[NMScience] Both new EE research results - but evidence of support for EE from EPA Administrator

[Deb Thrall]

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Study Finds Environmental
Education Programs Lead to Cleaner Air National Environmental Education

Week: April 12-18 Contact: Enesta Jones, 202-564-7873 / 4355 /
jones.enesta at epa.gov (Washington, D.C. - April 13, 2009) 

 

A first of its kind study funded by EPA shows that environmental education
programs are an effective tool in helping to improve air quality in North
America. 

"This study shows a valuable connection between better environmental
education and cleaner air in our communities," said EPA Administrator Lisa
P. Jackson. "With the right information, people can make a real difference
in the places where they live, work, play and learn." Nearly half of the
surveyed institutions hosting education programs reported an improvement in
air quality at their facilities due to actions taken by students, including
doing service-learning projects and fostering community partnerships. 

 

Examples include decreased levels of carbon monoxide and mold, and enactment
of a policy that decreased car or bus idling. An additional 43 percent of
the surveyed programs reported some kind of action was taken to improve the
environment. Some examples include: . East Valley Middle School (Wash.)
where students monitored school indoor air quality and worked with school
administrators to implement structural changes resulting in improved carbon
dioxide, air flow, particulate levels, odors and mold. . Exeter High School
(N.H.) where students studied air quality issues and monitored car pooling
and bus idling in the school drop-off area, leading to a no-idling policy
and installation of no-idling signs. . Greater Egleston Community High

(Mass.) where student actions helped lead to the installation of a local air
quality monitoring station, a change in fuels by city buses, and city-wide
bus idling restrictions. 

 

EPA worked with the National Park Service Conservation Study Institute,
Shelburne Farms, and a group of environmental researchers, educators and
psychologists to complete the study. Information on the study:
http://www.epa.gov/education/ R082

 

 

Brian A. Day

Executive Director

North American Association for Environmental Education

2000 P Street, NW Suite 540

Washington, DC 20036

202 419-0414 (direct)

202 419-0412 (general)

202 419-0415 (fax)

brian at naaee.org <BLOCKED::blocked::mailto:brian at naaee.org> 

www.naaee.org <BLOCKED::blocked::http://www.naaee.org/> 

NAAEE's 38th Annual Conference:  The Power of Partnerships, October 7-10,
2009 - Portland, OR

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.aps.edu/pipermail/science/attachments/20090421/4467f675/attachment.html