Teaching about the environment in Japan

Abstract

"I accepted my present position teaching pure ecology, applied ecology and global environment courses in April 1998. The university provides training for future architects, town planners and engineers. Most of the courses offered are vocational, but as part of their general education, students are also required to take some elective courses such as mine. A recent review on environmentalism in Japan (1), has criticised Japanese government and industry for its overemphasis on "technological fixes" to environmental problems , at the expense of changing overall consumption patterns and public attitudes . With this in mind, I planned my course around a more holistic framework, aiming to challenge the present way of thinking and propose alternatives."