Share a ride. Plant a tree. Change the building codes. There are countless ways individuals — including students and teachers — can have a positive impact on the planet.

The theme of Earth Day 2014 is Green Cities. Since buildings worldwide are responsible for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, reducing the carbon footprint of schools, homes, and offices can pay huge dividends. Efforts to create more sustainable structures already is paying off. Sustainable architecture no longer is the novelty it was back in 2005, and some estimates say that 48 percent of new nonresidential building construction next year will be green. Check out the American Institute of Architects’ most sustainable and innovative buildings of 2014, from Fast Company magazine.

Celebrate Earth Day by finding events in your state. Discover some state-of-the-art green buildings, such as transformation of a Kansas school or Songdo, the South Korean city that aims to be the world’s greenest metropolis. Or join a local campaign, such as Green Schools network.

And check out eGFI’s list of sustainability sites and activities for incorporating sustainability into your classroom.

Every day can be Earth Day!

Filed under: Special Features, Web Resources

Tags: Alternative Energy, Earth Day 2014, Environmental Engineering, environmental protection, green cities, Internet Resources, Resources for Teachers, STEM education, Sustainability, tree, Web Resources