Declaration for Action: Tina W

By Tina Whittington

Appreciating Nature

Sometimes when I am running, I look up to see the geese flying overhead and listen to their honking, I see the grass and swear I can hear it growing too when the rains have landed and the sun comes out, I watch the clouds gather and transform themselves, I note the uniqueness of each tree and the marks she has carved out in her years, and I see the flowers in each their peculiar beauty as they reach upwards and outwards. These things do not belong to me – they belong to us, and to the future generations.

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability is about the long lasting equilibrium between man and nature; with man being aware and concerned about the biosphere on our planet, with man being ready to act to live within our means to secure the chances for the next generations to live a good life. The biosphere is the sum of all ecosystems and it is all that we have. Knowing this makes me swallow hard because there is a chance that the disruption of the systems on earth will cause us to surpass more of the 9 Planetary Boundaries.

Why I want to train Stewards of Tomorrow

My motives stem from the reality that in our world, our children and youth do not gain adequate knowledge about sustainability and climate related issues. The numbers of poor are growing and they are in a stranglehold that keeps them barely hanging on to a life hardly worth living. At the same time, our way of life is creating havoc on our planet – squeezing out her internal organs and feeding them to the beasts who will not be sedated and who do not give a damn.

Rebelling

You either rebel or you do not rebel. I love that and how true it is. There is no in-between, there is no half way, there is no no-man’s land. The fact is that Open Future is under threat and Stewards of Tomorrow are required with hands and hearts connected to our natural world. This is why I find it exciting and vital to take action, training myself, and the Stewards of Tomorrow in being eco-literate. I want to dig in, dig deep, gain knowledge and understanding by reading and investigating. I want to gain an even deeper connection to the natural world and involve my students, my children, and all others around me in this.