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Hands holding blocks and cards for Future Builder SustainABLE activity

Sustainability

A compilation of sustainability public engagement and professional learning resources. Annual events include: World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, Earth Hour, Earth Day, National Public Works Week, Campus Sustainability Month, and more.

Activities

Two decks of cards from the Cards for Humanity Activity

Games for the Future

In this activity, learners participate in futures thinking and learn about the United Nation's global goals for sustainable development by playing a series of games.
Image of various crafting materials for the Watch and Create activity

Watch and Create! Creativity For Sustainability

In this activity, learners work together to explore their relationship with technology and examine ways to make sustainable media consumption choices.
Sustainable Futures logo in full color

Ecosystem Engineers

In this activity, learners will investigate an ecosystem interaction web to understand the interconnections between people, other organisms, and habitats.
Explore Science: Sustainable Futures logo in full color

Good Life Challenge

In this activity, learners connect individual actions that support the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, (SDG).
Sustainable Futures logo in full color

Imagine Our Community 2100

In this activity, learners are lead through a discussion-based activity and are encouraged to imagine their community 80 years into the future using the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Young learner sorting colored marbles into three different colored boxes using a tube and funnel

Water Roll

In this activity, learners decide how they would distribute water between homes, farms and factories by sliding marbles down a tube into various containers.
Materials image of the Future Builder activity featuring wooden colored blocks and an explanation guide

Future Builder

In this activity, learners build a tower representing a future community. Learners will discover how sustainability is a balance of economic, societal, and environmental efforts.
Image of three young learners looking at recycled materials card

Creative Reinvention

In this activity, learners are asked to guess what recycled materials were used to make various products, and challenge them to think of creative ways to reuse the waste materials in their homes.
Illustration of a person in an astronaut suit holding up their hand for a high five

High Five for the Future

Promotional graphic signage for sustainability social media photo opp.
hands drawing an image prompted by a card that pictures a changing community

My Community

In this activity, learners can draw their neighborhoods and talk about what they like best or least about the places they live. Then, learners are challenged to draw potential improvements they'd like to see in their communities.
Image of kids lined up preparing for a game of Systems Scramble

Systems Scramble

In this activity, learners will have conversations about how systems work, and how we can work together to better understand systems and work toward creating a more sustainable future.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals Poster with icons for each goal

More Resources

Annual Events

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development (March 4)

Earth Hour (mid-March) 

Earth Day (April 22)
National Environmental Education Week (week of Earth Day)

National Public Works Week (mid-May)

World Environment Day (June 5)

Campus Sustainability Month (October)

Earth Science Week (second full week in October) (October 10-16, 2021)

America Recycles Day (November 15)

Working with STEM Experts Guide cover including an image of expert  puring a liquid and using a strainer with a girl and her family at a museum public event

Finding STEM Experts