Press Release
EARTHDAY.ORG RELEASES CLIMATE EDUCATION vs. THE CLIMATE CRISIS
April 10, 2024
Washington, D.C. (April 10, 2024)- EARTHDAY.ORG is the global force behind Earth Day, which activates one billion people around the world every April 22 to advocate for the health of our planet. Today, EARTHDAY.ORG released a brand-new report outlining the case for climate education as part of the climate crisis solution.
Climate Education vs. The Climate Crisis
EARTHDAY.ORG supports the introduction of climate education into every school curriculum, K-12, globally. Not as a one-off class but as an integrated topic that features in many classes, from art to math to science to languages.
Business and industry from across the planet are calling for a climate crisis literate workforce and, as we face a shortage of workers for critically important green jobs, it is climate education that offers the solution. Each green job brings us closer to managing the climate crisis we have created by giving young people the knowledge and skills needed to fill those green collar jobs.
“We know that the workers of the future need to be fully educated on the climate and it’s a growing ask from big and small businesses alike,” said Bryce Coon, Director of Climate Education at EARTHDAY.ORG. “Whether it is manufacturing, engineering, farming, communication, banking and so on, being climate educated is increasingly a necessity.”
Climate education gives children access to age-appropriate information as well as the time to process their emotional responses because it is also a tool for dealing with growing climate anxiety.
“As we collectively face the growing climate crisis, we know children are struggling with their mental health,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG. “So, it is critical that we talk to them about what is actually happening to the planet and what better way to make that happen and ensure it is based on facts, than in the classroom?”
Climate education gives them age-appropriate information as well as the time to process their emotional responses.
Climate education also gives students the knowledge to make planet friendly decisions and flex their Green Muscle Memory, so they instinctively make the right choices, such as rejecting single use plastics, using less energy and lowering their carbon footprint.
About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG’s founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day to protect the planet. EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. EARTHDAY.ORG works with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG. It’s not a day, it’s a movement.
For Media Inquiries & Interview Sarah Davies, [email protected]
