This week we wanted to take a look at the Biden Administration’s Executive Order on combating climate change. The order identifies specific actions and goals that include net-zero emissions, ecosystem conservation, and environmental justice. One area that wasn’t mentioned in the order is an approach to climate action through the education system.
We looked at the ways in which the Biden Administration’s $1.5 Trillion Budget Request can utilize both the education budget and the allocation for tackling climate change in this week’s article: read here.
At Green Guardians, our motto is “environmental literacy, community action”, which directly correlates with the community-focused approach to environmental education. Our goal is to provide educators and students with the tools and connections needed to create an education system with environmental literacy as the foundation across all subjects and grade levels.
Are you looking to join us as we champion for a sustainable and equitable future for all?
Relevant Links
ACE National Strategy Framework for the United States
Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) —climate education, training, public awareness, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation— as embedded in the UNFCCC Article 6 and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, can accelerate climate action and advance people-centered climate policies through increasing public awareness, building local capability, enhancing information sharing, encouraging innovation and beneficial behavioral norms, and promoting ongoing engagement.
Biden Proposes $1.5 Trillion Federal Spending Plan | NPR.org
The Biden administration on Friday unveiled a $1.5 trillion partial budget request for the next fiscal year, calling for increases across a range of domestic programs aimed at fighting poverty and climate change while keeping defense spending relatively flat.
Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
The United States and the world face a profound climate crisis. We have a narrow moment to pursue action at home and abroad in order to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of that crisis and to seize the opportunity that tackling climate change presents. Domestic action must go hand in hand with United States international leadership, aimed at significantly enhancing global 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.
Letter to Biden-Harris Administration | ACE Framework
ACE Framework writes in support of Article 12 of the Paris Agreement: Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), which seeks to inform, engage, and empower the public to join in finding and implementing solutions to the climate crisis.
President Biden Takes Executive Actions to Tackle the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, Create Jobs, and Restore Scientific Integrity Across Federal Government.
Current News and Events
Sustainability & STEM Virtual Earth Day Summit
Apr. 22-24, 2021 Backyard Basecamp
From hands-on science activities and engineering challenges for children of all ages, story-times for preschoolers, discussion forums on intersectional environmentalism, workshops to guide you on going zero waste with kids, and composting 101, our program of events is filled with informative, interactive workshops.
2021 Virtual Earth Week Celebration
Apr. 18-24, 2021 Inland Empire Utilities Agency and the City of Chino
Take part in educational activities – including activities from Project WET – learn about our environmental resources and how to protect them and participate in opportunities to receive free giveaways!
Live Webinar: Getting Your Citizen Science Project Off the Ground
Apr. 19, 2021 NEEF
NEEF will teach educators about citizen science through a webinar co-hosted with SciStarter, an online citizen science hub. The webinar will walk viewers through the process of creating, developing, and implementing a citizen science project.
Apr. 15, 2021 EcoWatch
Google Earth’s latest feature allows you to watch the climate change in four dimensions.
Why we’re optimistic we can save our oceans
Apr. 15, 2021 National Geographic
For all the threats to the ocean—warming, overfishing, pollution—a veteran undersea photographer sees ways to help and reasons for hope.
California enlists surveillance satellites to sniff out greenhouse gas ‘super-emitters’
Apr. 15, 2021 Los Angeles Times
Years after former Gov. Jerry Brown pledged California would launch its “own damn satellite” to track planet-warming pollutants, the state plans to put not one, but two satellites in orbit to help it hunt for hard-to-find “super-emitters” of methane and carbon dioxide.
Biden’s EPA gets serious about funding environmental justice
Apr. 15, 2021 The Hill
The Biden administration signaled its commitment to environmental justice in its Jan. 27 executive order on Tackling the Climate Crisis. Now the administration has taken two big steps toward funding that commitment.
97% of Earth’s land area may no longer be ecologically intact
Apr. 15, 2021 Frontiers Science News
Only between 2% and 3% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface can be considered ecologically intact, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. This percentage is drastically lower than past assessments.
‘Failure is not an option’: after a lost decade on climate action, the 2020s offer one last chance
Apr. 15, 2021 The Conversation
In May 2011, almost precisely a decade ago, the government-appointed Climate Commission released its inaugural report. Titled The Critical Decade, the report’s final section warned that to keep global temperature rises to 2℃ this century.
How Biodiversity Can Prevent Pandemics
Apr. 12, 2021 Sierra
For years, some scientists have argued that despite its benefits, biodiversity poses a major risk to human health, because the sheer variety of species in biodiverse landscapes creates greater opportunities for new pathogens to develop.
Creating Meaningful Professional Development For New Staff Members
Apr. 5, 2021 TeacherCast
In this episode of “Ask the Tech Coach,” Jeff and Susan welcome educator and Green Guardians advisor Scott Bedley onto the program to discuss his school district’s professional development program that supports new teachers.