ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out to illustrate what an English subject angle on the environment might involve. The environmental crisis is beginning to impact on all aspects of daily life – including the way that we write and read texts. In this chapter I will explore the main elements of the crisis from the perspective of literary and cultural representation. This will introduce the way that readings of texts are altered and shaped by our changing perception of the health of our environment. This will involve questions such as: How does climate change alter our perception of the elements of earth, water, air and fire? How are these elements represented in cultural texts? What are the implications for classroom practice in mediating these shifts in environmental perspective as we read texts?
