Addressing Climate Change through Environmental Education

With climate change at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s important to educate students on the impact our society has on the natural environment. This week, we are discussing the importance of environmental education and how green schools can act as a catalyst for a more sustainable future where we can address the effects of climate change and take those learnings outside of the classroom. 

With climate change at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s important to educate students on the impact our society has on the natural environment. This week, we are discussing the importance of environmental education and how green schools can act as a catalyst for a more sustainable future where we can address the effects of climate change and take those learnings outside of the classroom. 

The benefits of teaching environmental education are numerous, but the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) highlights these as an example: 

  • Improves academic achievement 
  • Encourages environmental stewardship 
  • Deepens personal development and wellbeing 
  • Strengthens communities 

From transitioning to a green campus to integrating environmental education into the curriculum, we are excited to share a few ways that teachers and K-12 school administrators can work with Green Guardians to integrate environmental education into the K-12 school system and support students’ learning both in and beyond the classroom. 

Read more about environmental education and how green schools can help students better understand their impact on the world around them: Read Article Here

Relevant Links 

American Rescue Plan: Five Guiding Principles | UndauntedK12

“Five Guiding Principles: How Districts Can Use COVID Relief Funds to Advance Healthy, Green Schools” provides useful, actionable information for school districts as they consider how to use these relief funds to meet local needs. The brief identifies examples of school facility improvements as well as curriculum and training that both align with allowed uses and provide long-term benefits.

Calculate your Carbon Footprint with Global Footprint Network 

Humans use as many ecological resources as if we lived on 1.6 Earths. The Ecological Footprint is the only metric that compares the resource demand of individuals, governments, and businesses against Earth’s capacity for biological regeneration. Calculate your Carbon Footprint today! 

iNaturalist  

Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. iNaturalist shares your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe. 

K12 Climate Action  

Their mission is to unlock the power of the education sector to be a force toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice to help prepare children and youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society. 

National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) | Benefits of Environmental Education

Environmental education (EE) is often lauded by educators as an ideal way to integrate academic disciplines, stimulate the academic and social growth of young people, and promote conservation of the natural environment. 

One Planet Living Framework   

Based on learning from the BedZED eco-village, Bioregional created the One Planet Living sustainability framework – comprising ten simple principles and detailed goals and guidance – and developed it together with WWF. 

Project Learning Tree | Research into the Benefits of Environmental Education

A growing base of research is documenting the impacts of environmental education. 

SMCOE Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative   

Explore Andra’s site for the San Mateo County Office of Education. You’ll find a seemingly endless number of useful resources and information on the work SMCOE is doing. These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Educator Fellowships  

These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

News and Events

Our Parks and Conservation Future: A Conversation with Doug McConnell
Jul 27, 2021 Sempervirens Fund

In this webinar series, we invite experts and thinkers to join us to explore our magnificent redwood forests, what makes redwoods so special, why they thrive here and nowhere else in the world, and what they mean to us in our lives.

League for Green Leaders
Jul. 29, 2021 Springbay Studio

This online climate-action competition for children aims to motivate and quantify behavior change towards a sustainable lifestyle by inviting children to play to learn, play together and play for our future.

2021 Virtual Summer Institute for Educators
Aug 02–06, 2021 Community Works Institute

Join Community Works Institute’s (CWI) acclaimed Virtual Summer Institute, powerful learning, and design lab for K-16 and community-based educators.

How to build a better, fairer, greener, safer world for children
Jul. 15, 2021 Financial Times

Voters and scientists must ensure politicians prioritize long-term measures to save our Earthly home…

What’s in wildfire smoke? A toxicologist explains the health risks and which masks can help
Jul. 15, 2021 The Conversation

Fire and health officials began issuing warnings about wildfire smoke several weeks earlier than normal this year. With almost the entire U.S. West in drought, signs already pointed to a long, dangerous fire season ahead.

CA Approves $6M to Climate Change and Environmental Justice Curriculum
Jul. 16, 2021 Ten Strands

Senator Ben Allen’s proposal passes, providing funds to create new open education resource (OER) curriculum units for K–12 students.

Climate change goals and oil production are clashing in the U.S.
Jul. 19, 2021 National Geographic

If we’re to avoid extreme warming, all drilling for oil needs to stop now, experts say, but U.S. fossil fuel production is continuing.

