Green Design

May Environmental Education Topic: Green Design



What if we designed with intent to nourish our environment and our bodies?

What if we eliminated the concept of waste?

What if we only used renewable energy?


Riding a bicycle powered blender

Green, or sustainable design, is the process by which materials, architecture, even systems such as commerce and transportation are developed to comply with economic, social, and ecological sustainability.

Kids are natural inventors. Inspire their creativity and imagination with these:

Green Design Activities

Awareness through Inquiry
Asking questions about materials we usually take for granted can open minds and spark discussion. What is this made of? Where do the materials come from? Are they safe? Could something else be used to construct this building, this product?

Build a Solar Oven

This activity can introduce solar power, electricity, renewable and non-renewable resources. Using a pizza box, tin-foil, saran wrap, black construction paper, and the sun students can build an oven which will melt chocolate on s'mores or cheese in quesadillas. Complete instructions can be found on: www.hometrainingtools.com/articles/build-a-solar-oven-project.html

Instructions for other solar powered machines, such as a solar hot dog cooker and a solar powered car can be found on: www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/solardogs.html

Paper Making

Use our Paper Making Activity Kit filled with the necessary supplies to turn old paper into a recycled artistic creation. See the Activity Kits label for rental information.

How Long Does it Last?
Initiate investigation of raw materials and product "life span". Students place common trash objects in a biodegrade or degrade time-line. Guess how long a plastic bottle will stick around. One million years? Forever?
Complete curriculum can found on: www.education-world.com/a_lesson/03/lp308-04.shtml

Club Energy Audit
Conduct an energy audit at your Club. Challenge youth and staff to find ways to reduce energy consumption. Make public service announcements, skits, and posters to engage in community education. The audit and relevant background information can be found on: www.coolschoolchallenge.org/curriculum-energy.aspx

Instructions for building bicycle powered machines such as this can be found on: www.humbolt.edu/~ccat/pedalpower/

Informational Resources:

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

The Story of Stuff on: www.storyofstuff.com