The opaque 21st C reversed polarity default paradigm: ON
Tom Puk 1 *
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1 Faculty of Education, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, CANADA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Keeping pace with the ever-changing global landscape in terms of energy usage, carbon footprint and resource extraction is critical for environmental education (EE). For most of modern human history, the standard behavior for every day, household or institutional use of electricity in appliances, vehicles and lighting has been ‘off until turned on’. 21st century use of electricity in information and communications technologies including AI, ‘smart’ appliances, computers or buildings has reversed this polarity. It is argued in this paper that the new polarity is “ON” and that this opaque phenomenon may be creating a mindset involving “inattentive blindness” and “culpable ignorance” in regard to digital pollution. Rather than promoting an ecologically conscious mindset that critically examines personal and community involvement, this new, anesthetized mindset is flowing in an uncritical direction. EE curriculum needs to provide a critical focus on digital pollution and digital sobriety.

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED, Volume 20, Issue 4, 2024, Article No: e2419

https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/15202

Publication date: 01 Oct 2024

Online publication date: 25 Sep 2024

Article Views: 224

Article Downloads: 80

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