One of the more inspired, and inspiring, programs related to green building that I have witnessed was recently delivered to a group of urban schoolchildren. With the support of his employer Dupler Office and other volunteers, Stephan Cooke created an initiative called Project Seedlings, an organization created to spark education on sustainability issues in a manner relevant to the daily lives and interests of elementary age children.
Project Seedlings ventured into green building territory when Stephan decided to present an educational program on green building to the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus. I must say that I was a bit skeptical about whether or not an audience of elementary schoolers would have any interest in green building. That’s where Stephan’s inspiration kicked in.
After a brief, interactive question-and-answer with the kids about things they’ve seen either at home or in school related to more efficient energy usage, recycling and/or decreasing waste, and finding out what general facts they already knew about green building, Stephan and his co-presenters (yours truly included) went over some basics of LEED® certification. Then the kids did a quick set of word games and fill-in-the-blanks to reinforce what they had just heard. Then the real fun began.
Basically, the kids became urban planners of their own sustainable community, which they crafted on a piece of particle board with tooth picks, gummy candies, magic markers and glue. With great energy and enthusiasm, the children put into practice the information they had just learned by creating buildings proximate to public transportation and other basic services, accessible to parkland, and powered by renewable energy. As they were crafting their masterpieces, other volunteers and I talked with the kids about the role that architects, engineers, designers, and even lawyers can play in creating more sustainable communities.
Some might question the value of talking about green building to children, particularly in underserved communities that face “more important” challenges. But I think that there’s no bad time or place to inspire great ideas, and green building is a great idea for any neighborhood.
