Edina High School Project Earth is a student-run environmental group that takes part in working to create a greener community. Our primary responsibility is to collect the school’s recycling on a weekly basis. In addition, Project Earth has developed a Climate Action Project we are in the process of completing, which includes the installation of a water bottle filling station at Edina High School.

YEA! MN students present at the Living Green Expo on local school campaigns and formative experiences at the Power Shift 2011 youth summit in Washington DC

What would you do to address climate change if money wasn't an obstacle? For many young people passionate about the environment, ideas are not what's lacking. It's the means to make these ideas a reality that stands in the way of effective leadership and implementation.

Of course there is mentorship, skills training, community support, time and energy to consider - which are equally if not more important. But concrete funds and the ability to raise them are considerably more challenging for young people than adults who are in the work force and often part of a larger community of connected people.

Did you know that the University of Minnesota has the last remaining coal burning plant in Minneapolis? Prospective college students are teaming up with the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign to do something about it.

The Will Steger Foundation was proud to co-sponsor the first annual Green Schools National Youth Summit in partnership with the Green Schools National Network, in conjunction with the first annual National Green Schools Conference, featuring keynote speakers Will Steger and Phillipe Cousteau. Of the 100+ students who attended the summit, over 25 high schools were represented from Minnesota and the Midwest, as well as the national stage. A small team of National Youth Leaders participated in a pre-summit training where they gained the knowledge and skills to act as peer facilitators during the main event. These student leaders shared their poetry, music, and experience and helped document the summit through film video and photographs. The agenda included peer presentations, leadership training, and action planning on school projects related to climate change solutions.