Questions On Sustainable, Healthy Earth Act
1. Will the Sustainable, Healthy Earth Act dramatically reduce GHG emissions?
· Based on a 2020 study, the initiative’s education component could potentially reduce each student's carbon footprint by at least 2.5 tons of CO2 annually, emphasizing the long-term impact of climate education.
· Climate education was shown to potentially be a more effective way to reduce emissions than many other single solutions.
Citation: Cordero EC, Centeno D, Todd AM (2020) The role of climate change education on individual lifetime carbon emissions. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206266
2. Are there components of the existing state science standards that align with the topics listed in the initiative that would count towards the 30 hours of training?
· The initiative algins with Section 71301 of the Public Resources Code, Statewide Environmental Education, integrating environmental principles into the existing curriculum to count towards the required 30 hours.
3. Does the initiative align with and exceed state, national, and international climate goals criteria?
· SHEA exceeds climate goals by embedding sustainability education into the core curriculum, thereby fostering a generation committed to environmental stewardship.
4. Does SHEA seek prosperity, health, and resilience?
· SHEA focuses on integrating sustainability into the education system, which can increase community resilience to climate change. Educating students on sustainability prepares them to contribute to healthier and more robust communities, addressing equity by providing all students access to critical knowledge.
· Research indicates that environmental education improves academic performance, critical thinking, and civic engagement.
Citation: Nicole M. Ardoin, Alison W. Bowers, Noelle Wyman Roth & Nicole Holthuis (2018) Environmental education and K-12 student outcomes. https://naaee.org/programs/eeworks/benefits-k12-students#:~:text=Studies%20in%20the%20review%20demonstrated,confidence%2C%20autonomy%2C%20and%20leadership
5. Does SHEA foster innovation and capacity building?
· This initiative presents a forward-thinking approach to environmental education, aiming to integrate crucial sustainability concepts into the school curriculum without additional financial burdens. This initiative can build capacity by equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to address environmental challenges innovatively and effectively.
· The business model of health and safety courses, taken every two years, has proven successful for organizations like the California Board of Registered Nursing, Cal/OSHA, and the American Red Cross First Aid and CPR in sustaining the health of workers and patients. The Sustainable Healthy Earth Act, as an environmental solution, stands as a model policy for other states and countries.
· The SHEA initiative addresses any future environmental concerns by incorporating Earth care directly into our public education system. It offers a path forward, championing sustainable practices and policies that can safeguard the Earth for present and future generations.
6. Is SHEA economically viable, and build capital?
· Through developing endorsements, a coalition of environmental partners and outreach SHEA can attract many people and organizations that will assess that this initiative can make a big difference solving our environmental problems right now, be able to work well collaborating with plans from other environmental entities, be straightforward to implement, and buy in to supporting this measure.
· SHEA is economically viable, leveraging existing educational frameworks to introduce sustainability concepts without extra costs. It invests in human capital, preparing students to contribute to the economy through sustainable practices and potential future innovations in green technologies.
· This policy will save time and potentially hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars for organizations striving to educate the public on environmental issues.
7. Can you specify any existing or cost-free resources that schools could use?
· The Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning has a program for developing new courses.
· The Climate Reality Project (Al Gore).
8. Does SHEA apply systems thinking?
· The initiative encourages systemic change by integrating sustainability education across the curriculum, which can lead to a fundamental shift in how individuals and communities think about and address environmental issues. By educating the next generation, SHEA promotes a shift towards systemic environmental stewardship.
· By applying and modeling already existing health and safety laws to public education, the Sustainable Healthy Earth Act is a solution that efficiently addresses complex environmental problems while being both simple to execute and effective.
9. Who is opposing this ballot measure?
· While some stakeholders may prefer traditional educational models, SHEA addresses these concerns by demonstrating the long-term economic and environmental benefits of sustainability education.
