Earth Day: Youth Engage with Prominent Sustainability Activist Van Jones at Tufts University, USA
Heidi Stucker, Earth Charter Youth Initiative Member and AmeriCorps *VISTA Volunteer, has been working with Groundwork Lawrence, located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA, since July 2007. She submitted the following piece about the organization’s Green Team activities on Earth Day.
Groundwork Lawrence employs youth, ages 14-18, in a yearlong program, called the Green Team, which supports their development into committed and knowledgeable stewards of their urban environment. This year’s Green Team has been engaged in city-wide clean-ups, urban gardening, water quality testing, and organizing and leading an environmental expo that covered such topics as diesel pollution, and alternatives to toxic household cleaning agents.
On Earth Day, I brought the Green Team to attend a speech at Tufts University by Van Jones, a dynamic Green Jobs activist and founder of Green For All based in Oakland, California. His words were truly inspirational. In front of an audience of approximately 400 people, the Green Team had the chance to engage Van Jones in a dialogue about maintaining hope in the face of adversity. We also wanted to know more about the role youth can play in making a difference in the world.
Click here to watch the entire video address by Van Jones. If you click on “Audience Questions” you will hear the first question posed by Wanny Muñoz, one of our articulate Green Team members!
For more on Groundwork Lawrence, click below.
Groundwork Lawrence is a non-profit organization based in Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA that works within the city to promote a higher quality of life for the city’s residents by preserving open spaces and building parks, and working to secure access to fresh, healthy food. Groundwork Lawrence is part of GroundworkUSA, a network of independent, not-for-profit, environmental organizations called Groundwork Trusts. The network organizations work with communities to improve their environment, economy and quality of life through local action by getting local people, business, government and other organizations involved in practical projects. GroundworkUSA believes people, places and prosperity are inextricably linked and works with partners to develop projects which bring benefits to all three areas.