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, buildings in the U.S. account for the following percentages nationally: 74% of electricity consumption, 40% of carbon dioxide emissions, and 13% of water consumption. Since such a large percentage of our total carbon emissions come from infrastructure, greatly contributing to climate change, 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, leading to heat-related illnesses and even deaths. Where there are health risks, there are disproportionately affected 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 an eco-friendly and economical manner. A big part of green living is promoting “green careers,” jobs in businesses that provide goods or services that benefit the environment or further our understanding of how our actions affect the world around us. This includes jobs where workers' duties involve making production processes more environmentally friendly, like green builders. Green builders focus on the design, construction, materials, and large-scale manufacturing of green buildings. These green buildings provide individuals with a more responsible and environmentally conscious place to spend 90% of their time by incorporating energy-efficient utilities, materials, and design. Green living also creates jobs and supports the economy. Workers with degrees in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (S.T.E.M.) play a key role in the development of green living and the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, STEM occupations are predicted to grow 10.5% in the next 10 years, as compared to other occupations which are predicted to grow only 7.5%. S.T.E.M. 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 taking steps towards becoming "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 o reduce heat absorption and lower their score on the Albedo scale. Large-scale transitions away from materials like steel and concrete, and towards wood and other supportive plant fibers, could even make buildings carbon sinks, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Building in more natural shapes can even conserve materials, while maintaining the same structural support.
Green Schools Challenge Activities:
STE(A)M Activity - Careers as Climate Change Solutions
CREATE YOUR OWN - Submit Lesson Plan click here
Points for participation will be based on a rubric. Download here.
