Earth Team

EARTHTEAM EMPOWERS TEENS TO BECOME LIFELONG ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND THE BUILDING OF COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.

ZEROLITTER PROGRAMTHIS PROGRAM INCLUDES YEARLONG INTERNSHIPS AT 10 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS. IT INSPIRES STUDENTS TO EXPAND THEIR THINKING ABOUT TRASH, LANDFILLS, AND THE IDEAS BEHIND A "DISPOSABLE CULTURE". THEY EXAMINE THEIR CAPACITY TO AFFECT CHANGE IN REDUCING THEIR CAMPUSES' WASTE STREAMS AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEALTHY WATERSHEDS. STUDENTS PROMOTE RECYCLING AT HOME, INVESTIGATE THEIR WASTE-MAKING PATTERNS IN SCHOOL, AND GENERAL LITTERING BEHAVIORS IN PUBLIC SPACES. THEY USE COMPUTER TABLETS AND A SPECIAL MAPPING APPLICATION ZEROLITTER.ORG. IN 2021 WE CONDUCTED MULTIPLE LITTER PICKUPS IN 8 HIGH SCHOOLS IN 2 COUNTIES, ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA, WORKING WITH 3,500 STUDENTS. STUDENTS HAVE REMOVED AND CLASSIFIED NEARLY 200,000 PIECES OF LITTER. THE PROGRAM EMPLOYED 87 INTERNS.SUSTAINABLE WATERSHEDS ACTION TEAMSTHIS PROGRAM INCLUDES YEAR-LONG AFTER-SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS AT 10 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS. STUDENTS ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF HANDS-ON RESTORATION ACTIVITIES, FROM WORKING WITH LOCAL PROFESSIONAL SITE PARTNERS TO DESIGNING THEIR RESTORATION PROJECTS ON CAMPUS. THESE INTERNSHIPS OFFER STEWARDSHIP AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS, FEATURING WATERSHED EDUCATION AND RESTORATION AND MARINE DEBRIS EDUCATION AND REDUCTION. IN 2021, 87 PARTICIPATING TEENS MET WEEKLY AFTER SCHOOL FOR 32 WEEKS TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR LOCAL WATERSHED AND WORK OUT IN THE FIELD ONCE A MONTH. THEY ALSO CONDUCTED PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AT SEVERAL CITY COUNCILS. THEY RESTORED CREEK SIDE HABITATS AT MARSH CREEK, PINOLE CREEK, AND SAN LORENZO CREEK.SOMETHING IS IN THE AIR (SITA)THE SITA PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT ISSUES RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR POLLUTION AND TAKE ACTION TO BETTER THEIR ENVIRONMENTS. PROJECTS INCLUDE THE TRANSPORTATION ACTION PROJECT. IN 2021, 87 INTERNS ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR PEERS TO MITIGATE THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION; THEY CALCULATED THE CARBON FOOTPRINT FOR SEVERAL CAMPUSES AND RECOMMENDED MEASURES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS CAUSED BY VEHICLES, INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM SCHOOLS, REDUCTION IN SINGLE-SUE PLASTICS AND QUANTIFIED THE IMPACT THAT PLASTIC PRODUCTION HAS IN THE EMISSION OG GLOBAL WARMING GASES (GHG).