5 things you need to know about the new global framework to manage nature
Jul. 21, 2021 World Economic Forum

The Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has released the first draft of its new Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. It outlines action plans to protect, restore and sustainably manage nature and transform society’s relationship with the natural world.

Ask the Expert: How Can Teachers Address Climate Change in the Classroom?
Jul. 22, 2021 NC State University News

Addressing the topic of climate change in the classroom involves more than just teaching about science and data, says K.C. Busch, Ph.D., an assistant professor of science education in the NC State College of Education.

Betting big on bioacoustics: Q&A with philanthropist Lisa Yang
Jul. 22, 2021 Mongabay

Last month, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology announced the receipt of a $24 million donation to catalyze the field of conservation bioacoustics, which uses sound data to understand and monitor species, habitats, ecological processes, and environmental health.

Green Schools and Environmental Education

Climate change and its impacts are at the center of attention for governments, organizations, and individuals around the world.  Wildfires, drought, rising sea levels, hurricanes, and climate-induced migration are a few of the effects that have brought the climate crisis to our doorstep and raised environmental consciousness to an all-time high. 

Climate change and its impacts are at the center of attention for governments, organizations, and individuals around the world.  Wildfires, drought, rising sea levels, hurricanes, and climate-induced migration are a few of the effects that have brought the climate crisis to our doorstep and raised environmental consciousness to an all-time high. The fight against climate change needs to prioritize environmental education if we are to enable our society to take reasonable action towards a more sustainable future.  

The benefits of teaching environmental education are numerous, but the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) highlights these as an example: 

  • Improves academic achievement 
  • Encourages environmental stewardship 
  • Deepens personal development and wellbeing 
  • Strengthens communities 

Learn more about the benefits of environmental education with NEEF. 

As we near the beginning of the 2021 school year, many teachers and school administrators may find themselves wondering how they can contribute to and prepare their students for the fight against climate change. From creating a green campus to integrating environmental education into the curriculum, we are excited to share a few ways that teachers and K-12 school administrators can work with Green Guardians to integrate environmental education into the K-12 school system and support students’ learning both in and beyond the classroom.  

“Environmental education provides important opportunities for students to become engaged in real-world issues that transcend classroom walls. They can see the relevance of their classroom studies to the complex environmental issues confronting our planet and they can acquire the skills they’ll need to be creative problem solvers and powerful advocates.” 

Ms. Campbell, California’s Superintendent of San Mateo County Schools (source: Project Learning Tree) 

Andra Yegohian, the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator at San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), is focused on creating impact and driving change from the classroom to the site, county, and state levels through environmental education. Her experience integrating environmental education and whole school sustainability at the site level has been through the creation of green campuses. A green campus is one that has a balanced ecological footprint, is climate-resilient, inclusive, carbon-neutral, and creates natural habitats to restore the footprint. Learn more about how school districts can use COVID Relief Funds to invest in green schools and campuses with UndauntedK12. 

At the classroom level, teachers can discuss their school’s ecological footprint with students and supplement their learning through environmental literacy lesson plans and environmental education community-based partners. Here are a few examples of how teachers can start the conversation: 

Include environmental literacy-based lesson plans into their curriculum 

  • My Journey to Zero Waste discusses the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – and encourages students to acknowledge the waste they contribute through 5 lessons that are relevant and relatable to their experience 
  • Bananas About Bananas discusses the process of how a Banana makes the trip from Ecuador to the United States and the environmental impact that their healthy snack has in their community 

Work with environmental education community-based partners to introduce new topics to students that are relevant and engaging 

There is a multitude of ways to get started on the transition to a green school. All it takes is one teacher, one administrator, or one green leader to act as a catalyst for change. No matter where you start, any introduction to environmental education can serve as a foundation for lasting change and a sustainable future.  

Are you interested to learn more about ways to incorporate environmental literacy in your classroom? Sign up today to receive our weekly newsletter! Sign up here. 

Relevant Links 

American Rescue Plan: Five Guiding Principles | UndauntedK12

“Five Guiding Principles: How Districts Can Use COVID Relief Funds to Advance Healthy, Green Schools” provides useful, actionable information for school districts as they consider how to use these relief funds to meet local needs. The brief identifies examples of school facility improvements as well as curriculum and training that both align with allowed uses and provide long-term benefits.

