Sastamalan Opisto Sustainable Development – European Views Kari Kotiranta Sastamalan Opisto Onkiniemenkatu 1, Sastamala

Sastamalan Opisto Nature (s) _AL -project Sastamala Community College has studied sustainable development as part of the Grundtvig Learning Partnership. The study included adult education institutions from Spain, Italy, Portugal and Finland.

Sastamalan Opisto Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Individual human beings have a vital role in sustainable development through their choices and through their actions.

Sastamalan Opisto The theoretical basis of the stydy is phenomenological approach. Approach does not have much interest in how things actually are, but in how this will reflect in human consciousness, how people are experiencing things.

Sastamalan Opisto The key concept of this approach is meaning relationships. Human is realised in the three basic modes of existence: consciousness, corporeality, and situationality

Sastamalan Opisto Consciousness can form a number of meaning relationships to the same object. They are not necessarily coherent; instead they may be in conflict with each other. People make meaning relationships with their environment objects.

Sastamalan Opisto People make meaning relationships with their environment objects. They can be as simple as "it is important to recycle old clothing" or "it is important separating waste".

Sastamalan Opisto Meaning relationships comes up with conflicting statements such as: "It is important and useful to compost waste" and "one always has to take the waste to the compost."

Sastamalan Opisto 1. Whether the idea of sustainable development is understood in the same way in all countries - whether or not the contents of people’s consciousness is the same in relation to sustainable development; 2. What people like to do for sustainable development in different countries; 3. What are the visions for the future in these countries.

Sastamalan Opisto Country School Students Spain Espiral Entitat de Serveis 56 Italy Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca 19 Italy Universitá delle LiberEtá del 50 Portugal FvgUniversidade Senior Evora 25 Finland Sastamalan Opisto 37 Total 142

Sastamalan Opisto 1. What are the world's worst problems 2. What is sustainable development - in your opinion? 3. Describe how you participate in promoting sustainable development. 4. What kinds of problems are there in realising sustainable development? 5. Is sustainable development possible? 6. If you had the power to solve the problems of environmental protection and sustainable development, what would you do?

Sastamalan Opisto Q1 Spain (Espiral Entitat de Serveis). War and violence, Human inequality, education, illiteracy, Disregard of other people, The desire to control and subdue other people Italy (Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca). Human inequality, education, illiteracy, Energy production inconsistent with nature, War and violence, Waste of natural resources, forests, fields Italy (Universitá delle LiberEtá del Fvg) War and violence, Human inequality, education, illiteracy, Intolerance towards other people and other cultures, Waste of natural resources, forests, fields Portugal (Universidade Senior Evora). Economic competition between states, Unjust world order, inequality, Climate change, carbon footprint, Pollution of nature, industry, waste, poisons Finland (Sastamala Community College). Pollution of nature, industry, waste, poisons Climate change, carbon footprint, Excessive population growth, War and violence

Sastamalan Opisto Q2 Spain (Espiral Entitat de Serveis). Recyclable products, An investment for future generations, Sustainable development ensures resources for future, Products are ecological, and do not strain the environment Italy (Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca). Recyclable products, Using public transport, walking or cyclin, Person's personal needs are in harmony with natural resources, An investment for future generations Italy (Universitá delle LiberEtá del Fvg). An investment for future generations, Recyclable products, Using public transport, walking or cycling, Sustainable development ensures resources for future Portugal (Universidade Senior Evora). Sustainable development ensures resources for future, An investment for future generations, Production does not overload, destroy or waste natural resources, Person's personal needs are in harmony with natural resources Finland (Sastamala Community College). Production does not overload, destroy or waste natural resources, Nature and human relationship - a balance, Recyclable products, Person's own choices burden the environment as little as possible and thus save the environment

Sastamalan Opisto Q3 Spain (Espiral Entitat de Serveis). Advising others on how to have an ecological lifestyle, Sorting waste, Taking the train or bus, public transport, Avoiding unnecessary air travel Italy (Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca). Advising for ecological lifestyle, such as recycling, Recycling, Saving energy, Sorting waste Italy (Universitá delle LiberEtá del Fvg). Sorting waste, Advising for ecological lifestyle, such as recycling, Taking the train or bus, public transport, Walking or cycling, Portugal (Universidade Senior Evora). Saving energy, Participating in activities that promote sustainable development, Recycling, No violence, tolerance towards people who think differently from yourself Finland (Sastamala Community College). Recycling, Sorting waste, Not buying unnecessary food and goods, Buying organic food, cooking at home / home- made food

