National Environmental
Education Week (EE Week), the largest organized environmental education
event in the U.S., launched today with over 1600 partner organizations, and
millions of teachers, students and others in step. This year, EE Week
provides an opportunity for young people to learn about carbon footprints
-- both how they are created and what can be done to shrink them.
Made possible by Canon U.S.A., Inc., National Environmental Education
Week increases the educational impact of Earth Day by creating a full week
of environmentally-themed lessons and activities in K-12 classrooms, nature
centers, zoos, museums and aquariums.
EE Week's 2008 theme is focused specifically on helping students and
educators to learn more about carbon footprints by providing a host of
lessons and activities designed to infuse environmental education into
everyday learning.
"The stakes have never been higher," said Diane Wood, president,
National Environmental Education Foundation. "Every day we see the need for
students to be prepared to face a future with new environmental
challenges."
The National Environmental Education Week Web site,
provides resources including a robust curricula library offering dozens of
grade-appropriate, standards-based lessons on energy, carbon and climate
change, as well as including a new, easy-to-use nature center map to help
teachers and parents find local environmental education activities, and a
one-of-a-kind carbon footprint calculator, built by Zerofootprint, that
helps students examine how their daily choices affect the health of the
climate.
EE Week aims to increase the number of environmental education hours
that K-12 grade students receive in both formal and non-formal educational
settings. "This week is unrivaled in providing young people with an
opportunity to look at their day-to-day lives and the impact that they can
have on the environment," said Dawn Shields, senior manager, Corporate
Social Responsibility, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "Canon has a long history of
supporting environmental initiatives and is extremely proud to be part of
EE Week. We encourage educators, parents and students alike to take
advantage of the events and resources available this week and all year
long."
National Environmental Education Week national spokesperson and
third-generation member of the Cousteau family of explorers, Alexandra
Cousteau adds, "We can no longer ignore the human footprint on our planet.
If we are to achieve a sustainable society, we must consider our impact on
the natural systems that support life on Earth. EE Week is an excellent
opportunity for students and educators to focus on shrinking their own
carbon footprint and that of their families, schools and communities."
EE Week highlights the educational impact of Earth Day by creating a
full week of nationwide educational preparation, learning, and activities
in K-12 classrooms, nature centers, zoos, museums and aquariums.
The National Environmental Education Foundation provides objective
environmental information to help Americans live better every day. We work
with professionals in health, education, public lands and media to connect
the environment to everyday choices and actions so the public can live well
while protecting and enjoying nature. Through our signature programs like
National Public Lands Day, Environmental Education Week, Earth Gauge, and
the Pediatric Environmental History Initiative, the National Environmental
Education Foundation offers Americans knowledge to live by.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and
industrial imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a
top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2007,
with global revenues of $39.3 billion, is listed as one of Fortune's Most
Admired Companies in America and is on the 2007 BusinessWeek list of "Top
100 Brands."
Source: Canon
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