Category: Education

Turning the Page on Campus Paper Use

AASHE invites applications from institutions to join a cohort of 10 to 12 AASHE members that will receive in-depth training, guidance and tools to implement a behavior-based paper saving program on their campus. Representatives of these institutions will participate in a day-long, in-person training at the 2017 AASHE Conference and Expo. Participants will receive ongoing support over the course of the upcoming academic year to refine, implement and evaluate their paper saving campaigns. Applications are due by August 18.

Webinar: Engaging Students in Zero Waste

Wednesday, July 26th, 2017, 11 am CDT
Register here.

You’ve got a Zero Waste program… now how do you get students to actually do the right thing?

While most Zero Waste programs are set up by staff and administration, engaging students to practice those “R’s” (and beyond!) will make it truly successful. This webinar will feature presentations from leaders in Zero Waste and higher education on best practices for getting students involved with Zero Waste on your campus:

  • Chris Kane, Campus Coordinator and Director of Resource Development, PLAN: The Post-Landfill Action Network
  • Jack DeBell, Development Director, University of Colorado-Boulder
  • Mike Carey, Sustainability Coordinator, Orange Coast College
  • Jennifer Hobson, Zero Waste Senior Program Coordinator, The University of Texas at Austin

At the end of the webinar,  attendees can exchange successes and challenges, as well as suggest other topics for webinars and tools.

How you can make the most of Planet Ark’s new research into outdoor learning

Read the full story in Planet Ark.

A new report from Planet Ark examines how prepared the next generation is to tackle the biggest future challenges facing humanity. Find out what 200 surveyed teachers said were the top skills kids needed for the future.

The Learning from Trees: Life Lessons for Future Generations report, commissioned by Planet Ark and sponsored by Toyota Australia, is being released in the lead up to National Tree Day (Sunday 30 July 2017). The report examines how prepared the next generation is to tackle the biggest global challenges facing humanity. These challenges have been defined by the United Nations, with climate change the most concerning challenge overall.

Teaching Children the Importance of Sustainability

Read the full post at Medium.

Children’s brains are like sponges. They take in everything around them and are capable of processing and internalizing an impressive amount of information. This can be both beneficial and detrimental, as any negative behaviors you exhibit could rub off on your child, or conversely, they can learn by the positive example you set. If sustainability is important to you, as it should be, then the best thing you can do to continue caring for the planet is to instill these values in your child, passing sustainable living onto the next generation and generations to come. Here are some tips you can try out to teach your children the importance of sustainability.

DeVos is Questioned About Campaign to Influence Climate Change Education

Read the full story from PBS.

Four Democratic senators are sharply criticizing a conservative think tank’s efforts to bring climate change skepticism into the nation’s public schools as “industry funded” and “possibly fraudulent” and demanding to know whether federal education officials have been in contact with the group.

EPA Announces Student Award Winners

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the winners of the 2016 President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA). The program recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects by K-12 youth. These students demonstrate the initiative, creativity, and applied problem-solving skills needed to tackle environmental problems and find sustainable solutions.

Fifteen projects are being recognized this year, from 13 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

“Today, we are pleased to honor these impressive young leaders, who demonstrate the impact that a few individuals can make to protect our environment,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These students are empowering their peers, educating their communities, and demonstrating the STEM skills needed for this country to thrive in the global economy.”

Each year the PEYA program honors environmental awareness projects developed by young individuals, school classes (kindergarten through high school), summer camps, public interest groups and youth organizations.

This year’s PEYA winners conducted a wide range of activities, such as:

  • developing a biodegradable plastic using local agricultural waste product;
  • designing an efficient, environmentally friendly mosquito trap using solar power and compost by-product;
  • saving approximately 2,000 tadpoles to raise adult frogs and toads;
  • implementing a hydroponics and aquaculture project in a high school;
  • repurposing over 25,000 books;
  • creating an environmental news YouTube channel;
  • organizing recycling programs to benefit disaster victims and underserved community members;
  • reclaiming and repurposing over 4,000 discarded pencils within their school;
  • promoting food waste reduction;
  • creating a small, portable tool to prevent air strikes of migratory birds;
  • engaging their community in a program to save a threatened bird, the Western Snowy Plover;
  • testing grey water to encourage water conservation;
  • promoting bee health;
  • uniting their schools to address local environmental issues.

The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people for protecting our nation’s air, water, land and ecology. It is one of the most important ways EPA and the Administration demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation’s youth.

For information on environmental education at EPA, visit:
https://www.epa.gov/education.