"The sustainable art studio" by Ivan asin - "what is education for?" by David Orr

In this article “The sustainable Art Studio: Finding the Voice of Art in Education for Sustainable Development. Green Teacher, 116, p. 12-15”, Ivan Asin, shares his experience and describes how he overcame the obstacles, developing a sustainable art studio in different settings, with different people and with limited funds and resources.
What an inspiring idea to educate students to create more sustainable visual art inspired by social and ecological issues that the world is facing today?

While people are more connected to each other in the city than in the country side, they also are disconnected from nature. By creating collaborative work, finding solutions together, we are able to bring change and increase awareness about the environment.

I live in a green city, by the forest and in the middle of the mountains. Finding natural resources is not the problem, but growing interest into sustainable lifestyle and art is more difficult. 
Through my work with recycled materials, I share my knowledge and show people how to see things differently, and with time, they finally develop interest. 

I share Ivan Asin’s vision that even though it is a lot of work to make simple changes and see results, it is still worth it. Educating our community and children today will help future generations evolve towards a more sustainable world. But is teaching new values to children through creative activities the only way? Do we have to review the principles of the education?

In this very interesting article "What is education for?” by David Orr, the author reviews the foundations of the modern education, and offers new principles to set up in our educative system.
Statistics and the observation of the state of a dying planet is striking. Is it too late to react?
​Something is missing in our modern education. Too more theories to the detriment of more practice and meaningful activities, and understanding about our future. It looks like the new principles that the author proposes are simple, natural and do-able. For me the question is always the same, we have the solutions, but how to make people and administration change without showing the example?

As a newborn in the sustainability lifestyle and emergent teacher, this article just “shook” me and inspired me at the same time. As a mom of 3, I am very motivated to continue teaching new values to my kids, as an artist, I feel even more and more involved in sharing sustainable creativity to open minds and consciousness to compensate the lack of ecological education in our school. I also believe that changes are coming, habits are improving, people are ready to live better (changing their diet, doing exercises), and live with care, (starting recycling and upcycling – like a new popular way of life, “ une mode”) , even if it’s not enough yet, I am positive, hopeful and I am very proud to contribute.