Curriculum 21 - Chapter 10

In general, I have enjoyed reading Heidi Hayes Jacob’s Curriculum 21.  That being said, I found Chapter Ten: “Educating for a Sustainable Future” by Jaimie P. Cloud to be absolutely unreadable.  It’s not that it was difficult to read, but it read a lot like a late-night infomercial for the author’s business: the Cloud Institute.

I’m certain that the Cloud Institute does good things and that their methods and curriculum can help schools and students to create a sustainable future, but the entire chapter seemed to be an advertisement for something that the author wanted the reader to buy into.

Although I am not impressed by the chapter, I am all for green initiatives and sustainability.  It is the only way that we will be able to create a livable future for future generations.  In the past few years, Penobscot Job Corps has made great strides towards becoming more green and sustainable.  We switched to Natural Gas, increased our recycling while decreasing our trash, reduced water use by 30%, and started a non-irrigated vegetable garden (irrigated with only collected water).  All of these improvements made Penobscot Job Corps the second recipient of the title “Center of Environmental Excellence.”  About three years ago the curriculum committee at the national level also instituted “Green” requirements for each student to meet in their vocational training program.  For instance, two of the Welding items are “Explain how the use of safe welding practices in accordance with OSHA and EPA guidelines are designed to protect the environment and workers” and “Give several examples of reducing waste in welding.”