(480b) Engineering Involvement In Green School Development

The emerging term of a “Green School” includes facets such as; technologies that would make institutional learning more energy efficient, are inherently environmentally friendly, and are envisioned to pass on concepts of stewardship and sustainability to learners. It is proposed that relatively simple and behavior based teaching concepts such as recycling, gardening, and touring of “green” social centers has the potential to impact long term knowledge of youth that would promote such practices. We have developed innovative teaching programs at the Cole Arts and Science Academy (CASA) via innovative infusion programs to promote such learning practices and hopefully instill concepts of stewardship. Such programs have been made possible by state (Colorado) education grants. To date, three classes have been planned and implemented: 1) “Garden Extravaganza” and 2) Green House Gardening, and 3) Holistic Garden Management. One of the goals of this unique urban agriculture based curriculum is to impart first principle applied concepts such as mass and energy balances that also carry tones of stewardship and community. As an extension to this public school outreach and education program, evaluation of the program, applied technology and study thereof, are directly related to current sustainability science practices that are gaining acceptance. This talk will highlight our efforts to develop Green School education programs and sustainability science & research. The extension of this work via research could lead to; 1) the refinement of engineering models in coordination with urban green school concepts (e.g. green house, energy flows, systems), 2) provide for engineering design projects that incorporate life cycle analysis (LCA) perspectives, 3) provide a basis for entrepreneurship, and 4) could be used as a basis for extensions to larger social implications (e.g. lifelong stewardship behavior) or novel extensions of life cycles.