Comments on: Green Education Funding Remains in Limbo after White House Summit on Environmental Education

By: What the Election Means for Environmental Education Moving Forward : Wildlife Promise

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:42:56 +0000

[...] the past four years environmental education has found both a friend and foe in the Obama Administration, but at least we knew it was on their minds. Romney had been all but [...]

By: Giornata Mondiale della Terra » Pres. Obama Issues Green Schools Proclamation

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:06:24 +0000

[...] eliminating nearly $40 million for environmental education programs at the EPA, NOAA and NSF. These proposed cuts – the equivalent to one-fourth of the cost of one F-22 fighter jet – would c…. Though the Administration also deserves praise for announcing a new federal task force on [...]

By: Anne Lewis

Anne Lewis — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:18:00 +0000

South Dakota is working on developing its environmental literacy plan. This plan will inform the state’s participation in the US DOE’s Green Ribbon Schools program, provide guidance for teaching 21st Century skills, and will position the state to participate in No Child Left Inside.

One of the steps in developing this plan is to hold listening sessions to solicit input from a variety of stakeholders. At a listening session at a tribal college a teacher pointed out that EE has to occur in the community and not just in the classroom or else – as she put it – “the kids will leave it at school.” Based on this and similar comments made by others, our plan will have a section about supporting community based and informal environmental education.EPA and NOAA EE funding help get EE in the community. To cut this funding will create gaps. Environmental literacy is developed not just at school but in the community and at home. I recently met with a staffer from Senator Tim Johnson’s office to share this perspective. She was very receptive. I know many of us suffer from advocacy fatigue but please contact your representatives and let them know that the communities, schools and families in your state will benefit from continued EE funding.

By: Sara Cady

Sara Cady — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:12:00 +0000

Hi, I like your response very much. May be organizing parents is the way to go. Kids are our future and they are very capable of understanding – I agree. How to get the politicians out of the way?

By: Sara Cady

Sara Cady — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:06:00 +0000

Hmmmm, so are they going to cut funding so there will be less folks around with any know how & who will question their greed motivated ,environmentally destructive practices & policies? Yikes.

By: Cheryl Riley

Cheryl Riley — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:05:00 +0000

Patrick . . . Thanks for the report on the Summit. While some cuts may have to occur, environmental education must be allotted a proportionally equal funding to other programs. More than ever we need an environmentally literate citizenry. All conservation organizations also need to step up and make environmental education a priority as should other institutions. We have to fund EE programs from the federal, state and local level — both government and non-government if we want to retain clean air, water and other natural resources that are so much a part of what we cherish. Thanks for carrying the message to others!

By: Mary Ford

Mary Ford — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:33:00 +0000

I’m glad you were there, Patrick, and appreciate the summary. Thank you for being candid and pointing out the funding issues. Keep us posted.

By: Victoria Runnoe

Victoria Runnoe — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:38:00 +0000

Patrick,
Thanks for attending this meeting and offering your thoughts. EE has always been an underfunded, but much-loved step-program across the nation. It is sad to see more funding cut when in reality it represents a drop in the overall budgetary bucket. I wonder if linking EE to the First Lady’s Let’s Move Outdoors campaign could garner more support for EE programs and funding? We cannot let this get us down. Environmental educators are doing great things, and we know it makes a difference!

By: Eugenia Marks

Eugenia Marks — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:42:00 +0000

Dear Patrick and Danielle,
Thank you for your good work.
It is dismaying that our society pays little attention to the real needs of our children. We don’t need more cute, more devilish, more panicked kids. We need kids whose home and neighborhood life is stable and supportive. I see too many parents and general public where kids are objects for some other purpose.
I am tagged a flaming liberal, but I too have family values. Family and attention to our own kids and our neighborhood kids is what will carry education, including environmental education. The oft-repeated “Kids are our future” needs to be repeated. Whatever happened to “It takes a Village?” Kids seem to be flotsam in the fast-paced, consumer lives we lead.
So, without sufficient regard for children, it follows that education is what is cut. Kids have little political power, and legislators/ administrators are thinking budget and not policy that a budget should support.
Environmental education that is cute and fuzzy sends the wrong message. Kids are capable of understanding science, even if politicians want to avoid it.
Maybe we need to organize parents instead of policy wonks.
Rantingly yours,
Eugenia

By: Jacqueline Ostfeld

Jacqueline Ostfeld — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Great post, Patrick. I was at the White House Summit on Environmental Education, too. While I am glad to see the Administration elevating the dialogue on environmental education and committing to work across agencies to support environmental education broadly, I, too, share your concern about the shrinking federal investment in EE.

Thanks for shining a spotlight on all of the great programs that are in jeopardy due to budget cuts for environmental education. And thanks for all you and the National Wildlife Federation are doing to get kids outdoors, green schoolyards and support lifelong environmental education.