Calculate your Carbon Footprint with Global Footprint Network 

Humans use as many ecological resources as if we lived on 1.6 Earths. The Ecological Footprint is the only metric that compares the resource demand of individuals, governments, and businesses against Earth’s capacity for biological regeneration. Calculate your Carbon Footprint today! 

iNaturalist  

Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. iNaturalist shares your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe. 

K12 Climate Action  

Their mission is to unlock the power of the education sector to be a force toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice to help prepare children and youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society. 

National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) | Benefits of Environmental Education

Environmental education (EE) is often lauded by educators as an ideal way to integrate academic disciplines, stimulate the academic and social growth of young people, and promote conservation of the natural environment. 

One Planet Living Framework   

Based on learning from the BedZED eco-village, Bioregional created the One Planet Living sustainability framework – comprising ten simple principles and detailed goals and guidance – and developed it together with WWF. 

Project Learning Tree | Research into the Benefits of Environmental Education

A growing base of research is documenting the impacts of environmental education. 

SMCOE Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative   

Explore Andra’s site for the San Mateo County Office of Education. You’ll find a seemingly endless number of useful resources and information on the work SMCOE is doing. These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Educator Fellowships  

These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

The Importance of Teaching about Waste Management

According to the EPA, the US produced 292.4 million tons of waste in 2018. That’s 4.9 pounds of waste per person per day! Of this, only 32% was either recycled or composted. Where does all this waste go? What is the impact of all this waste building up? 

Environmental literacy is all about the relationship between humans and nature. It involves understanding environmental issues and how to “support ecologically sound, economically prosperous, and equitable communities for present and future generations” (A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy, 2015). Gaining a better understanding of how we manage all the waste we produce can help us develop more sustainable and equitable solutions. 

This week, we are excited to share information on waste management. We’re highlighting classroom materials, experiential learning programs, and other resources that will improve your understanding of waste management and help you and your students become more environmentally literate.  Waste management can be defined as the actions and process of managing waste from its creation to its disposal. It is important to teach students about waste management because it is a foundational aspect of our relationship with the environment. 

Why Should Students Learn About Waste Management? 

  • It makes them more aware of their surroundings 
    • They notice trash and recycling bins in their neighborhood 
    • They take note of all the trash in public parks/beaches 
    • They have greater respect for nature 
    • They see the immediate human impact on natural spaces 
  • They become more conscious consumers 
    • They can learn about ways to reduce their consumption by reusing items such as glass bottles or clothing items 
    • They start to think innovatively about ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle 
  • They become aware of our environmental crises 
    • They become aware of the world’s finite resources 
    • They learn about their responsibility towards effective waste management 
  • They become confident environmental stewards 
    • They are aware of recycling and waste processes that they can share with others 
    • They feel empowered to do their part in saving the environment 
    • They know practical applications for their consumption and waste management 

What are the Benefits of Teaching Waste Management? 

  • It can be both educational and fun! Projects can be made focusing on lessons about recycling featuring arts and crafts with recycled items, which is something they can take home and share with others.
  • It’s relatable and relevant for students since everyone produces waste of some sort.
  • It’s actionable because everyone can reasonably take steps to reduce the amount of waste they produce.
  • When students see the fruits of their learning in action, it inspires them to learn and act more! 

What are Environmental Education Programs Doing in Waste Management? 

UC Elkus Ranch has two kiosks that display ways to eliminate items that may have to go to the landfill, including a ‘Use this instead of this’ display. This shows items to replace plastics such as straws, plastic baggies, plastic water bottles, etc. [They] do a short talk with the students during their lunch break on recycling, composting, and trash. 

5 Gyres’ Trash Academy virtual lesson series introduces and engages students on the current plastic pollution crisis impacting our health and environment today. Through educational videos, students learn about the lifecycle of plastic, current-day waste management strategies, and the hazardous effects petrochemical products have on human health. The series also dives into the challenges and problems that recycling, landfilling, and incineration have on our environment. These lessons provide students with a basis for environmental toxicology, policy, and upstream solutions in order to bring awareness to the environmental issues plastic causes around the world. In response to being asked “Would you tell your friends to take this class to learn more about Plastic Pollution and why?” one student answered, “I would because people need to know about plastic pollution.”   

