Why Do We Need a Plan?

The 2004 Report Card on EE as requested by the Washington State Legislature.

Education for Sustainable Communities is fundamental to creating thriving environments for all of Washington State schools, communities, and businesses. Currently the environmental and sustainability education efforts in the state are under-funded, fragmented, disjointed and, in some cases, redundant. This initiative is designed to optimize education for sustainable communities for everyone in Washington State by linking and leveraging current resources, identifying areas that need improvement and/or development, and gaining increased commitment and funding to ensure success from both private and public entities.

Participatory Planning for Sustainability

The E3 process is designed to increase systemic participation and decision-making so that stakeholders of environmental and sustainability education are acting on behalf of their collective vision for a sustainable future.   The traditional approach to decision making no longer applies when considering the need to make communities sustainable.   “The primary rational for enhanced stakeholder participation in community planning… is based on the democratic maxim that those affected by a decision should participate directly" (from author Mark Roseland). The E3 process is designed around this core principle of stakeholder participation, inclusion and diversity.

How Have We Succeeded Thus Far?

Billy Frank Jr. speaking at the statewide E3 Summit November, 2007.

We have succeeded via state and local leadership summits for environmental education attended by key leaders in education, state, and community-based programs, agencies and businesses. These summits are action oriented strategy sessions designed to get input from leaders and constituents to ensure that environmental education meets the unique needs of schools (preK-20), communities, and businesses throughout the state. They also are designed as the first step in building environmental and sustainability education leadership communities throughout the state at, and between, the state and local level to ensure plan implementation and success.

How Will We Implement From Here?

Regional and Sector Leaders attended the E3 Leadership Retreat at the Tierra Learning Center.

We will implement a system of education for sustainable communities through continued interaction between an active and engaged network of stakeholders and leaders. By developing an infrastructure that supports E3 planing and implementation as well as engaging communities and funding opportunities we effectively set in motion a movement self organized and interconnected. 

Through the use of traditional relationship building with new modes of communication and technology we develop the E3 Washington Atlas for Education for Sustainable Communities complete with detailed statewide initiatives, regional and sector plans for implementation.

Links:

The E3 Executive Map
E3 Regions, .... Sectors, .... Roundtables