Resources Index (headings expanded upon below):

  • K-12 topics
    • Curriculum
      • Sustainability (multi-topic)
      • Energy
      • Solar
      • Wind
      • Supply Chain/Living School Yard/School Gardens
      • Biomimicry
    • School Resource Audits (energy, water and waste)

    • Science Fairs/ Family Engagement

    • Learning Standards

    • Grants

  • Community topics
    • Get Involved!
    • Being Green at College
    • Being Green at Home
    • Being Green at your Business
    • Energy Education and Training
    • Books, Video, Speakers, and Social Media

K-12 Curriculum: Sustainability (multi-topic)

.2012. Resources on Sustainability Curriculum AASHE.

2014. Sustainability based lesson plans for energy, water, food, waste, landscape, quality of life and supply chain.

. 2015. Sustainability curriculum for grades K-12 (for purchase).

2017. K-12 Lesson Clearinghouse. Free sustainability lessons for K-12.

. Sustainability links for teachers. Tips for a sustainable classroom, and curriculum.

Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. A PDF file which contains links to various sustainability resources.

2011. A 116 page Introduction to Sustainability unit with lessons.

2018. A number of links called STEM toolkits that include topics: Engineering a Sustainable World, gardening, technology, and taking it outside.

K-12 Curriculum: STEM (multi-topic)

. 2018. Free STEM learning resources for the classroom aligned with NGSS. Includes important environmental topics.

. Hands-on science kits for purchase. Various topics, NGSS aligned.

STEM curriculum, kits, and lab equipment available for purchase.

. Free STEM resources for all grades. For purchase options available as well.

K-12 Curriculum: Energy

2018. Science Buddies. Over 40 energy K-12 based projects.

2017. Energy Quest. An interactive site for kids that includes teacher resources.

Official website for NEED contains curriculum, student information and parent information.

2018. Office of energy efficiency and renewable energy education home page includes numerous links to everything energy for the classroom.

K-12 Curriculum: Solar

. 2018. Solar Power & Alternative Energy Science Kits for purchase.

2018. Includes a plethora of valuable links that include curriculum, climate change, energy conservation, and teacher training.

SunWind Solar Car Kits and Solar Energy Education.

K-12 Curriculum: Wind

. 2018. Wind energy engineering kits and curriculum for purchase.

K-12 Curriculum: Supply Chain/Living School Yard/School Gardens

. 2018. Connects teachers to create and share edible curriculum.

. 2017. Green school yard America is a national organization that facilitates and encourages the sustainability of school yards.

2017. Starting school gardens.

. A UNESCO program for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable which provides teachers with curriculum development and education policy making.

K-12 Curriculum: Biomimicry

. 2016. Biomimicry 3.8 is the for-profit leg of Biomimicry, but this site provides the most current links to innovations and professional development in this field.

. 2015. Biomimicry Education Resources: Curricula and Resources. The non-profit wing of Biomimicry provides K-12 and university lessons.

is a database of biological strategies and existing bio-inspired innovations. Excellent resource for various school subjects, part of the Biomimicry Institute.

2018. Biomimicry/Bio-inspired Engineering curriculum for 3rd-12th grades. Register for free access to the curriculum. Teacher training available and highly recommended.

K-12 Resource Audits

. Waste reduction resources for California Schools

Stop Waste. PDF's available for download for instructions and supplies, data recording sheet, and planning sheet.

an example of local government empowering students to conserve resources and protect the environment through a variety of interactive programs. See the for educating kids on the importance of resource conservation.  

The Green Schools Initiative. The perfect activity for a segue into a waste audit; provides metrics behind each category of waste through an interactive guessing game.

K-12 Science Fair/ Family Engagement

2013. Science Fair Central. All things to consider in preparing for a Science Fair (for non-science teacher)

Energy relevant Science Fair Projects consistent with the NEED kits according to Primary, Intermediate and Secondary grades.

. Science buddies contains a list of project ideas starting from beginners to advanced.

Julian's Science Fair offers science fair ideas categorized by topic.

Science fair projects concentrated on solar energy.

2005. The Best of Science Fair Project Guidebooks: A Resource for Students, Teachers and Parents. Extensive learning guide that includes 20 worthwhile energy related projects in a science fair format

2014. Site has a plethora of cutting edge ideas and approaches, although requires considerable access to resources and technology. This link offers a thorough process for a student (Intermediate and Secondary) to reflect and improve their project throughout the process.

K-12: Professional Development/ Grants

Professional development and grant opportunities.

2017. California Science Teachers Association

 for Middle School, High School, and College. Student energy projects.

2015. The National Science Teachers Association is dedicated to improving the science instructions and awareness of science in schools.

2015. The National Science Foundation offers a wide variety of funding options.

. 2015. Available Grants.

K-12: Learning Standards

. 2014. Education for Environment and Sustainability. Includes learning standards, environmental and sustainability literacy plan, and sustainable design projects.

 2015. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The homepage for the California Science Teachers Association.

 2015. Common Core.

July 2011. A Framework for K-12 Science Education.pdf.

. NGSS. The Official site for the next generation science standards by state.

. 2014. National Science Teachers Association in connection to NGSS.

. 2015. The site offers correlation between standards in each state.

.2013. Concord consortium offers help for teachers to better understand NGSS Standards. 

. 2015. The California Department of Education. For California Public Schools and the transition to NGSS.

. Bozeman Science lists science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts and Physical science core ideas.

 NGSS and phenomena resources from the San Diego County Office of Education.  

Community: Get Involved! 

2011.Office of Environment and Heritage. Published in Australia, but provides comprehensive steps on building community and addressing sustainability issues.

2015. Sustainable Agriculture is their main agenda, but site includes many related things to do categorized by month.

2020 based in Berkley, CA. Resources for Food, Zero Waste, Climate, Youth, and Sustainable Living. 

Community: Being Green at College

. Sustainability Center includes various programs.

2015. Case Study: The homepage for CCA with various links on sustainability on their campus.

2012. Association for Advancement in Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). A plethora of blogs (mostly current) from universities around the US regarding either what they are doing to make an impact on the planet, or what you can also do.

. 2010. Chico State University. Case Study in best practices.

. 2011. Santa Barbara City College. Case Study: Curriculum and on campus efforts.

. 2015. California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office. Facilities and sustainability frameworks across California Community College networks.

2021 Article by EduMed. Outlines why students should care about being green, how colleges and individual students can make a difference. Includes a list of college degrees with positive environmental impacts. 

Community: Being Green at Home

. The official site for San Luis Sustainability group, which offers green architecture.

. Solutions for home sustainability and the financial benefit.

. The Central Coast's leading green building builder 

2018. Official website for the San Luis Obispo clean energy coalition.

. The webpage for the USGBC central coast chapter.

Community: Being Green at your business

. 2013. Green Technologies and Practices. Now defunct program, but reports through 2013 are available for download that include surveys on green practices, etc. Throughout this website are also links to green job outlooks.

. The green business program encourages businesses to go green by making the place of business more sustainable and efficient with resources. 

.The homepage for Green Business Network for environmentally responsible businesses.

Community: Energy Education and Training

and certification of Home Energy Rating System raters.

. Overview of California’s renewable energy efforts.

188bet.com about 188bet.com Energy Tools and Training

.2010-2014.Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Training and Education Renewable Energy Jobs Solar Living Institute - Solar Training

Community: Books, Video, Speakers and Social Media

2015. List of videos and readings in the realm of sustainable business and design.