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From the Executive Directo
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Think Global, Teach Local: It is More Relevant and Realistic
The world we inhabit today is vastly different from the one our parents and grandparents lived in. Technology and ease of travel give the illusion that the distance between countries is shorter, making the planet feel smaller. Our communities are a melting pot of cultures, with influences from around the world. Yet, the environmental and social issues of our time still loom larger than ever. Climate change, clean water access, extreme poverty, and civil unrest...these threaten our human and more than human communities. In a world that feels so small, these issues can feel downright overwhelming. To co-create a more sustainable future, we must start from a place of familiarity, a place we call home.
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Education for Sustainability Benchmarks Focus on "Thinking about the Thinking"
Jaimie Cloud, founder and president of The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education, gives an overview of the Higher Order Thinking Skills as defined in the Education for Sustainability Benchmarks and how these skill sets can be applied to educate for a more sustainable future.
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Data, Analysis, Action! Vermont Students Make a Difference with the Green School Energy Challenge
Dana Dwinell-Yardley, Communications and Admin Coordinator for the Vermont Energy Education Program, discusses how the organization's Green School Energy Challenge is providing opportunities for students to make a difference in their communities while learning valuable lessons on how energy conservation can have a positive impact on climate change.
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Curricular Approaches Create a New Generation of Urban Environmental Leaders
Cynthia Thomashow, Co-Director of the Graduate Program in Urban Environmental Education (UEE) at IslandWood, describes how UEE graduate students are using community asset mapping and community portraits to help students learn about the nature of, and the nature in, a city.
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Green Apple Day of Service - A Local Springboard for Global Impact
Anisa Heming, Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, discusses how schools across the country are using Green Apple Day of Service to promote healthy, sustainable schools and effect positive local change for global impact.
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Think Locally; Explore Globally
An exploration in the Amazon gives teachers deeper global and local connections. Reprinted with permission from Green Teacher magazine and originally authored by Christa Dillabaugh, Terri Hebert, and Kelly Keena.
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Read the Summer 2017 Catalyst Quarterly!
The Summer Edition of the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly provides readers with a current snapshot of the green schools movement. Feature articles cover topics ranging from school environmental health programs and outdoor learning to environmental justice and equity.
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Green Schools National Network's newsletter, GreenNotes, focuses on one overarching topic each month. We will consider articles for the month that best matches the topic. Have a question about an upcoming theme? Contact
cmerse@greenschoolsnationalnetwork.com.
We are looking for a variety of articles for GreenNotes, including:
- Case studies of schools and school districts doing exemplary work in environmental and sustainability initiatives.
- Profiles of leaders and advocates in the green schools movement.
- News and current events of interest to the green schools movement.
Themes for the next three issues include:
Farm to School -- October 2017
Submission deadline: September 29, 2017
Farm to school programs are about much more than ensuring students have access to fresh, healthy food during the school day. They provide rich educational opportunities through interdisciplinary curriculum, incorporating hands-on science and math lessons in school gardens; food science and chemistry lessons in the school kitchen; field work with local farmers; and learning about the history, politics, and economics of agriculture. This issue of GreenNotes will highlight some of the innovative farm to school programs being implemented in schools across the country, as well as nonprofit programs that are supporting and encouraging these efforts.
Creating a Culture of Sustainability in K-12 Education -- November 2017
Submission deadline: November 3, 2017
A child will spend up to 15,000 hours in school from the day she begins kindergarten to the day she graduates. While it is important for her to graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary for college, It is just as important for her to graduate with a strong social and emotional foundation. Education for sustainability influences the culture of a school and school district, and has the potential to influence how a child thinks and feels about her role in co-creating a sustainable future. This issue of GreenNotes will explore how a culture of sustainability influences today's students to be tomorrow's environmentally-conscious, sustainability natives.
Going Green to Save Green -- January 2018
Submission deadline: December 29, 2017
Adopting a sustainability mindset is not just about zero waste and eco-literacy, but extends to how schools procure goods and services. Investing in sustainable products and services can help schools create healthier learning environments by removing toxic chemicals and reducing consumption of resources. This issue of GreenNotes profiles schools and school districts that are using sustainable purchasing. We will highlight lessons learned and best practices you can adopt to make smarter, greener purchasing decisions at your school. You may even save some green too!
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Green Schools National Network |
info@greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org
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