Transforming Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours through Eco-spirituality and Religion

Incorporating spirituality and religious themes in environmental education is a way to link learners to their meaning systems. Research has shown that incorporation of a spiritual element in educationprovides a way for students to have authentic learning experiences and make meaning of the knowledge they acquire in the classroom. This mixed methods study examined the environmental attitudes, knowledge and actions of students in an introductory environmental science course with a spiritually infused curriculum at a community college. The quantitative data was collected from students in a survey of environmental attitudes, knowledge, and actions. Qualitative studies were conducted using a focus group to complement the quantitative data. Environmental education increases knowledge and awareness about earth’s environment and teaches skills that lead toaction that will ensure stewardship of all aspects of earth’s environment. Integration of spirituality and religious traditions in environmental education offers an alternative approach in curriculumdesign that encourages learners’ environmental attitudes and behaviors to be transformed.