Elana Riordan

MissionEarth kit

Quality of health and experience of environment in cities is too often dictated by socioeconomic factors. In New York City, these discrepancies are specific to individual blocks or neighborhoods, remaining consistent with level of income. Access to clean air, green parks, and sustainable infrastructure should be available to everyone who inhabits the city; it is a human right that should be fought for. In order to inspire resistance, optimism, and self-initiation for generations to come, we need to support our youth with stimulating, educational resources that help them evaluate their environment and themselves. MissionEarth kit is a set of interactive and creative activities that sends students on a quest to think about, investigate, and play with their natural environment. Designed for an urban context, ME kit incorporates critical thinking about sustainability and green infrastructure in cities, as well as methods of enacting change through individual actions. It is an educational tool that can be distributed physically as well as digitally. The components of the kit are easily found or purchased inexpensively and the box itself can be downloaded online, printed out, and assembled. MissionEarth kit is meant to supplement a sustainability curriculum, but it can also be used outside of a classroom and individually.