Summary
Organization name
Earth Force
1993
Tax id (EIN)
52-1830873
Category
Environment, Education, Youth Development
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
PO Box 1228Denver, CO 80201
US
Earth Force is a national non profit with over 30 years of experience partnering with school districts, youth-serving organizations, and educators to evolve student learning through Environmental Applied Civics (EAC). Our expertise is in the elements that make authentic civic engagement work: centering youth voice, building strong youth-adult partnerships, and creating resilient communities.
Youth civic engagement is declining just as our environmental challenges demand more collaborative solutions. Many communities struggle to provide the tools and space students need to be involved in decision-making.
Earth Force fills that gap.
We created Environmental Applied Civics (EAC), an educational approach where youth partner with adults to identify a local environmental issue and work with community members to change policies or practices. Over 30 years, we have supported more than 220 organizations in integrating authentic EAC learning to enact deep systemic change.
Earth Force engage young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future.
We train adults to infuse civic experiences into environmental education to create environmental citizens.
In 1989, five 3rd and 4th grade girls from Freeport, Maine noticed the amount of styrofoam in the trash along the shores of the Royal River.
They collected the trash and then narrowed in on the source of styrofoam – several local restaurants’ takeaway containers. They visited each restaurant to ask them to change their type of containers to something more easily biodegradable. Most restaurants were responsive to making changes, but a certain large national chain was not. The franchise was required to use the products and materials determined by the corporate headquarters.
As the girls became more knowledgeable about styrofoam, the chemistry, and the environment they became more vocal about the need for banning the styrofoam – and the use of non-biodegradable material. They debated with the franchise officials in the Town Council chambers.
One result of their efforts was the passage of the Chapter 33 Styrofoam Ordinance passed by the Freeport Town Council banning the use of polystyrene foam (PSF).
The Pew Charitable Trusts took note of this incredible youth-led change and created Earth Force to give more young people the opportunity to change their community.
We continued to innovate and we officially launched Environmental Applied Civics – a clear way to infuse civics into environmental learning that now reaches over 83,000 young people per year.
Organization name
Earth Force
1993
Tax id (EIN)
52-1830873
Category
Environment, Education, Youth Development
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
PO Box 1228US