Walden West Outdoor School & Summer Camp is Creating Change Through Environmental Education: An Interview with Marie Bobias

For today’s young people, sustainability and climate are a top priority. For students, the environment holds the key to their futures, although schools are often ill-equipped to cultivate that connection. Environmental education and fostering a meaningful connection with nature are crucial pieces of preparing the next generation of young people for a resilient future. Marie … READ MORE

CAELI District Innovation Hub Coordinates Networking and Learning at the California Green Schools Summit

The recent convergence of multiple societal crises has highlighted stark inequities in our institutions. Social impact and equity are no longer on the sidelines of public discourse. This October, the CAELI District Innovation Hub saw the culmination and success of months of efforts from one of their working groups at the Green California Schools and … READ MORE

Newly Elected CAELI Co-Chair Shares Vision for Environmental Education

Environmental literacy leader Andra Yeghoian was recently elected as CAELI Co-Chair by the CAELI Executive Committee, effective March 1st. Yeghoian, the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator from San Mateo County Office of Education, is a bold strategic thinker capable of inspiring change – read her thought-provoking call to action in response to the IPCC Report. … READ MORE

New CAELI Innovation Hub Structure Focuses on Equity and Inclusion

In early 2021, the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) sought to center its work in equity, diversify representation, and move to a model of self-governance when it launched a new innovation hub structure. The change has resulted in a far-reaching system of inclusion that has championed new ideas and voices collaborating to achieve environmental literacy … READ MORE

Three Recommendations for Schools During COP26

Following the recent 26th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow and the increasing awareness — as a result of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) — of the escalating and destructive impacts of global climate change, 27 organizations have come together … READ MORE

The IPCC Report Offers Educational Leaders the Opportunity to Lead Our Most Important Teachable Moment

As students return to school this fall, educators are tasked with balancing young people’s education with a staggering set of urgent situations that call us to act. An important starting point is for education leaders to understand the significance of the most recent findings of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report. In this article, Andra Yeghoian, environmental literacy coordinator at the San Mateo County Office of Education, outlines the significance of the IPCC report and offers a blueprint for educators to use this crucial moment in history to foster climate-conscious youth.

Hoover Hawks Victory Garden: A School and Community Jewel

The Hoover Hawks Victory Garden thrives on the Hoover Elementary School campus in West Oakland, a neighborhood rich in history, culture and people. Urban farmer Wanda Stewart is the tireless champion and architect behind the garden project, which has become an intergenerational hub of healing, learning, and wonder for the local community. In this Q&A, Wanda shares her journey to change the lives of students, families, and neighbors by teaching them to nurture a vibrant, fruitful ecosystem.

2020 Distinguished Contribution Award Winners: Ten Strands and CAELI!

Karen Cowe, Ten Strands CEO and California Environmental Literacy Initiative project director, discusses her work to uplift environmental literacy in this interview with California Association of Science Educators (CASE). This article originally appeared on the CASE website and was republished with permission.

A Silent Service: Why Water Workers Support Environmental Literacy and Career Technical Education

Water is a vital natural resource that shapes the development of California’s environmental, social, and economic landscape. Despite this, the essential workers that maintain California’s water supply are often overlooked. As a member of the California Environmental Literacy Initiative’s (CAELI) Leadership Council, Public Affairs Manager at the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), and leader of the Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA), Tiffany Baca is working to change that. In this Q&A, Tiffany shares how environmental literacy frames her work at MWDOC, an agency that provides more than 3.2 million California residents with water-saving resources, water-centric education, sustainability programs, and clean drinking water.

The Green Return to School: California Administrators Find a New Lens for Teaching Environmental Literacy

The new school year is approaching, and educators are having to adapt to a new educational reality amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As California administrators think outside the box with new solutions to keep environmental literacy at the forefront as students return to school, outdoor education is emerging as an opportunity to pair social distancing with the benefits of giving students access to nature and equitable educational opportunities.