Education Earth in Mind: Integrating Environmental Themes in the Philosophy Classroom

In the last years of the 20th century, David W. Orr (1994) wrote that “all education is environmental”. A decade earlier, Hans Jonas (1984) had called upon humanity to embrace its ethical responsibility to safeguard the planet for future generations. Maxine Greene (1997) emphasized the notion of teaching as possibility and the role of teachers to “confront the dread and keep alive the sense of a possible happiness”. Nel Noddings (2016) advocated for a pedagogy of care and trust. Gregory Cajete (1994), Cajete (2015)) and Melissa Nelson (2008) highlighted the interconnectedness of Indigenous knowledge and environmental stewardship. Gert Biesta (2021) pointed to the “missing dimension” in education, stressing that the essential question is “what learners will do with what they have learned”. These foundational ideas align with a growing movement in the philosophy of education that seeks to "ecologize" its principles by re-examining fundamental assumptions about the relationship between philosophy, education, and the environment. (Affifi et al. 2017, Humphreys and Blenkinsop 2017, Stratford 2019, Fang et al. 2023). In Bulgarian high schools, students from 8th to 12th grade take weekly philosophy and civic education classes, which contribute to the development of their thinking skills, help them understand their personal experiences, and build them as individuals (Vardjiiska 2011). These classes can become an exciting adventure that provides the opportunity to implement new teaching and learning techniques (Gerdjikov 2019). The Bulgarian curricula recommend establishing interdisciplinary connections, but it is essential for the teacher to consciously and consistently strive to implement them. Philosophy and civic education classes can be a place to discuss connections between disciplines and especially their real-world interactions. Because the most effective way of explaining the value of philosophy is to show that it could be useful outside the classroom (Elchinov and Nikolova 2017). This study explores why philosophy teachers should integrate discussions on urgent environmental themes into their curricula and how they can effectively do so to stimulate students’ ecological consciousness. The author suggests that philosophy and civic education classrooms have the potential to become spaces for critical reflection on socio-ecological challenges. The hypothesis is that even a short, adaptable five-lesson model can empower philosophy teachers in Bulgarian high schools to begin integrating environmental themes into their practice, positioning them as catalysts for socio-ecological transformation in education. This approach advocates for a bottom-up systemic change, equipping educators with the tools to enhance students’ ecological awareness and their ability to critically analyze global environmental challenges. Such skills are essential for future citizens of our planet tasked with ensuring sustainable living conditions on Earth and safeguarding the continuity of civilization. As James Lovelock (2019) envisioned: "We can do something to save ourselves by learning to think". Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, this research presents a five-lesson model designed to foster philosophical inquiry and environmental awareness. The model incorporates discussions, project-based learning, and critical engagement with ecological issues. Additionally, it involves the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) by the students to stimulate their curiosity, test ethical scenarios, and support interdisciplinary exploration, while also encouraging reflection on potential biases in AI-generated narratives about environmental problems, their causes, consequences, and solutions (Van Der Ven et al. 2025). The suggested educational programming draws inspiration also from the ideas and outcomes of effective practices (Stevenson et al. 2013) аnd benefits from the expertise of philosophy educators in high-schools. Teacher agency is discussed, as well as the cultures, structures and relationships that shape the particular ‘ecologies’ within which teachers work (Priestley et al. 2018). By bridging traditional philosophy and ethics with educational practice, this research explores the intersection of philosophical education and ecology, underscoring the critical role of teacher agency in addressing urgent environmental issues. The suggested five-lesson model aims to foster ecological consciousness in philosophy classes and to promote 21st century education with Earth in mind.