One cannot love what one does not know. 

~Arja Kaasinen & Anttoni Kervinen, Ulkona Opettamisen Käsikirja

Promoting a sustainable future involves making choices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This includes conserving natural resources, reducing waste and pollution, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. Education plays a vital role by fostering awareness, responsibility, and innovation in individuals and communities. 

One benefit of living in Finland for four months was experiencing the country's commitment and progress toward a sustainable future. Whether it's through everyday efforts like sorting waste and providing accessible public transportation, or large scale programs that protect biodiversity or create renewable energy, it's clear that sustainability is a priority throughout the country.  

Many researchers and policy makers believe that sustainable breakthrough is essential to the future of life on our planet.  The "breakthrough" would be the emergence of an approach where all actions of society promote sustainable development.  The United Nations' Agenda 2030 offers a blueprint for progress toward this breakthrough. 

In order for this breakthrough to happen, an environmental awakening and new kind of understanding of the changes in the state of the world are needed.  This requires the cooperation of all sectors.

• Teaching outdoors can be a means of achieving this eye-opening.  Additionally, teaching outdoors increases mental and physical well-being, which are related to many aspects of sustainable development. 

• Nature education supports the lifelong learning process in such a way that human actions become respectful of nature. 

• Actions are needed at all levels of society.

 (Kaasinen, 2023)     

It's possible for schools to influence the promotion of sustainability in many ways:

• The change to a sustainable world cannot happen without a change in people's values and behavior

• When a person learns to observe and study the environment, they notice changes taking place in them. 

•  Goal is to increase people’s understanding of the limits of nature and the planet as a whole.  

Because outdoor teaching emphasizes observation above all else, it can be considered to provide a strong foundation for sustainability thinking and its value perspectives.  Therefore, it can be said that outdoor teaching, as a pedagogical activity, is central to making a sustainability breakthrough. 

"Education is a key discipline in realizing sustainability breakthrough."

(Cantell, 2023)

Education helps you find your place in the world:

• awareness of one’s place in communities, societies, and the world

• a civilized world is characterized by peace with one’s self and external realities

• the experience of being on a journey is essential in civilization, so that the possibility of human growth is preserved

• when becoming civilized, a person learns to look at the world from new perspectives, the existence of which they were not aware of before (imagination helps with this…imagine yourself in the position of another person, as a plant, etc.)

When you feel that you belong to the chain of generations, the responsibility arises for what kind of trace of one’s life is left.  In Finland, Sami (native to Lapland region) huts are used as a local example of sustainable living. 

Planetary civilization ensures that we humans are able to nurture the conditions for a diverse life by imagining ourselves in the position of those who will come after us.

(Salonen, 2023)

“We must learn to live well, even in the midst of destruction, while constantly re-understanding who we are and who “we” belong to.”

(Haraway, 2016)