Meg's Update: CSD 19:Schools-Agents for Change: 5-5-11

Today's side-event featured Professor Sue McGregor, Professor at Mt. St. Vincent Univ., Canada, as one of the keynote speakers. Her address was excellent as she compared the traditional role of Consumerism which is to prepare people to get the best value for each dollar, making reasonable purchase decisions. Her position for Schools to become Agents for Change must educate within the framework of peace, acknowledge the dignity of each person, promote a sense of responsibility for all in society, sharing together, that futures better a possibility for world unity. Professor McGregor further claimed a shift from preparing students to function in a free market, to functioning in a fair market characterized by peace, justice, security and freedom. would create a sense of caring for others, moral economies would replace the current capitalistic market maintained by consumer capitalism. She highlighted basic outcomes of Education for Sustainable Consumption can be defined as attitudes, knowledge, skills and behavior leading to: critical awareness, social responsibility, action & involvement, arriving at greater glboal solidarity.