Creating Environments That Sustain Children, Staff, and Our Planet

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Early childhood educators know that a child's values are formed before age five, yet our field has done little to teach young children how to be good stewards of the earth. We know that young children learn by watching others, yet we have rarely been environmentally conscious role models. This article discusses what early childhood practitioners can do to set a good example for children by demonstrating ways to be more in tune with Mother Earth. By doing this, we can also create environments that are better for children.

Green building design

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system is a voluntary US standard for developing high-performance and sustainable buildings. LEED rates buildings as Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum depending on whether they are "pale" or "dark green."

Public schools in the United States have led the way in LEED certified buildings for children; however, I know ...