Classrooms, which were once a place of safety and stability, have changed in many ways due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been deep cleaned, rearranged, closed, reopened and, for many, moved online. But just how does the classroom environment impact on pupils' health, wellbeing and ability to learn? Ground-breaking research by Professor…

Healthy Schools Network hosted the second national virtual summit "COVID, Climate, Children & Schools: Focus on Climate" in April 2022. Over two afternoons, the summit elevated key issues of environment, health, and education justice that have come into sharper focus during the COVID and climate crises. Nearly three hundred people…

Microplastics have been found in the most remote locations on Earth as well as in where we live, work, and play. Despite increasing research focus on microplastics, efforts to inform the public about their omnipresence have lagged. To bridge this gap between research and public knowledge, we developed a museum exhibit with interactive and…

The analysis of functional groups in organic compounds and inorganic ions in salts is a laboratory experiment that forms an inevitable part of the undergraduate chemistry curriculum in the science field all over the world. With this experiment, the student learns the testing techniques for the chemicals and gets a true sense of the importance of…

Ecological crises are also spiritual ones, leading to profound heartbreak. By helping us to understand and value the nature of heartbreak, as well as helping to find a balance between heartbreak and hope, religious traditions can play a significant role in empowering people to address serious environmental problems. This paper discusses how…

This essay advances the argument that the fields of nature conservation and music sustainability are unified by shared concerns. Namely, commodification and "economic development engender approaches to the exploitation of culture that are often identical to the strategies for corporate profiteering of natural resources. Philosophical views of…

Historically, science education has not adequately addressed the concerns and values of BIPOC individuals and women, especially those who fall into both categories. One way that educators are addressing this disparity is by incorporating social justice into their curricula. Climate change is one of today's most pressing issues, and youth have much…

This brief informs California's LEA leaders about approaches to sustainably modernizing school facilities to advance educational and health equity for students and briefly explores associated funding strategies.

Universities worldwide have come to embrace the rhetoric of environmental sustainability and a commitment to climate action while simultaneously seeking to internationalize themselves within the context of the global economy. In seeking to internationalize, universities are highly dependent on air travel, for both their academic staff and…

Although evidence of heritability for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is strong, studies of twin pairs suggest that at least some portion of the etiology is attributable to environmental factors, either directly or through interaction with genes. Given the multitude of environmental and psychosocial exposures that have been reported to increase…

Wildland fires have become a regular aspect of life for people living in the western United States. Wildfire smoke is now impacting air quality across the United States. Unprecedented wildfires have swept through Australia, Russia, and Portugal in the last few years. Like other natural disasters, wildland fires can have a devastating impact on…

The durability and variety of plastics mean that they can take an age to break down (or biodegrade) in the environment. Plastic carrier bags will be around for 50 to 100 years, plastic bottles for 600 years, and Styrofoam/polystyrene containers for a whopping 5000 years. As more of these plastic items are added to the ocean, they just build up and…

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that to protect and promote the health of all children, robust environmental health protections must be in place, and the inequities that lead to environmental injustice must be eliminated. The environment is a powerful social determinant of health and a critical factor in our…

Climate change regulation, being imbued with multiscalar complexities, economic concerns, and numerous constitutional implications, presents a rich pedagogical context for teaching business regulation. However, environmental law, as an instructional topic, can be quite complex and daunting to present to students. The topic presents issues of…

Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles (<5 mm in size) that are ubiquitous in the environment and have even been detected in bottled water. In this laboratory experiment, suited for instrumental or environmental chemistry classes, students detect and quantify MPs in bottled water by filtering and staining them with Nile red dye prior…