Green Living: Buildings & Careers
What's the problem?
Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors. This means our indoor activities and infrastructure can have a big impact on our communities. According to the EPA, US buildings account for the following percentages nationally: 74% of electricity consumption, 13% of water consumption, and 40% of carbon dioxide emissions. These carbon emissions greatly contribute to climate change. Thus, updating buildings to be more efficient and green is essential. Buildings, roads, and other infrastructure also absorb and re-emit more heat than natural landscapes. This contributes to the heat island effect and makes urban areas hotter than their natural surroundings. This leads to heat-related illnesses and even deaths. These negative health impacts disproportionately affect low income and BIPOC communities.
Why should we care?
Green living implements sustainable practices into our daily lives. It gives us a way to develop our communities in a eco-friendly, healthy, and economical manner. A big part of green living is Green Careers, jobs in businesses that provide goods or services that benefit the environment. They also include jobs in which workers' duties involve making production processes more environmentally friendly. Green Builders, for example, focus on the design, construction, materials, and large-scale manufacturing of green buildings. Green buildings can provide individuals with a more responsible way to consume natural resources by incorporating things like energy-efficient utilities. Workers with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematics (STEM) play a key role in the development of green living and even the U.S. economy. According to the U. S. Department of Commerce, STEM occupations are growing at 10.5%. In comparison, other occupations are growing at only 7.5%. STEM occupations are a critical component in ensuring a prosperous future for the U.S.
What can we do?
Students and teachers can help promote green living by learning how to become "Green Schools''. Successful green schools teach students how to lead a changing world. They support student understanding by modeling sustainable behavior through green operations and building practices. Outside of schools, organizations and municipalities can make changes to combat the heat island effect. Cooling strategies include increasing vegetation and tree coverage, installing green or reflective roofs, and changing pavement to reduce heat absorption.
Green Schools Challenge Activities:
STE(A)M Activity - Green Careers Networking
CREATE YOUR OWN - Submit Lesson Plan click here
Points for participation will be based on a rubric. Download here.
