S2, E12: Is education our only hope? We need to talk about eco-anxiety
In the final episode of season 2, We Need to Talk about Eco-Anxiety, Clover explores the role education plays in understanding global eco-anxiety and mitigating the climate crisis.
First up, Clover meets with Joe Brindle, founder of the Teach the Future campaign, to learn why our education on the climate crisis has been limited and whether or not it was a deliberate attempt to restrict awareness. We then hear from people around the world experiencing eco-anxiety and advocating for more educational resources on the topic; and finally, Leslie Madema, head of learning at Green School International, to understand what an educational system that prioritises teachings about sustainability and the climate crisis looks like.
Featuring…
Joe Brindle, 19-year-old climate activist and founder of Teach the Future campaign
Joe Brindle is a 19-year-old climate activist and the founder of the Teach the Future campaign. Teach the Future is a youth-led campaign to urgently repurpose the entire education system around the climate emergency and ecological crisis in the UK.
Three things we talked about in the episode:
How Joe woke up to the climate crisis as a present reality, rather than a future threat
Why our education on the climate crisis has been limited
The power of education to mobilise society en-masse
Caroline Hickman, resident psychotherapist
Caroline is a psychotherapist from the University of Bath, who has spent years researching children and young people’s relationships with nature and feelings about the climate and ecological crisis; in the UK, Maldives, South Pacific and other communities already affected by rising sea levels.
In their conversation, Caroline and Clover discuss how so much of our eco-anxiety stems from the fact that the climate emergency is not being treated like one, and how can we channel our eco-anxiety into agency and action.
Leslie Madema, Head of Learning for Green School International Bali
Jennifer Morgan is the executive director of Greenpeace International. Greenpeace is a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
In their conversation, Jennifer discusses what's driving the climate and biodiversity crisis; and what we urgently need to do to end it.
Quotes from the episode
"Our climate education is particularly bad in the UK. The new curriculum changes have tried to push out anything remotely political but what that has done is push out anything societal. And that includes climate change."
- Joe Brindle
"My problem with our education system is how it prioritises individualism; how well you'll do in an exam, how smart you are in a traditional way. And that individualism is missing a huge part of the community. Which is a problem because the climate crisis affects us as a society."
- Leslie Madema
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Read the Bloom
Is education our only hope?
Eco-anxiety is a new concept, yet a familiar feeling. Do I worry about the friendly critters we will never again see because of the rapidly changing climate around us? Without a doubt…
Have you listened to season 1 yet?
In this 9-part series, Clover sits down with the people who are leading the charge: from the woman who started a global movement out of her backyard; to the lawyer responsible for the world’s most historic climate agreement; and a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
A Force of Nature and OneFinePlay production
Director: Clover Hogan
Studio: OneFinePlay
Executive producer: James Bishop
Editor & producer: Kasra Firouzyar
Producer & researcher: Connor Foley
Additional creative support: Selena Christofides
With special thanks to everyone who makes Force of Nature possible!
Phoebe Hanson, Kathleen Hamilton, Alejandra Arias, Sacha Wright, Julia Sams, Vida Han, Zineb Jaoudat and Rohan Shah.