Ecological sustainability education: wisdom v's information

The 'Community Based Social Marketing' mob from Canada have studied the behaviour change impact of 'informational brochures' delivered to a community. Guess what, there is no behaviour change. Zero. As John Cleese once said, 'nothing, not a sausage.' The same goes for the "Sage on Stage" lecture: we retain 5% of what we hear.  Frank Ryan, (founder and principal of Vox Bandicoot and creator of the best community environmental education program in the world, Sustainability Street: buy the Sustainability Street book online, free for communities and students and too cheap for others!) says, "today's information is tomorrow's fish and chip wrapper."  What we need is human scale "Guide Beside" education that inspires, engages, empowers, motivates, excites and captures the heart. Education focussed on people and where they are at. That is built upon relationships, respect and values.  That is participatory, collaborative, open ended and enables everyone to be a teacher and a learner.  Frank Ryan also says that we need experts "on Tap, not on Top"! And last, but not least - it must be fun. Brochures, lectures or adverts in the paper have to try very hard to be fun! Yes, it is more expensive. Yes, it has greater risk. Yes, it requires a solid understanding of education, of communication, of presentation skills and of people. And yes, the result is powerful.