1. Earth Force GREEN Program Global Rivers Environmental Education Network

2. History of GREEN GREEN began in 1989 Dr. William B. Stapp;
University of MI, Ann Arbor
Passed to Earth Force in 1999
Earth Force acquired GREEN because of our reputation moving students to action.

3. Why GREEN? Encourages inquiry-based learning
Promotes civic involvement
Engages the community
Focuses on youth empowerment
GREEN starts with students monitoring a local waterway for a number of pollutants and turbidity, then they choose an issue on which to focus, conduct research and create a watershed protection action plan. One aspect of the program that is both unique and powerful is it’s focus on youth voice.

4. GREEN Tools Protect Our Watershed kits
Awareness to Action poster and activity guide
Water testing kits: dissolved 02, pH, N2, P2, turbidity, change in temperature, benthic macroinvertebrates
Along with these tools, teachers receive thorough training in GREEN, and in-class technical support from EF PC’s throughout the school year.

5. Step 1: Watershed Inventory
Identify local watershed and water quality conditions
Identify threats, problems and resources
Geographic familiarity, water quality monitoring, researching local watershed associations and work being done at universities and other institutions.

6. Step 2: Selecting a Watershed Problem
Develop criteria to select an impairment or threat
Use democratic decision making that facilitates team work
Choose an impairment or threat on which to work

7. Step 3: Researching Policy and Practices
Identify behaviors and policies related to selected problem
Identify key players in selected problem
Collect and describe facts and opinions about the problem
Develop recommendations for improving the problem
Key players being stakeholders, policy makers, township supervisors, business owners, etc.

8. Step 4: Deciding What to do
Brainstorm strategies
Use criteria to make democratic decision about what to do

9. Step 5: Taking Action Establish an action plan with timeline
Carry out action plan

10. Step 6: Looking Back and Ahead
Assess the impact of the project
Decide what still needs to happen
Chronicle effort and celebrate

11. GREEN Watershed Projects
School Lane Charter persuades board to install pervious surface
Radnor Middle School builds riparian buffer zone
Currently Bridesburg Elementary is installing a watershed mural in school
Projects include: a class of fourth graders who convinced their school officials to install a pervious pavement parking lot and playground, Radnor Middle School who partnered with Waterloo Mills preserve to build a riparian buffer zone and raised money to purchase and plant 75 trees, a Friends’ Central class also raised money to repair a buffer zone and partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and Morris Park Arboretum

12. GREEN Watershed Projects
Philadelphia School students publish watershed education books
Friends’ Central raises funds to repair buffer zone
A group of Philadelphia School students wrote and published children’s books about watershed care and also raised money to adopt 3 bird species to be cleaned after the Athos oil spill. Another school did storm drain stenciling.

13. GREEN Teacher Trainings
Summer Institutes provide in depth training for teachers on watershed content and GREEN process
Teachers earn Act 48 credits

14. Ongoing Teacher Support
Planning meetings
Materials
Community connections and resources
3-6 classroom visits per year
Culminating Youth Summit for students to showcase projects

15. GREEN: Beyond Water Quality Monitoring
Students analyze water samples, conduct balanced research, then synthesize findings to create watershed protection projects.
Teacher receive ongoing training and support from Earth Force staff