Climate Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

This Envisioning a Low Carbon Energy Future (ELCEF) project from EcoRise and gReenvision reduces greenhouse gas emissions by changing the way youth consider, understand, and act concerning human impacts on Earth. Via in-depth lessons, real-world challenges, technology tools, and podcasts, high school students use real-world modeling strategies and STEM and 21st century skills to identify ways to design an electric grid for the U.S. that reduces carbon emissions by 90%. As students explore systematic ways to reduce carbon emissions, they build critical thinking skills, design innovation solutions, and learn how to modify their own behaviors to alleviate climate concerns.

Country or Countries of Operation:

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Anguilla

Antigua & Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Cayman Islands

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Cote D Ivoire

Croatia

Cruise Ship

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic Republic of Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Falkland Islands

Faroe Islands

Fiji

Finland

France

French Polynesia

French West Indies

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Gibraltar

Greece

Greenland

Grenada

Guam

Guatemala

Guernsey

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Isle of Man

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Jersey

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kosovo

Kuwait

Kyrgyz Republic

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Montserrat

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

Netherlands

Netherlands Antilles

New Caledonia

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

North Macedonia

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Palestine

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Qatar

Reunion

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

Satellite

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Korea

South Sudan

Spain

Sri Lanka

St Kitts; Nevis

St Vincent

Sudan

Suriname

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor L'Este

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad & Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Vietnam

Virgin Islands (US)

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Regions of Operations:

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

We offer a range of curricula and programs for students, teachers, school districts, and partners, designed to advance environmental literacy, sustainable schools, and equitable access to green career pathways.

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Sustainable Development Goals:

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

The project includes lessons with rich connections to environmental justice framed through a historical lens, as students are guided to discuss how injustices led to the siting of polluting grid infrastructure in predominantly low-income communities. To encourage students to consider green careers, the project also includes profiles of leaders across various sectors and an exploration of different pathways to work in this space, specifically highlighting profiles of underrepresented communities to help students envision themselves in those roles and develop a concrete understanding of the pathway to follow and tips to get into green careers. In addition, it includes forward-thinking activities that challenge students to propose policies and strategies to ensure environmental justice in future grid designs. An important aspect of the outcomes assessment of the initial release of the Envisioning a Low Carbon Energy Future (ELCEF) program will be to determine how effective these strategies are and to adapt and refine the program as necessary. 

We recognize that sustainability is inextricably linked to social justice and we are committed to providing transformative educational experiences to economically disadvantaged K‚Äì12 students in under-resourced communities, including rural and urban communities that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and other environmental issues. While EcoRise serves all K‚Äì12 communities that seek resources and support, we have a strong focus on equity and inclusion and dedicate significant resources to supporting schools that have been historically under-engaged in the environmental education movement. Approximately 75% of EcoRise schools are Title I or have comparable numbers of students receiving free or reduced lunch. 

Because we strive to inspire students to build resilient, sustainable communities of the future, our outreach often targets educators and campuses that are in need of resiliency support, including hurricane and flood-prone areas and low-income communities that are isolated from resources, technology, and service providers, and where students are more likely to lack meaningful educational opportunities and live in neighborhoods or regions plagued by environmental justice issues and significant health disparities. 

Currently, nearly two-thirds of current EcoRise educators represent science teachers who integrate curricula and programing directly into core-content classes (e.g., AP Environmental Science, Environmental Systems, 3rd‚Äì5th Science, and 6th‚Äì7th Life Science). The remaining one-third are largely Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers who integrate programming into a wide range of courses including Horticulture, Agriculture, Engineering, and Construction Technology. We know that most communities have a strong and active youth demographic that can be powerful allies in promoting ambitious climate action and adaptation plans. This project aims to engage a new generation of climate champions by providing them the tools they need to become effective advocates in their communities. By leveraging partners, local networks, leading-edge resources, and the vast experience of local communities, ELCEF supports and engages youth in the climate conversation, particularly youth of color and students who have been historically underrepresented in the environmental movement.

Mission Statement:

EcoRise mobilizes a new generation of leaders to design healthy, just, and thriving communities for all. We work at the intersection of sustainability education, climate resilience, and environmental justice by elevating youth voices and advancing student-led solutions to real-world challenges.

Link: Facebook:

Website: http://www.ecorise.org Blog: https://www.ecorise.org/stories/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EcoRise Twitter: @ecorise Instagram: @ecorise YouTube Channel: http://tinyurl.com/EcoRiseYouTube EcoRise 2019‚Äì2020 Impact Report gReenvision Website: http://www.greenvision-energy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-kuntz-8b86a588 TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-FNYdf6f20 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmLd3iPu98cOYnzr2cB0igA

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