Almost one million Minnesota children and thousands of adults spend a significant portion of their days in K-12 school buildings. Find information about creating an environmentally healthy school and educational resources about environmental issues.
Schools
From kindergarten through high school, a typical child spends up to 15,000 hours in the classroom. By incorporating sustainable practices, school administrators and facilities staff can help reduce operating costs and environmental impacts, while promoting a healthy environment for students and staff.
- Helping schools reduce pollution
- Green building for schools
- School bus retrofits and idle reduction
- Environmentally preferable purchasing
- Waste Reduction Awareness Program — An initiative of the Jeffers Foundation to assist elementary schools in reducing lunchroom waste
Digging Deep through School Trash - A waste composition analysis
Educators
The goal for environmental education is to develop environmental literacy. Find resources for both formal and nonformal educators.
- The EE Portal @MAEE is Minnesota's interactive directory of environmental education resources.
- Psychology of Sustainable Behavior. Research-based tips from psychology that will help empower people in making choices and change behaviors, making environmental improvements a reality.
Environmental Literacy Scope and Sequence (p-ee5-03)Provides a framework for developing successful environmental education in working towards environmentally literate individuals and societies.
Natural Wonders: A guide to early childhood for environmental educators (p-ee5-04)A tool to aid environmental educators in designing developmentally appropriate programs and activities for early childhood.
Multi-cultural educational resources
Environmental education is for people of all cultures, including those for whom English is not the native language. These workbooks are intended for students in English as a second language (ESL) and limited English proficiency (LEP) classes.
Minnesota report cards on environmental literacy
Statewide survey (2001) of adult environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavior in Minnesota, with followup surveys in 2003 and 2007.
- Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacy (p-ee5-05)
- Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacy, second edition (p-ee5-06)
- Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacy, third edition (p-ee5-07)
Students
Learn how you can help prevent pollution and conserve resources.
Resources
- What's in My Neighborhood: Access data about sites and activities in your community.
- Volunteer water monitoring: Become a lake or stream volunteer and help gather vital information about the health of our water resources.
- Financial assistance: Grants and loans
- Current air quality: Air pollutants can have serious impacts on human health. Stay informed about current air quality in Minnesota.