History

On Earth Day, April 22, 2000, half a billion people around the world joined together to put forth new environmental visions for a sustainable future. High school and middle school students and youth groups across California’s San Francisco Bay Area got a head start by participating in the creation of EARTH TEAM, a collaborative network connecting Bay Area teenagers, teachers and youth leaders with numerous environmental, educational, and government organizations. There was a niche that needed filling. High school environmental clubs and many teachers felt disconnected from others of similar interest and discouraged by the general student body’s response to environmental concerns. Additionally, the teachers were overwhelmed, often untrained and without the time needed to find speakers or create environmental community projects. Earth Team aims to change this.

Earth Team’s mission is to create a new generation of environmental leaders by introducing—into the classroom and the community—environmental experiences that are so active and engaging that they inspire dedication to a healthy environment. The students, teachers and youth leaders will be drawn to Earth Team’s unique state of the art website as a central location for organizing, mobilizing and disseminating information. Earth Team is committed to delivering quality projects by partnering with the strongest educational, environmental and government organizations. The students will think globally by using the vast amount of information offered, connect regionally by working with students from other communities whether on joint projects, at special events or on the website and act locally in community based projects.

Earth Team’s first year was very successful. In the first six months, twenty-four groups or classes signed up and 170 students received Presidential Environmental Youth Certificates for their environmental work. Please explore this website for a basic look at where we are today.

Do you want to join with others who care about the planet? Just the fact that you checked out this website says that you really care about the environment. Want to launch a recycling program at your school? Want to find out how to save a particular species? What grade would your school get for energy efficiency? How about restoring a creek so you can take your own kids there 20 years from now and say, “I helped keep this creek alive?”

Create an EarthTeam within your existing club, class or youth group. It’s open to public as well as private schools and groups and it’s free. All you need to do is to decide on a project that your team would like to handle. Our suggestions for projects are not required. Design your own! Most of our projects fulfill California science curriculum requirements as well as being of community service.

Here are a few of the benefits to EarthTeam members:

• Interview an expert in our Environmental Experts Chat Room Series.
• Participate in the monthly Restoration Program.
• Meet major environmental leaders at Earth Team events. Earth Team members have had private group meetings with Jane Goodall and Julia“Butterfly” Hill.
• Contact us for specially created Restoration Program designed to fit your needs.
• Receive extra advantages for existing projects. For example, ‘River of Words’, the international environmental poetry and art contest has a double Entry for Earth Team members.
• Receive a certificate from Senator Barbara Boxer with the official Senatorial seal.
• Request a live or an on-line environmental speaker fitting your time, place, subject and more.
• The Student Environmental Leadership Weekend is a yearly event not to be missed.
• Work closely with an Earth Team volunteer assigned to your group.
• Participate in the interviewing and writing of Earth Team’s on-line Newsletter, “The Green”.
• Be a member of the EarthTeam Youth Coalition who meet monthly or more, plan projects, hear speakers and help direct EarthTeam.
• Gain valuable experience for college and job applications.
• Teachers: Earth Team’s goal is to make life easier for you with the best environmental projects that list State Science requirements, a Speakers Bureau, a fully developed links section and a commitment to do our best to fill any requests that you may have.

At the dawn of the 21st century, we all face critical global environmental questions and concerns. We each can impact globally, if we begin to act locally. The teenagers of today are tomorrow’s environmental leaders. We invite you to join EarthTeam and help lead the way to a healthy, just and sustainable future. If you have further interest, please Join Us or send your questions to Contact Us.