The City of Watsonville Green Schools program partners with Pajaro Valley School District schools, students, administration, custodial, and foodservice divisions to make a difference through waste reduction. Thirteen public schools in Watsonville repurpose whole foods for reuse, collect food scraps for industrial composting and recycle. Not only are we meeting state mandates to reduce climate emissions from landfills; students and staff are empowered to help their environment and community. Some model schools have cut waste in half at meal times in the cafeteria; even when 85% of meals are packaged through the free and reduced-cost meal program. Twenty staff from PVUSD from custodians to administrators received awards from the Watsonville Mayor in 2020 for their efforts. 

California Coastal Commission’s Schoolyard Cleanup program can be done as a simple service activity to clean up litter around campus, or it can be an opportunity for a full-fledged project that has students working through many of the Science and Engineering Practices as they use their own expert knowledge about their school community to plan and implement an investigation, analyze and communicate data, and evaluate and carry out solutions. Students of all ages can analyze the waste that’s produced and disposed of at their school, think through ways to reduce waste and litter, and implement their own solutions, which might range from moving a trash can, teaching other students about recycling and composting or even lobbying for less packaging in the lunches the school provides. 

Applicable Lesson Plans 

Applicable programs on the Hub 

Educational Resources 

PBS Grade K-2 Lesson: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

In this media-rich lesson featuring LOOP SCOOPS videos, students consider how the concept of “needs” vs. “wants” can help them think about ways to protect Earth’s natural resources by reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. 

LEGO Grades 1-5 Lesson: Sort to Recycle 

Students design a device that sorts objects using their physical properties, including shape and size. 

CELF Grade 2 Project: Composting 

Students are going to start a composting program in the school in partnership with a local community garden. Students will also create a presentation to share with the school to raise awareness on the issues of waste.

Green Education Foundation Pre K-K Lesson: Reduce Your Trash 

Students will learn the need to reduce the amount of trash they generate and describe ways in which they can make changes in their actions to support waste reduction. They will measure and compare the weight of common objects using non-standard units of measure. They collect, record, and interpret data using a variety of graphic representations and analyze collected data to draw logical conclusions. Students will use graphic representations to communicate their ideas and inform their audience about their actions to reduce waste. 

Pre K-2nd  and Homeschool Lesson: Growing Food from Scraps 

Want to introduce young learners to grow their own food from what would normally be considered “waste”? Then this simple science experiment is for you! In this lesson, your students will learn how to regrow a vegetable from a scrap, monitor its vertical growth, and discuss the ecological importance of reducing food waste. In order to make learning more accessible to all learners, both teacher and student versions have been written in both English and Spanish! 

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

Environmental Literacy and Waste Management

This week, we are excited to highlight classroom materials, experiential learning programs, and other resources surrounding the topic of waste management! Our goal is to advance environmental literacy by sharing tools that will improve student’s understanding of waste management. 

This week, we are excited to highlight classroom materials, experiential learning programs, and other resources surrounding the topic of waste management! Our goal is to advance environmental literacy by sharing tools that will improve student’s understanding of waste management. 

Waste management can be defined as the actions and process of managing waste from its creation to its disposal. It is important to teach students about waste management because:

  • It makes them more aware of their surroundings 
  • They become more conscious consumers 
  • They become aware of our environmental crises 
  • They become confident environmental stewards 

Learn more about waste management and see related lessons, projects, and additional resources on our blog: Green Guardians Blog

Relevant Links

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

Lesson Series | My Journey to Zero Waste 

Lesson Series | Bananas About Bananas

Hub Program | Bay Discovery – Save the Bay   

Hub Program | Elkus Ranch Educational Tours – Elkus Ranch    

Hub Program | Schoolyard Cleanup Program – California Coastal Commission   

Hub Program | Trash Academy/ La Academia De Basura – Season 1  

Hub Program | Virtual Learning – Recology Waste Zero    

Hub Program | Watsonville Green Schools Waste Reduction Assistance   

News and Events

Summer Institute for Climate Change Education: Atlanta, Houston, South Florida Cohort
Jul. 28–30, 2021 Climate Generation

Gain the skills, tools, and resources to teach climate change concepts and empower students in all subject areas, and receive ongoing support throughout the year.

