Cultivating an ethos of eco-literacy

With the global human population recently reaching 7 billion inhabitants, the effect this is having on the planet has been well charted: resource depletion, the numerous and complex effects of anthropomorphic pollution including that of global warming and all against a back drop where the difference between the world's richest and poorest is phenomenal. As an educator working within an initial teacher education institution, this chapter outlines my passion for wanting to make a difference and the part I can play in helping starting teachers to understand these planetary issues and the need to develop a curriculum for eco-literacy.