A Picture of Sustainability
By Natalie Safra
Graduate student in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
Amid all subjects taught in schools, sustainability should be considered as important as mathematics and as noteworthy as language skills.
Sustainability cannot be separate from other courses; it must be integrated with every subject taught—every class, every course, every program. Economists should learn about the benefits of green investments. Designers and artists should learn to work with renewable materials. Business students should focus on creating sustainable businesses that thrive on giving back to their communities. Agriculture and nutrition programs should focus on the importance of eating local, organically grown food. Everything students learn about sustainability will be implemented as they find their place in the real world.
Having the knowledge of sustainability is one part of the formula; another valuable aspect is the ability to lead others in the direction of sustainability.
While studying in higher education settings, students should be able to gain leadership skills by having a curriculum focused on group projects. Collaboration is a key component of sustainability, and this type of education will help students learn how to communicate effectively so they can bring their skills to the outside world. Leadership abilities, combined with sustainability knowledge in a higher education setting, can assist future professionals in guiding our world toward sustainability.
People need inspiration—they need to see sustainability as a puzzle where every individual has a place and all pieces are required to make the picture whole. And, as for what the picture will be, have confidence that it will be a brighter shade of green.
Return to Embracing the Unknown
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- Restructuring Our Business Model
- Helping Those Who Have It the Toughest
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- The Realities of This Recession
- Taking the Long-Term Perspective
- Change Is in Our DNA