Today, most kids know that they need to buckle up, but it wasn’t too long ago that seatbelt safety was a new concept in school.
The things kids learn in the classroom give them the foundation upon which to live long and meaningful lives.
Education is what allows them to make informed decisions about what they will consume, about the kinds of people and enterprises they will support and the kind of community they want to create and live in.
We cannot begin to change the world unless we invest in young people and show them the way.
There are a number of non-profit organizations and educational institutions that are helping incorporate ‘green’ into lesson plans.
One new effort is the ‘Climate Change Backpack.’ This tool was designed by educators working with Clean Air–Cool Planet, a New Hampshire-based non-profit dedicated to finding and promoting global warming solutions. The backpacks are filled with exhibits and ideas for group activities and experiments. With funding from PSEG, the curriculum has been made NJ-specific and will be made available to specially trained Garden State educators this spring.
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New Jersey teachers excited about doing more will soon be able to take their students to The State Museum in Trenton. A new climate change exhibit will show how global warming is leading to rising sea level and demonstrate the potential impact on New Jersey’s coastline.
While it’s good to start young, a green curriculum isn’t limited to grammar schools.
The ‘Green Energy Academy’ at Bloomfield Tech is introducing high school students to opportunities for green jobs within the traditional trades. And students at community colleges in Mercer, Essex, Passaic and Middlesex counties are getting a bird’s-eye view of traditional and renewable electrical generation and the environmental impact of each through an introductory class that some are calling ‘Green 101’.
Given what is known about climate change, investment in environmental education must be a priority in the years ahead.
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Plan to come out to the PSEG GreenFest 2009 on April 3, 4 and 5 at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, NJ. There will be some 100 ‘green’ exhibits and various speakers, including Bill Nye the Science Guy, Ed Begley, Jr. and Van Jones. Teachers of first through eighth grade classes can arrange a field trip on Friday, April 3. Go to www.pseggreenfest.com for more details.
What’s your view? Please let us know at Opinion@PSEG.com.
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