Using the urban centers of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Eco Education has piloted two interesting approaches to environmental education. Urban Stewards is a service learning program in which students identify and address environmental issues in their communities. A 5th grade class from Bryn Mawr Elementary school in Minneapolis took over the school's recycling program, revitalized it and made an informative video for the other students in the school. Spreading the word made a difference in the reduction of the school's waste stream. City Connections has an interdisciplinary focus, teaching EE through science, writing, reading and social studies.
Students critically examine urban environmental issues specific to their city.
The goal is to move urban dwellers from awareness of bio and cultural diversity, pollution and the built environment ecosystem to action. Both programs stress the value of respecting people from diverse cultural backgrounds and opinions. Eco Education offers staff support throughout the year to assist teachers and students. The impact a child's home environment has on classroom behavior and learning are significant. But, helping parents learn about how nutrition, household cleaning products, indoor air pollution and other environmental factors effect their child's health and well being can be touchy.