Article Review: Ethics in Action

John P. Engel and Daniel Sturgis’s article, Ethics in Action: Adopting an Environmental Practice, in the Green Teacher suggests that environmental ethics are closely tied to one’s environmental education. They propose that if teachers can help students understand environmental practices then students will come to realize that their own actions are indeed significant. To explore this idea, Engel and Sturgis’s challenged college students to undertake one act that would help to improve the health of the earth. The choice they indicated does not necessarily have to be large, but rather measurable with its results. For instance, if one opts to increase their recycling then one should maintain a written log indicating the total weight of the recyclables they collected and recycled. Or if a person wants to minimize their water consumption through the reduction of toilet flushes they could chart their actions by keeping a running tally on a clipboard by the toilet. These actions are small admittedly, but by keeping an ongoing record of the outcomes students will be able to develop a realistic sense with regards to their studied issue and will also be able to quantify the impact of their actions. Soon following, one could branch out and employ similar exercises to other problems and therefore recognize the impact that they are able to make. Such a concept is important because as Engel and Sturgis mention many students feel overwhelmed with the reports of our deteriorating environment. Often because they don’t know where to start as many see environmental matters as being out of their reach. However as Engel and Sturgis’s article shows, there are numerous methods that teachers can employ to show students that they can generate change and that these sorts of small actions do in fact add up. This article used college students in the exercises, but it is mentioned that the same approaches can also be implemented for grades K-12.

Admittedly this article does not offer any sort of groundbreaking content, meaning that it is not sharing some elaborate environmental breakthrough. But it is of value to educators for its directive is trying to reduce the feelings of helplessness amongst students and show them that they do have the power to bring about positive environmental changes. To some, the suggested environmental proposals will sound basic, but regardless there are always different aspects that individuals can improve upon. Therefore with today’s environmental issues becoming increasingly significant, this is a subject that should not be neglected but rather appreciation should be awarded to those that can incorporate it into their curriculum.