California Water Institute for Teachers – Solano
Aug. 04–06, 2021 Water Education Foundation

The Solano Institute provides comprehensive multi-day teacher training for K-12 teachers, focused on Solano County water resources and open spaces. The training will highlight the region’s complex water resources, the importance of open spaces, and first-hand experiential learning opportunities.

Climate High-School Education Teacher Educator Retreat
Aug. 10–13, 2021 Kennebunkport Climate Initiative (KCI)

High school educators will learn how to incorporate climate change education into their curriculum and leave with a plan to put hands-on community-based lessons into action at your school.

A third of Wisconsin’s wolves killed after losing protections this year, study says
Jul. 09, 2021 National Geographic

A hunt killed more than 200 wolves, and poaching may have increased since Endangered Species Act protections ended in January.

Giant Pandas No Longer Endangered Thanks to Conservation Efforts, China Says
Jul. 09, 2021 EcoWatch

Officials announced Wednesday that successful conservation efforts had increased the iconic animals’ population to 1,800, CNN reported. They are now considered “vulnerable.”

OPINION: It’s time to reform India’s environmental education
Jul. 13, 2021 Thomson Reuters Foundation News

In a country heavily at risk from climate change impacts, teachers and students need to understand the threats – and opportunities – better.

Top 7 Smart Cities in the World
Jul. 13, 2021 Earth.org

Smart cities like Singapore, New York, and Seoul have made huge strides in their smart city initiatives and in adopting innovative smart technologies as a way to make their home cities more energy efficient and minimizing carbon emissions.  Here’s how seven cities are doing it.

We read the 495-page Energy Infrastructure Bill: it’s a kick in the gut to climate justice
Jul. 13, 2021 Friends of the Earth

The bill proposes spending 70 times as much on dirty and extractive energy than renewables.

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

Enhancing Lesson Plans with the Hub

This week, we are excited to share some of the programs related to our new environmental literacy lesson series: My Journey to Zero Waste! These programs are available for students and families through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub). 

This week, we are excited to share some of the programs related to our new environmental literacy lesson series: My Journey to Zero Waste! These programs are available for students and families through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub). 

My Journey to Zero Waste teaches environmental literacy for Kindergarten and First graders through 5 lessons where students explore their environmental impact through two birthday parties: a typical party and a zero-waste party. Throughout the 5 lessons, students learn how waste is generated, what happens to the waste we create, the benefits of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle), how to calculate waste, and gain an understanding of their own individual impact on sustainability and the environment. 

Get the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series today!

The Hub is a great tool for teachers to identify local environmental education programs that relate to lessons taught in the classroom. Today, we wanted to highlight a few programs that cover environmental literacy domains present within the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series: Environmental Justice, Green Guardianship, Pollution, Resource Conservation, and Waste Management. 

Visit the Hub today and use the filters to find the right programs that relate to your lesson plans. Filter by program type, topic, grade level, cost, location, and more!

Visit the Hub

Here we have highlighted a few programs below that can help students expand on their learning in the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series: 

Bay Discovery – Save the Bay  

Learn about the role our local wetlands and waterways play in waste management and how we can become better guardians of our environment.  

Elkus Ranch Educational Tours – Elkus Ranch   

Learn about sustainability and waste management on the ranch through one of Elkus Ranch’s guided tours.  

Schoolyard Cleanup Program – California Coastal Commission  

Organize and or participate in a Coastal Cleanup Day on a field trip to a beach or local waterway, become environmental stewards of your schoolyard, gain experience in real-world data collection and problem-solving.  

Trash Academy/ La Academia De Basura – Season 1 

Through a series of lessons, videos, surveys, and projects, students will learn how to identify different plastic, the life stages of plastics, and even apply course materials onto our Home Audit project, where students will categorize different plastics by resin ID code, identify its producer, brand and collaborate to identify the top plastic polluting brands entering their communities.  

Virtual Learning – Recology Waste Zero  

Recology currently offers a suite of online resources for students and families that is free and accessible online. Resources include virtual tours, videos, and worksheets, as well as opportunities to arrange live virtual field trips with a Recology educator.  

