Taking the Science of Climate Change to the Streets

Kaiser Permanente forges partnership with Alliance for Climate Education to increase youth awareness of the impacts of climate change
Jan 18, 2013 4:15 PM ET

When trying to tackle a large-scale environmental issue that has potentially global impacts on the health and vitality of people, communities and the planet, sometimes the most effective place to start is a simple one — educate and inspire young people.

That is the premise behind an organization known as Alliance for Climate Education, a national non-profit based in Oakland, Calif., whose mission is to educate high school students on the science behind climate change and inspire them to take action to curb global warming. Kaiser Permanente recently awarded a $75,000 grant to ACE to support its work in “building a generational shift” to help solve climate change.

“We see that young people have the desire, the energy and the optimism to make a difference in addressing climate change,” explains Sarah Shanley Hope, executive director for ACE. “This is a global challenge that will directly affect their communities and our future. Bringing out their enthusiasm and potential leadership is critical to making solutions happen.”

ACE delivers two core offerings as part of its educational presentation: the award-winning ACE assembly that blends storytelling, cutting-edge animation, music and video; and the Student Action Program that engages students in small actions they can take to help the environment, scaling up to larger carbon-cutting projects that students can take on at school and in their communities.

Continue reading about Kaiser Permanente's partnership with the Alliance for Climate Education.