“I realised this isn’t new, this interconnection, this view of holistic understandings of who we are… back to indigenous cultures” - Sam Crowell

This podcast utilises the audio from the webinar that took place on 30 April 2021 on the Planetary wellbeing platform by AnimalConcepts.

Let us welcome Dr Sam M. Crowell Jr. He is a professor emeritus from California State University, San Bernardino. He founded the MA in Holistic and Integrative Education and is a founding member of the Network in Spirituality and Education. He serves as a faculty member of the Earth Charter Education Center for Sustainable Development and has been engaged in the Earth Charter movement for several years.
Sam informs us how his beginnings with his doctorate in the social foundations of education, influenced his career as a teacher. He enthused about how teaching, allows for collaboration and further learning. Furthermore, he highlights how his indigenous heritage has given influenced his teaching style and sense of identity. They then discuss the influence of culture, both animal and human, and how understanding them could be used to encourage a peaceful future.

“All my relations are our saving grace, it points to the truth that we are all connected. The most important word is ALL, not just those that behave like me, all, every person…” - Sam reading from Richard Wagamese’s book Embers.

The podcast concludes by explaining the prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor. The eagle represents human technological advancements, the condor represents spirit. The prophecy states that every 500 years their prevalence switches, however, currently, both birds are flying.

Read about Sam Crowell HERE
Read about the Visible and Non-Visible Nature of Collaboration in Education HERE
Find out about the book; Embers by Richard Wagamese HERE
Find out about Sam’s Science and Spirituality course HERE

“Education can change minds, if you can change minds, you can change mindsets, you change the behaviours and change the collective, so it is crucial”. - Alicia

This week’s podcast utilises the audio from the webinar interview led by Alicia Jiménez which took place on the 29th of January 2021 from the AnimalConcepts platform.

Let us welcome Alicia Jiménez, the Director of Programmes at the Earth Charter International Secretariat in Costa Rica. She has been working in the field of conservation and sustainable development since 1998.

The conversation discusses why it is essential to work together to maintain nature. However, this would require a new mindset, through cultural transformation to expand our perception and rethink our values. Education is a key player in this and can influence change. The Earth Charter can be used as a guideline to produce lessons.

The Earth Charter is a working document, containing sixteen principles within four pillars in sixty languages to promote a global impact by teaching a new way to relate to other living beings.

“Across zoos and aquariums, not many people I have spoken to have heard about the Earth Charter. So it is wonderful that we converse together to spread the word, the message and the values”. – Sabrina

Alicia, Irma and Sabrina then discuss the benefits of weaving stories into education especially in a zoo environment to create relatability and therefore teach people how valuable all life is.

“The Earth Charter has a global effect, putting together how we should live on this planet”. - Irma

Read about Alicia Jiménez HERE
Read the Earth Charter preamble HERE

This week’s podcast utilises the audio from the webinar interview led by Irma Verhoeven which took place on the 31st of May 2021 from the AnimalConcepts platform.

Let us welcome Tracey Starke, the founder of the environmental news website Ecolightenment, which brings together positive environmental news from mainstream media, as well as smaller NGOs to highlight the important work these groups are carrying out.

The circular economy is a way of living in harmony with our ecological systems and restoring them. It is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.

The conversation begins by discussing what a circular economy means to them and their industry. Circular economy is a method to live and restore the ecological systems by dealing with waste and keeping materials in use. From this, they examine methods in which to reduce waste within the animal industry, including the importance of stories in promoting change and the outcome of shifting minds.

Read about Ecolightenment HERE