Sastamalan Opisto Q4 Spain (Espiral Entitat de Serveis). Ignorance, lack of education, Active citizenship (a positive opportunity), No commonly agreed rules for sustainable development, Greed, selfishness Italy (Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca). Ignorance, lack of education, No commonly agreed rules for sustainable development, Own ecological life is a possibility (a positive opportunity), Society's aspirations do not support sorting waste Italy (Universitá delle LiberEtá del Fvg). Ignorance, lack of education, Active citizenship (a positive opportunity), No commonly agreed rules for sustainable development, Can promote sustainable development only for oneself Portugal (Universidade Senior Evora). Economic growth being a key target, Society's aspirations do not support sorting waste, The law does not support sustainable development, Laziness, unwillingness, greed, selfishness Finland (Sastamala Community College). Laziness, unwillingness, greed, selfishness, stupidity, lack of thinking, Economic growth being a key target, Ignorance, lack of education, The law does not support sustainable development

Sastamalan Opisto Q5 Spain (Espiral Entitat de Serveis). If you want to commit to sustainable development (Yes), Requires a change of attitude and increased level of knowledge (Yes), Guided by those who want to learn (Yes), Large companies are not interested in promoting sustainable development, it is not good business (No) Italy (Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca). Requires a change of attitude and increased level of knowledge (Yes), If people really want it (Yes), Working together to promote it (Yes), New generations are raised to promote sustainable development (Yes) Italy (Universitá delle LiberEtá del Fvg). If you want to commit to sustainable development (Yes), Requires a change of attitude and increased level of knowledge (Yes), Guided by those who want to learn (Yes), New generations are raised to promote sustainable development (Yes) Portugal (Universidade Senior Evora). Yes, this represented 100% of the respondents Finland (Sastamala Community College). If people really want it (Yes), Requires a change of attitude and increased level of knowledge (Yes), At individual level it is (Yes), Society committed to continuous economical growth (No)

Sastamalan Opisto Q6 Spain (Espiral Entitat de Serveis). Educating new life values and attitudes, World-wide sustainable development education program, More equitable distribution of wealth in the world, Clean and efficient energy production, New technological innovations should be introduced Italy (Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca). More information, New technological innovations should be introduced, Clean and efficient energy production, Local production, local food, organic food Italy (Universitá delle LiberEtá del Fvg). Educating new life values and attitudes, World- wide sustainable development education program, Clean and efficient energy production, Fiscal and other incentives Portugal (Universidade Senior Evora). Efficient food production, Reducing unnecessary consumption, World-wide sustainable development education program, Clean and efficient energy production Finland (Sastamala Community College). Fiscal and other incentives, Educating new life values and attitudes, Education reform, Local production, local food, organic food

Sastamalan Opisto 1. Is the idea of sustainable development understood in the same way in all countries participating in this study? Are the contents of people’s consciousness the same in relation to sustainable development? All six of the survey questions answer this question. People's experiences are somewhat different. In Finland, sustainable development is understood as a matter for individuals, whereas in southern Europe it is understood as a community matter.

Sastamalan Opisto 2. What do people like to do for sustainable development in different countries? The answer is mainly given in the replies to question 3, describing how students participate in sustainable development. In Finland, the contribution to sustainable development will be made at home - recycling, sorting, composting, etc. In the southern European countries, people give advice to each other, participate in events, are learning, are seeking information etc.

Sastamalan Opisto 3. What are the visions of the future in these countries? The answers for this are found mostly in questions 2 and 5, defining sustainable development and whether it is possible. In Spain and Italy, the thoughts seem to be that sustainable development is an investment for the future and new generations must also be involved. In Finland people think that by means of taxation and incentives it is possible to contribute to sustainable development.

Sastamalan Opisto Thank You The Natur(s)_AL Project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author and the Commission can not be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained there in.