Ecopedagogy is defined in this research as transformative environmental education which critically and dialectically deconstructs how social conflicts and environmental (socio-environmental) devastation are connected. Understanding these connections is necessary because environmental destructive actions are inherently political--benefiting some people while negatively affecting many others. Ecopedagogues teach the deeper roots of the causes and effects of environmental devastation within models of social justice and radical transformation. Thirty-one adult non-formal and informal ecopedagogues were interviewed from Argentina, Brazil, and the Appalachia, United States. This comparative education research utilized qualitative methods to construct how progressive environmental educators define effective characteristics of ecopedagogy. Subset questions include the following: (1) What are the essential pedagogical tools to teach socio-environmental connections?; (2) What determines successful ecopedagogy programs?; and (3) What are the effects of globalizations on ecopedagogy? The pedagogy of Paulo Freire emerged as foundational for effective ecopedagogy. The Freirean pedagogical theme that emerged as most essential was the need for democratic, horizontal dialogue, needed to critically read and reread environmental devastation. Effective ecopedagogical models were viewed as needing a paradigm shift in understanding socio-environmental injustices because false environmental knowledges are so deeply hidden by prevalent non-critical environmental education models and informal pedagogies developed to benefit those who commit environmental devastation. It was found that ecopedagogies must deconstruct the politics behind the mis- and non-education of socio-environmental connections. Effective ecopedagogy programs must unpack such constructs as sustainable development, livelihood, citizenship, race, gender, and religion as they relate to environmental devastation through critical, multidisciplinary, and comparative learning. Ecopedagogues and their students must dialectically view socio-environmental devastation from the local and the global to understand complex socio-environmental oppressor/oppressed relationships. These oppressor/oppressed relationships highlighted the need for environmental rights to be an element of citizenship and thus ecopedagogy to become an element of citizenship education. Effective ecopedagogy models that emerged radically challenge current currents environmental education models--seeing them as ineffective for needed transformation and helping to sustain current systems of oppression. The research findings offer some best-practices of ecopedagogy that helps transform oppressive social, political and economic structures through conscientizacao (conscious-raising) of false, fatalistic environmental knowledges. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]