Yesterday, the Committee on Education and Labor passed legislation that would increase the amount of time children spend outdoors learning about important issues such as climate change and conservation. Passed by a nearly unanimous vote in committee, the No Child Left Inside Act, introduced by Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) would provide grants for training and programs that promote environmental literacy.
Now, more than ever, children are facing the increasing realities of limited natural resources. It will be up to the next generation of students to find solutions to pressing environmental issues. By educating children early on environmental issues, we are investing in their future. The No Child Left Inside Act encourages outdoor education and provides funding for teachers and schools to work with local environmental groups to form programs that will help children better understand problems such as climate change, pollution and conservation.
Our goal is to prepare students to be future environmental innovators. The No Child Left Inside Act will improve the environmental literacy of schoolchildren so that they can make technological innovations to help solve the environmental problems we are facing today.