shift?

Trailer In our hands, seeding change

Learners take note of all food products eaten in a weekend e.g. what products, where they come from, which varieties they have eaten and their price. They then research the impact of the production and transportation of these items. Share results and discuss the impact of having cheap food on natural environments and local communities. Are your income and inequality critical issues in environmental injustice? What strategies (if any) were developed to cope with budget limitations during the exercise? Can you identify/imagine other strategies?

The learners identify different “global food products” that are commonly consumed in their country and produced in different countries in different continents (both in the global north and south). They research how this product is grown, in which places, with what seeds, etc. and the impacts it has in the natural habitats and their local communities; how they “travel” to their local supermarket, etc.

Results are shared and learners discuss the implications in terms of sustainability, both environmental and social (e.g. limits, structural flaws, change needs). Learners discuss in small groups opportunities to contribute to improvements in the chain (both production, distribution and consumption) that could tackle some of these issues and what conditions should change.

The teacher commissions to groups of learners different strategic plans to introduce the preservation of biodiversity in their own school (e.g. school gardening, food provision, use of paper and communications, etc.). The learners investigate how these issues are currently dealt with in their school, what can be improved or changed and present a plan of action to be discussed in the classroom and then with the school board