KTW 28 | Creating a Culture of Sustainability in Our Public Schools

Kiss That World Podcast | Sustainability + Conservation + Environmentalism

If you've been keeping up with KTW, you already know that Americans waste 1/4 of the groceries they buy. This trend doesn't just start and stop with adults- kids are wasteful too. I myself have fallen guilty to throwing away perfectly edible, nutritious parts of my packed lunch. I knew I would have to answer some questions about why I didn't finish my apple or sandwich and it seemed easier to toss it, unfinished. Of course, now I know that even though apples grow on trees, they cost money and resources to grow, ship and eat. That came with education. So what if we could start by creating a culture of sustainability in our public schools? Where kids are educated about environmental issues and take pride in participating. That's exactly what this weeks expert, Mrs. Janis Duncan did.

Mrs. Duncan, as her students know her, is a 4th-grade teacher at Meiners Oaks Elementary. Janis partnered up with Lori Hamor of Food For Thought, a local nonprofit aiming to improve nutrition and food awareness in the Ojai Valley. For the last decade, the two have been revolutionizing the way school kids think about their food and the environment. They are using both the Green Ribbon School standards and the Environmental Education Initiative Curriculum.