Watsonville Green Schools Waste Reduction Assistance  

Watsonville Green Schools: Waste Reduction Assistance Training and support for the food scrap collection system for your cafeteria. Advice to improve your school waste reduction: food recovery, food scarp collection, blue cart recyclables, and more. Classroom and cafeteria educational presentations are offered. 

Are you interested in teaching the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series in your classroom? Sign up today to receive the full lesson series kit! 

Relevant Links

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

The Hub promotes environmental literacy by building educator awareness of environmental education community-based partners and their products and services and fosters educator-partner relationships for increased student enrichment and engagement.

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)

The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), led by Ten Strands, works statewide with guidance from a leadership council to create systems change in support of environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance for all students.

Ten Strands

Ten Strands weaves stakeholders and strategies together into strong, focused education partnerships, with the goal of raising environmental literacy by providing high-quality environment-based learning and hands-on education to all California K–12 students. Ten Strands acts as an incubator and a catalyst to create collaborations, build capacity, and transform systems to increase their impact and sustainability.

News and Events

Climate Education and Action to drive the SDGs
Jul. 15, 2021 Center For Sustainable Development, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

This HLPF 2021 side event will help to operationalize SDG 4.7 by developing a series of consensus-building sessions on various themes, such as classroom-based pedagogies, teacher Professional development, curriculum development, and aligning of lesson plans.

Urban Ecology Center Institute Summer 2021 Online Intensive
Jul. 15 – Aug. 12, 2021 Urban Ecology Center

This interactive online course will cover the intersecting themes of transforming kids, parks, cities, and the world.

iNaturalist Online Training
Jul. 21, 2021 Frankston City Council

Come along and learn how to use the world’s most popular nature app- iNaturalist and contribute to citizen science and conservation efforts.

Are Canadian schools raising climate-literate citizens?
Jul. 06, 2021 Corporate Knights

Without consistent K–12 climate change content, Canada faces a climate leadership gap.

Outdoor Environmental Education Grants Awarded for Watershed Studies
Jul. 06, 2021 The Southern Maryland Chronicle

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced $160,000 in awards for student and youth outdoor science and watershed education in the state.

Could dehydrating meat and vegetables help solve the global food waste problem?
Jul. 06, 2021 World Economic Forum

A food-tech company in Mumbai is converting farm food waste into preserved produce using dehydration technology. Solar-powered food preservation could prove vital in tackling global food waste, with 931 million tonnes going to landfill each year.

5 ways you can keep the planet clean this summer
Jul. 06, 2021 National Geographic

Suppose we clean up our messes and recycle what can be salvaged. Isn’t that how Mother Nature would want us to behave?

Greater investment and innovation in educating children about environmental issues needed to help future generations respond to the climate emergency, experts urge
Jul. 07, 2021 FE News

Environmental education provision needs greater investment and innovation if future generations are to be able to respond fully to the climate emergency, experts have said.

Climate change: The need to incorporate climate education into school curriculum
Jul. 07, 2021 Financial Express

Educating children about Sustainable Development means advancing the information, abilities, perspectives, and qualities important to conserve our planet.

‘Sometimes the Good Guys Win’: Company Cancels Plans for Oil Pipeline Through Black Neighborhoods in Memphis
Jul. 07, 2021 Gizmodo

Organizers in Tennessee are claiming victory over the widely maligned Byhalia Connection pipeline project.

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

Our 2nd Lesson Series: My Journey to Zero Waste

In response to teacher popular demand, we have developed a new lesson series on waste management and the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle). The lesson series is titled My Journey to Zero Waste and it teaches environmental literacy for Kindergarten and Grade 1 through 5 lessons in which students explore their environmental impact through two birthday parties and the subsequent waste that is created or not created in each. 

In response to teacher popular demand, we have developed a new lesson series on waste management and the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle). The lesson series is titled My Journey to Zero Waste and it teaches environmental literacy for Kindergarten and Grade 1 through 5 lessons in which students explore their environmental impact through two birthday parties and the subsequent waste that is created or not created in each. 

