Kid-Friendly Fridays: Urban Ecology Institute
Green kids are everywhere and the Urban Ecology Institute knows it. For over ten years UEI has been engaging young, urban minds in the study of ecology within the city limits of Boston. Through environmental education, action and advocacy programs, the UEI helps highlight the importance of urban ecosystems for the health of people and the planet.
Programs like Greentimes encourage active “by kids, for kids” science by creating environmental education materials that are used throughout schools in Massachusetts. Kids and students from all over are invited to share stories and essays on science and environmental topics such as animals, the solar system, weather, energy, planet Earth to be published online. The Greentimes materials are distributed to over 30,000 children and 950 teachers in under-resourced public schools.
The great thing about the UEI is that by promoting an understanding of the ecosystems in cities, which include trees, rivers, wildlife and parks, urban dwellers have a better understanding of the way these resources are affected by human activity.
Cities are the final frontier, the human-nature interface. Urban ecology helps kids and adults connect to the environment and understand ways to solve issues like pollution and over-development. And, the healthier and more vibrant our cities are, the less people will encroach on wild places with development and urban sprawl. Healthy urban ecosystems promote vibrant cities and help protect undeveloped areas.
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