We are very proud to announce that our friend and colleague Mathis Wackernagel, co-founder of the Global Footprint Network, was recently honoured by the Nobel Sustainability Trust for his groundbreaking contributions to sustainability. Mathis is known for co-creating the Ecological Footprint, which has significantly influenced global conversations around sustainable resource use. This award recognizes his lifelong commitment to advancing sustainability science and policy and underscores the importance of integrating ecological limits into economic planning to ensure a livable planet for future generations.
We are excited to announce that Ana Celia Aguirre Villarreal, Co-founder and Director of Human Development at Universidad Carolina, has joined The Cloud Institute's Board of Directors. With extensive experience in human flourishing, social-emotional learning, and community development, Ana Celia has been a driving force in creating educational programs that foster collaboration and trust, such as Aulas Alebrijes and the Leadership for Childhood Seminar.
This professional learning opportunity equips educators with mapping tools, exemplars, and guidance to seamlessly integrate EfS into curriculum, instruction, and assessment at your school. Bring your bright ideas and almost finished lesson plans for review and discussion with curriculum professionals and other educators.
We are proud to announce that the print book series of the Oxford International Sustainability is now available! Developed in collaboration with The Cloud Institute, this comprehensive series includes 9 Project Books, 9 Teacher’s Guides, and professional development support for primary and secondary education. Designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the challenges and opportunities of sustainable living, this series empowers the next generation to lead the shift toward a sustainable future.
The Burke's Fall 2024 magazine highlights how the school is implementing Education for Sustainability (EfS) through projects and events aligned with it’s strategic plan. Partnering with the Cloud Institute, Burke's integrates EfS into its curriculum and instruction, fostering critical thinking and sustainable practices. The magazine showcases how these initiatives benefit both students and teachers, promoting sustainability within and beyond the school community.
Our Popular Introduction to Education for Sustainability (EfS) One Day Workshop and full week of Curriculum Design and Coaching takes place next month and there's still time to register. Access expertise, resources, and tools required to design elegant curricula for use in the classroom, protocols for professional development, or action plans designed to implement EfS change initiatives in schools and communities. See the agenda for the week.
We were invited to participate in the Shanghai International Workshop on Climate Change Education on April 26th. The workshop focused on the intersection of Education for Sustainability and Climate Education.
Jaimie’s presentation centered on inspiring people to be hopeful about contributing to the shift toward a sustainable future through education. We thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy!
Emeritus Professor Stephen Sterling is a pioneer in the field of sustainability education. His most recent book addresses the key issue of "how learning and education can make a decisive difference in securing the future in an increasingly uncertain and threatened world" (p. 2). As a collection of essays, the book combines new material with some of what Sterling considers his strongest work. Throughout each chapter, Sterling elaborates on an ecological paradigm and explores its implications for education. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in sustainability and education.
School districts interested in pursuing $10-$20 million grants for building improvements from the EPA Community Change Grant program now have access to dedicated support to help with their grant applications. The Center for Green Schools, The Collaborative for High Performance Schools, The Association of School Business Officials, and the National Rural Education Association are working together to provide grant writing tools, training, and direct coaching for school district applicants.
Darcy Hitchcock is a long time Sustainability Consultant and friend and supporter of the Cloud Institute. She posts interesting news, articles, thoughts and opinion pieces regularly. I think this is one that all our schools State by State can use to stimulate a discussion about renewable energy, our present and our future.
We are in the swing of our first year working with the Burke’s School in San Francisco, CA, an Independent K-8 School for Girls that has taken on Educating for Sustainability for the first time this year. It is wonderful to be working with Alice Moore again (currently Director of the Lower School and formerly at Marin Country Day School where we worked together with Robert Greene for seven years integrating EfS with DEI) and joyful working with Fran Yang, Director of Curriculum and Innovation for the first time.
At the Katherine Delmar Burke School, (commonly known as Burke's--an independent K-8 girls' school located in the Sea Cliff neighborhood of San Francisco, California), I have been working with the first-grade teachers of Art, Science, Library and Maker Space to build an interdisciplinary curriculum around the study of the ocean and the plants and animals that live there. This is a video of Yara Herman (the Art teacher) and her team’s contribution to the interdisciplinary study called “Ocean Emotion”. Love, Art, Artists, Impermanence, Mindfulness and a Strong Sense of Place.