Be a Catalyst for Community Climate Action
Would you like to be a catalyst for positive change across your whole community? Have you ever wondered how to engage with your local elected officials? This session will offer guidance on how students can engage with local governments on clean energy and climate action projects. Learn about the resources that are available through the NYS Climate Smart Communities program and NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities program. From community festivals to internships, from research projects to joint task forces, come brainstorm with us about how you can partner with your town to reduce local emissions and adapt to a changing climate.
Become a CO2-Eating Superhero
Have you ever knocked over a full glass? What’s the first thing you do to clean it up— pick the glass up so it stops spilling or clean up what’s already spilled? Hopefully, you do both. To solve climate change we’ll have to stop putting more carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air and soak up what’s already there. Luckily, a big part of the solution is the soil and plants at our feet. This workshop will explore the basics of regenerative agriculture and carbon farming, which increase the abilities of plants and soil to absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere. Every participant will leave knowing how to turn a home compost pile, garden, vacant lot, or lawn into
CO2-eating superheroes.
Biomimicry: The Science of Today and the Jobs of TomorroW
Do you know the connection between a $100 bill and a beetle? If not, come learn about Biomimicry and how scientists, engineers, designers, and even the fashion industry are studying nature's best ideas and mimicking them to solve problems they are facing! Biomimicry will be part of many jobs that today’s children will have when they are adults! Participants will participate in a game that asks them to match organisms with bio‐inspired products. Actual bio-inspired products, currently available on the market, will be used in the presentation and available to examine
BUILDING A YOUTH CLIMATE MOVEMENT
This workshop will focus on the goals and strategies of the Sunrise Movement, as well as the student strike for climate movement led by Greta Thunberg in Northern Europe, and will enable students to advocate for a clean future. We will discuss the basics of the Green New Deal, work on the power of storytelling, and provide helpful counter-arguments for those politicians likely to oppose young efforts for a transition to a clean economy. As it's young people who will grow up in a world fraught with natural disasters, global warming, sea level rise, and desertified land, it does not make sense that the older generation of politicians in charge of our fossil fuel-based economy make the decisions about climate legislation. Young people must be at the forefront of this fight to save our earth for generations to come.
composting workshop
In this workshop we will explore how soil is created and get to see the process in action in the school garden (weather permitting). We will learn how garden and food waste can be recycled by nature into an important resource - compost! Together we'll brainstorm ways in which we can reduce garbage from your lunch going to the landfill...
Geoengineering the Planet: Science Fact or Science Fiction?
This workshop covers some interesting solutions to climate change that are being developed around the world, such as painting rooftops or mountains white, cloud making machines, launching tiny mirrors into space. We cover the science behind these solutions, the costs and benefits to developing them and then ask the students to create their own ideas for engineering the planet. Students will also have the opportunity to play a global warming scenarios version of Settlers of Catan during this session to apply principles of international cooperation agreements on climate change.
GREENLIGHT AWARD WINNERS
The mission of the Bedford 2020 Coalition in the Town of Bedford in Westchester County is to lead, organize, and promote community-wide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020, and to create a sustainable community that conserves its natural resources. Bedford 2020 offers the Greenlight Award to area high schools. It encourages students to come up with big green ideas to address Bedford’s climate action plan. Students compete for funding to make a difference, and ultimately a cash prize. Some of the finalists and winners will discuss their green ideas with students at the Garrison Youth Climate Summit.
LET'S GET ORGANIZED: STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY
In the face of daunting environmental challenges, sometimes it can feel impossible to affect change. And yet, we have countless examples where a small group of people successfully protected or restored an ecosystem they hold dear. With persistence and a plan, you can make a big impact. This workshop discusses strategies for being an effective environmental advocate. We will explore historical and current examples. Then, we'll design environmental campaigns based on specific environmental issues that you would like to address in your community.
Mushroom Inoculation and Fungal Climate Solutions
Tune into what fungi are and how they function in the environment. Inoculate a kit to take home and grow your own mushrooms. Learn how fungi are part of the climate solution and how you can help them save the world.
Renewable energy
This workshop provides an interactive lesson on the most efficient forms of renewable energy, including the comparative impacts of solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and sustainable housing—and how feasible it is to implement these energy sources across the globe.