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Some people would submit that "the Children are our Future" and if we were only to "teach them well", inevitably we could "let them lead the way." Sorry, not some people; Whitney Houston. Regardless, the message is truer now than it was when "Greatest Love of All" hit the top spot of the Billboard 100 in the spring of 1986.
Green was nothing but a color until the turn of the century, and growing up in a Green Era means whole flocks of children are coming of age at a time when limited resources and pollution are not simply abstract topics in science class, but pressing issues that threaten all of humanity. As a new generation approaches this mounting problem, they will do so with a keen understanding of its causes and solutions, matched with the resolute desire not only to stomp out the problem, but to ensure a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Recently, students at St. Norbert's in Paoli had the opportunity to tackle their own resource inefficiency with the help of their teacher, Heather Olenick, and an Eco Curriculum published by GREENandSAVE.com. Ms. Olenick was more than pleased with her student's excitement level saying, "Being that I did this with my 7th grade class, I learned that kids this age are really concerned about the future of the world." Her 7th grade class flowed to the knowledge like energy out of a poorly insulated home.
Before the first session with the curriculum, Ms. Olenick primed her audience with a short video on natural resources and the environment, so they would be aware of the Earth's limited supply of resources. After getting into sustainability mode, the students were broken into small groups and tasked with coming up with 4 things that harmed the environment, as well as 4 ways to reduce one's impact on the Earth. After deciding on their favorite environment-helper, each group made a poster advertising their newfound way of saving the world.
The students then moved to the brass tacks of environmental sustainability by collectively documenting how many plastic bottles they recycled, how many paper towel rolls they used, how many baths and showers they took, how many toilets they flushed, and finally, how many miles they were driven in up to 3 separate cars. The totals that the class produced were unanticipated, causing Ms. Olenick to notice "The students were very surprised to see that we were only 15 people and we used this much energy."
All the while, Ms. Olenick's class was taking notes about their daily lives in Green Journals, gathering magazine clippings of things both harmful and beneficial to the environment. They also included their own inventions that adapt things they use in everyday life into a more sustainable product. These personal interactions seemed to have a great impact on the students, as Ms. Olenick explained, "I heard from parents that their kids are must more conscious of recycling and making more environmentally friendly choices."
The Student's Green Revolution is not, in any way, limited to St. Norbert's, and is gaining steam all across the Philadelphia-area. The nominations for the Philadelphia Sustainability Awards were announced recently, and of the 68 nominees, 7 were school-based initiatives, including an elementary school, a high school, and several local universities.
The Commodore John Barry Elementary School reopened its doors in September this past year, and after the reconstruction following a devastating fire, the school serves as a model learning environment, that acts as a catalyst for the improvement of the surrounding West Philadelphia Neighborhood. In the same region of town, the Microsoft School of the Future is one of the most advanced high schools ever conceived, including integrated technology and environmentally advanced construction.
Drexel University, Temple University and the University of Philadelphia are also following in the environmentally sustainable footsteps of green pioneers in education and offering courses and incentives to students for staying sustainable, and taking the idea with them in the future.
The next generation will be much more in tune with the environment and used to sustainable practices because they won't know any other way. As these students stampede through history, they will leave a much greener place than they have found.
GREENandSAVE.com is a free resource for anyone that wants to save energy, money, and the environment. The articles, product reviews, online tools, and return on investment calculations are researched from a diverse range of public and private sector sources. Overall, the company is passionate about saving money as well as creating healthy homes, offices, and lifestyles.
For more information on how to get your kid's, or yourself, into the Green Spirit, take a look at GREENandSAVE's tips on sustaining a Green Lifestyle. And if you're already a Green Professional, check out these great Home Decorating Green Tips for Kids.
