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Educating our children and empowering them to experiment, discover, and serve our communities is key to sustainability.

Children are natural resources that must be cultivated and nurtured much like the resources provided to us by our environment. Through encouraging exploration, active participation, and modeling, we can teach our children to respect the environment and discover innovative and simple methods to preserving our renewable and nonrenewable resources while being productive members of society. In an article titled, Sustainability Starts and Ends with Safe, Healthy, and Well-Educated Children UNICEF discusses how we must support childrens well being in order for children to be integral components of sustainability development. Anthony Lake, the UNICEF Executive Director, stated in April, 2013 that investment in children is a fundamental means to eradicate poverty, boost shared prosperity, and enhance inter-generational equity. It is also essential for strengthening their ability to reach their potential as productive, engaged, and capable citizens, contributing fully to their families and societies. Sustainable development starts and ends with safe, healthy and well-educated children (UNICEF, 2013, p.1). I believe that Anthony Lake along with members of the UNICEF organization recognizes the four pillars of sustainable development and how these pillars relate to future generations and their ability to participate in effectively sustaining our environment and resources. The four pillars that we have been discussing are: economic growth, social inclusion, environmental balance, and culture. In order for society to continue sustainable development, we must uphold these four pillars among all citizens including children. Education is the most effective and logical way for us, as a society, to uphold the four pillars of sustainability development beginning at the earliest ages of a childs development. The UNICEF article goes on to describe how children play an integral role in sustainability development as shapers of the world as well as people who are shaped by the world. In order to empower children to be shapers of the world, we must ensure that their physical, emotional, cultural, and academic needs are met. In order for sustainability development to continue, we must provide safe living conditions that nurture childrens innate needs. Through providing a safe and nurturing environment with appropriate environmental education, the children will, in turn, be motivated to maintain the environment and sustain resources. Furthermore, the UNICEF article supports my argument that we must invest in the well being and educational needs of our children because we are investing in our future. For instance, Sustainable development must balance the scales of equity on all fronts to break cycles of poverty and ensure that the children of today and tomorrow are able to have and inherit a livable, safe world. This requires adults today making development decisions that are good for both people and the planet; which avoid economic or social crises, such as those arising from gross inequalities and injustice; and which avert irreversible environmental damages that our children and their children will inherit. Focusing on the needs, capabilities and rights of children and young people is a crucial part of making these good, sustainable development choices and represents an investment in everyones future (UNICEF, 2013. p. 4). In summary, nurturing and supporting our childrens educational needs, meeting their need for a safe and healthy environment, meeting their medical and emotional needs, while providing the necessary resources to encourage children to prosper and grow are essential aspects of sustainability development. Adults must model and practice sustainable development, so that children learn the importance of being aware of the needs of the environment in which they live in order to preserve it and cultivate its fruits for future generations. Sustainable development will occur naturally when children are encouraged to explore their curiosities about the world around them and discover new and innovative approaches to maintaining and sustaining our environment. This hands-on learning is how we teach our children to be caretakers of our planet. Some ways that children can gain experience in sustainability development is through volunteering to maintain and create community gardens. The Lower Moyamensing Civic Association has several local programs for volunteers, young and old, to maintain and cultivate urban gardens including composts. Some examples of these programs are located on the LOMO website, which is attached to this image. There are additional civic associations within the city of Philadelphia that are also teaching urban youth about sustainability development while meeting the neighborhoods needs to reduce hunger and obesity. A video regarding the Haddington project in West Philadelphia has also been incorporated into this interactive image. The image also reflects our local youth, my son, participating in an urban garden project at South Philadelphia High School on South Broad Street in South Philadelphia. The fruits and vegetables cultivated from these garden or used to support the local community through a weekly farmers market as well as provide educational opportunities through a culinary curriculum program at South Philadelphia High School.

Reference for text:

UNICEF. (2013). A Post 2015 world fit for children: Sustainable Development Starts and Ends with Safe, Healthy and Well-Educated Children. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from UNICEP.org. References for image: Lower Moyamensing Civic Association (2014). Gardens. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.lomophilly.org/. SUDadmin. (2011). Sustainable Urban Development Haddington and the 59th Street Community Garden. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhNLN-NocLs. Vega4. (2011). Life is Beautiful: African Cats Music from the Disney movie African Cats. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA_oZCJUtr8. Igloo Animations. (2010). RealEyesvideo: Sustainability Explained through Animation. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NiTN0chj0.

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