Throughout the 5 lessons, students will learn how waste is generated, what happens to the waste we create, the benefits of the 3Rs, how to calculate waste, and gain an understanding of their own individual impact on sustainability and the environment. Students will be exposed to new concepts and vocabulary through an array of games and activities culminating in an analysis of their own waste generation and a zero-waste action plan. 

Sign Up to Receive the Lesson Series!

My Journey to Zero Waste covers important California learning standards in science, English language arts, and math. The lesson series includes a family guide with after-school extensions for classrooms and students who want to take an even deeper dive into their zero waste journeys. 

Click here to access the My Journey to Zero Waste K-1 lesson series!

Relevant Links 

Bay Discovery – Save the Bay 

Learn about the role our local wetlands and waterways play in waste management and how we can become better guardians of our environment. 

Elkus Ranch Educational Tours – Elkus Ranch  

Learn about sustainability and waste management on the ranch through one of Elkus Ranch’s guided tours. 

Schoolyard Cleanup Program – California Coastal Commission 

Organize and or participate in a Coastal Cleanup Day on a field trip to a beach or local waterway, become environmental stewards of your schoolyard, gain experience in real-world data collection and problem solving. 

Virtual Learning – Recology Waste Zero 

Recology currently offers a suite of online resources for students and families that is free and accessible online. Resources include virtual tours, videos, and worksheets, as well as opportunities to arrange live virtual field trips with a Recology educator. 

Watsonville Green Schools Waste Reduction Assistance 

Watsonville Green Schools: Waste Reduction Assistance Training and support for the food scrap collection system for your cafeteria. Advice to improve your school waste reduction: food recovery, food scarp collection, blue cart recyclables, and more. Classroom and cafeteria educational presentations offered. 

News and Events

CELF Summer Institute 2021: Education for Sustainability
Jul. 06-08, 2021 CELF

This 3-day online institute will introduce how to apply education for sustainability as a lens for learning. Participants will explore CELF’s Big Ideas of Sustainability Framework to identify ways to reflect on personal values and implement the big ideas into current teaching practices.

eeWORKS: Demonstrating the Power of Environmental Education
Jul. 07, 2021 NAAEE

Whether you are an educator, EE provider, funder, or advocate, learn how to use the data from eeWORKS to back up the feel-good EE stories you hear about to support your work.

National Marine Educators Association Conference
Jul. 14-17, 2021 National Marine Educators Association

The conference theme is “Your Connection to Water,” focusing on our personal connection to water, as well as the virtual connection to which we have all become so familiar.

On climate change frontline, indigenous provide pointers to save planet
Jun. 25, 2021 UN News

Indigenous people living on the frontline of climate change could offer potentially ground-breaking insight into biodiversity protection and sustainability, but they urgently need help to withstand a growing number of threats to their way of life.

Why are we under-educating the greatest workers and innovators in the world?
Jun. 25, 2021 The Hill

Creating a climate literate population has not been a priority for the U.S., despite the obvious political, economic, and environmental risks and opportunities looming on the not-too-distant horizon.

How urban gardens can boost biodiversity and make cities more sustainable
Jun. 28, 2021 The Conversation

In building cities, we have created some of the harshest habitats on Earth — and then chosen to live in them. Temperatures in cities are typically 2 C to 3 C warmer than those of the surrounding landscape.

Biden EPA Appears to Side With Chemical Industry in Microplastics Health Conflict: Greenpeace Investigation
Jun. 29, 2021 EcoWatch

A Greenpeace investigation revealed Monday that the Biden administration appears sympathetic to oil and chemical industry giants — not the public, scientists, and public health advocates — regarding a push in Europe to curb the use of microplastics in everyday products.

These farmers show that agriculture in the Amazon doesn’t have to be destructive
Jun. 29, 2021 National Geographic

This part of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest is being used for agroforestry, areas where farmers are replanting the forest with local crops.

Podcast: Connecting kids and ourselves to nature
Jun. 30, 2021 Mongabay

Joined by Richard Louv, the podcast discusses the latest research showing how important it is to connect kids to nature and educate them about the environment.

Watch Out! There’s a New Ocean on the Block
Jun. 30, 2021 Discovery

A new ocean has been added to the list. The Southern Ocean becomes the fifth ocean to be officially recognized on the world map.

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