Cultivating Care and Connection: Preparing the Soil for a Just and Sustainable Society

Feminists and ecofeminists argue that relatedness and the care that emerges from this underlie an ethical response to other people, beings, and the planet, itself. The ability and willingness to care may well be the matrix within which a society characterized by ecological sustainability and social justice can be cultivated. Educators concerned about moving our society in these directions must find ways to engender a sense of connectedness and responsibility in their students. The Environmental Middle School in Portland, Oregon, has created a rich variety of learning experiences that model, explore, and affirm the practice of care in an effort to encourage young adolescents to become engaged and ecologically literate citizens.