Building bridges, not walls: exploring the environmental education ecosystem

Abstract

If you are reading this, there is a strong chance you care about making the world a better place. As academics in higher education, nonprofit professionals, and global citizens, we, too, care about the urgent, interconnected issues facing people and the planet. For more than four decades, we have worked in the environmental, sustainability, arts, evaluation, and education spaces and, among us, have done so in formal, nonformal, and informal settings. Moreover, in addition to the varied identities that we bring to our work, we recognize ourselves as environmental education (EE) professionals, agreeing with Monroe et al. (2008) who say that EE is a philosophy, approach, tool, and profession. Strengthening this profession through enhancing its efficacy, relevance, and ability to make change in the world requires augmenting connections with related professions and disciplines, for the benefit of all.