Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/63126
lunch leftovers and make fertilizer for an organic veg- etable garden. At Walnut Grove Elementary School in Pleasanton, W orms aren't "yucky" to Cupertino High School students. The critters are lovingly tended to in compost bins, where they digest the school's solar panels are incorporated into the cur- riculum, and students can view online — in real time — how much power is being produced at their school site. In South Tahoe High School's auto shop class, students are converting a dune buggy into an electric vehicle and cooking up clean alternative fuel from french fry oil. Environmental education is thriving at some Califor- nia schools despite budget cuts. Whether it's worm bins, recycling, organic gardens or solar power, schools are finding creative ways to go green. In the process, students learn about their world, respect nature, and become better prepared for the future. Some associate the green movement with tree huggers, but it is important for everyone to be environmentally con- scious, says James W. Reede Jr., an environmental science professor at CSU Sacramento and an electric transmission sys- tems engineer at the California Energy Commission. "It's important to teach students about environmental- James Reede Jr. ism so they will be well-rounded, will be sensitive to the world around them, and will know what they can do to make it better. are causing to our planet," says Reede. "This past year the polar ice pack has shrunk to the smallest it's ever been. Polar bears are drowning. Our planet is heating up, and over the past 30 years 85 percent of glaciers in California have melted. Many creatures are moving to higher eleva- tions because they can't stand the heat. Due to global warming, our sea level is rising. Some communities, such as Foster City, will be underwater someday. schools should embrace green technology, which he sees as the wave of the future. "Green jobs will offer our stu- dents wonderful opportunities, and schools should be preparing students for these jobs of the future. Such jobs might include organic farming, building The California Faculty Association member believes " " energy-efficient buildings, and manufacturing products that do not harm the environment. Lean, GREEN learning machines Students in Mike Patterson's South Tahoe High School auto shop class are converting a dune buggy from gas to electric power. It may be the first electric-powered dune buggy in existence. Vocational education classes at the school have been Students of all ages should understand the "damage we " emphasizing green technology and alternative fuel since 2008, says Patterson, a member of the South Tahoe Educators Asso- ciation and chair of the Capital Service Center Council. "We live in such an environmentally sensitive area The electric-powered dune buggy built by Mike Patterson's class may be the first one... ever! in Lake Tahoe that we felt it was very important to give our students the skills and knowledge to maintain our lifestyles without destroying the beautiful environment around us," says Patterson. "The first thing students learn is the proper way of recycling waste materials, so hazard- ous waste is not created. Jaqui Searight, a senior in his class, is proud to be on the cutting edge. "It's important to have green energy — " 10 California Educator / April 2012