Ecoliterate: How Educators are Cultivating Emotional, Social, and Ecological Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Lisa Bennett and Zenobia Barlow (review)

What does it mean to be ecologically literate? For decades, scientists, educators, activists, sociologists, and psychologists have attempted to put boundaries around the term. This book is not original in its comprehensive treatment of the ecological literacy concept (e.g., Jordan et al. 2009, Berkowitz et al. 2005, etc.). What is original and certainly worth consideration, however, is that the authors not only unapologetically provide a number of inspiring “you know it when you see it” stories of how individuals become ‘eco-literate’, but also provide a series of guiding frameworks and thought provoking challenges that push the conversation beyond semantics.

Goleman, Bennett, and Barlow, each with a wealth of scholarly experience on the topic, spare only a brief number of pages to introduce the book and the major ideas on which their notion of ecoliteracy is based. Stemming from Goleman’s previous work on social and emotional learning, ecological intelligence is defined as the integration of empathy, seeing others’ perspectives, and cooperation, with an understanding of and respect for natural systems. While some may not support the extension on Gardner’s multiple intelligences, most will find common ground in the authors’ support for habits of mind that stress asking questions and finding support for ideas using multiple sources of information. Further, the authors encourage empathy, metacognition, and general systems thinking. Equally appealing is that not only is the definition of ecoliterate developed, but it is greatly elaborated on with practices that characterize ecoliterate persons. Such practices can form the basis for both long and short term learning goals that are clear and relevant, and hopefully, tenable.

The authors share compelling and highly readable accounts of activists and educators in the United States. They also provide varying perspectives on cosmopolitan issues of energy, water, and food through authentic stories that inspire but do not sugar coat. The stories are focused on community issues, rather than environmental problems. The combination of direct quotes and summary accounts make for an easy read. The authors, however, do not let the reader stop there. Thought provoking side boxes that encourage a broader perspective, in combination with some test-your-knowledge boxes, allow for greater reader participation. Additionally, there are thought questions at the end of each section that range from topical to in-depth consideration. Most will likely leave these accounts with a blended sense of activism and education. Others will perhaps be humbled by the perseverance and patience of the change agents whose lives are committed to a society of community and environmentally responsible action.

The last section of the book provides a practical structure for professional development in the area of fostering “socially and emotionally engaged ecoliteracy,” a phrase used by the authors throughout the book. While this structure can be used by any group interested in ecoliteracy, this section seems focused on professional formal and informal educators. Here the authors manage well the difficult task of being general enough to have broad appeal, yet specific enough to be practicable. This section ends by returning the reader to different sections of the book with reflective questions that can help educators initiate discussions with colleagues.

In academic circles, justification that individuals, communities, governments, and other institutions should act with environmental responsibility no longer seems warranted. Questions about defining responsibility, prioritizing action, who should pay and when, etc., will likely guide endless discussions in the near future. For right now, however, these authors are encouraging engagement, which not only involves action but also self. Ecological literacy, as many have defined, may not entirely capture the emergent elements of creativity, cooperation, and communication that define individuals at any given time and within any given community. In each story featured, it is clear that in the face of great uncertainty, communities must continually initiate, evaluate, and negotiate difficult conversations that at their core have an important...