The importance of urban green spaces

We know going for walks is a good idea to connect with the world around us, disconnect from work, get away from screens, enjoy time with family or friends, or do a bit of self-care by practising walking meditation. However, living in a busy city or an urban area does not always make this easy. Considering the high temperatures we are currently experiencing due to climate change, we might need to adjust the times we walk and where we walk. More and more towns and cities are planting and maintaining green spaces with trees and shrubs which are not only beautiful and soothing to look at but also provide immediate benefits. The air is cooler, you can sit in the shade, and everything becomes quieter which can help you feel more relaxed. Urban green spaces are important to your wellbeing, as well as other people, animals, and other vegetation sharing these spaces.

Urban green areas are vital components of cities and urban environments. These areas...

FOUNDATIONS platform launch

We are committed to providing accessible and affordable continued professional development and learning opportunities for all in the animal care and conservation community. This includes everyone from students to professors and from trainee animal care staff to CEOs: we aim to provide content that suits a wide range of people from a wide range of backgrounds, no matter how much experience you have.

That’s why we are developing and launching a brand-new platform as part of our interconnected learning experience through the AnimalConcepts membership: FOUNDATIONS!

Our new Foundations platform, bringing us up to 4 interconnected platforms, is designed to be a starting point for those who are new to the platform, need a refresher on how to use our library, or are looking for basic introductory information on the many concepts we cover across our three animal, human, and planetary wellbeing platforms.

As with all resources on all our platforms, these...

“I realised this isn’t new, this interconnection, this view of holistic understandings of who we are… back to indigenous cultures” - Sam Crowell

This podcast utilises the audio from the webinar that took place on 30 April 2021 on the Planetary wellbeing platform by AnimalConcepts.

Let us welcome Dr Sam M. Crowell Jr. He is a professor emeritus from California State University, San Bernardino. He founded the MA in Holistic and Integrative Education and is a founding member of the Network in Spirituality and Education. He serves as a faculty member of the Earth Charter Education Center for Sustainable Development and has been engaged in the Earth Charter movement for several years.
Sam informs us how his beginnings with his doctorate in the social foundations of education, influenced his career as a teacher. He enthused about how teaching, allows for collaboration and further learning. Furthermore, he highlights how his indigenous heritage has given influenced...

“Education can change minds, if you can change minds, you can change mindsets, you change the behaviours and change the collective, so it is crucial”. - Alicia

This week’s podcast utilises the audio from the webinar interview led by Alicia Jiménez which took place on the 29th of January 2021 from the AnimalConcepts platform.

Let us welcome Alicia Jiménez, the Director of Programmes at the Earth Charter International Secretariat in Costa Rica. She has been working in the field of conservation and sustainable development since 1998.

The conversation discusses why it is essential to work together to maintain nature. However, this would require a new mindset, through cultural transformation to expand our perception and rethink our values. Education is a key player in this and can influence change. The Earth Charter can be used as a guideline to produce lessons.

The Earth Charter is a working document, containing sixteen principles within four pillars in...

"It’s important to emphasise that a key purpose of the Earth Charter is to expand and deepen a consciousness with regards to how we ought to relate not only with ourselves, and with others, but also how we ought to relate with the large living world." - Mirian Vilela

Let us welcome Mirian Vilela who is the Executive Director of the Earth Charter International Secretariat and the Centre for Education for Sustainable Development at the University for Peace (UPEACE). Additionally, Mirian coordinates the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development with the Earth Charter.

Mirian first introduces us to her upbringing in Brazil on her father's farm, and how this cultivated a connection to nature.

Irma and Mirian then discuss what is the Earth Charter, how it was born from common human shared values and how the Earth Charter played a key role in Mirian’s life, giving her a voice. They also share the importance of telling stories to promote system thinking to establish...