Green LUNGS (Learning to Use Nature's Gifts Sustainably)

The Green LUNGS program empowers teens with the knowledge and skills necessary to become the sustainable advocates of tomorrow. Teens gain specific skills in ecosystem and landscape-based management that provide the foundation for a career in science, agriculture, design, public policy, or any number of related disciplines. By understanding sustainable land use issues through study and outreach, teens are called upon to devise solutions to some of the negative ecological trends - from stormwater management to food deserts - which plague many low-income communities. The building blocks of the built environment - shelter, water, energy, and nutrients - are emphasized to demonstrate vital 21st Century concepts through hands-on learning and a systems thinking approach. From the onset, teens work together to synthesize their environmental observations to identify positive changes and produce maps to communicate the information and promote community recommendations.