May 19, 2022
Houston, Texas – Tricon Energy (“Tricon”) and the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (“CELF”) are collaborating to improve environmental education and equip students with skills to build a zero-waste future. The collaboration brings together CELF’s proven support for sustainability education in school communities with Tricon’s commitments to social inclusion and circular economy.
Tricon and CELF will sponsor schools in Houston’s environmental justice communities to engage in CELF’s professional learning programs, including opportunities for teachers to attend CELF’s 2022 Summer Institutes. These programs will support educators and student civic scientists using evidence to promote zero waste strategies in their schools and communities. The program will also engage high school students in Ghana in similar initiatives, focused on the emerging recycling movement in West Africa.
The collaboration aims to build on CELF’s existing work to:
- Create a new civic science pathway on waste and circular economy that engages students in inquiry-based methods to explore the root causes, impacts, and solutions to mismanaged waste
- Promote whole-school change toward zero waste strategies and implementation
- Enable cross-cultural student collaboration leveraging CELF’s digital toolkit to engage students in both Houston and Ghana
- Build awareness on green career pathways for students
By working with K-12 educators, CELF’s inquiry-based programs help students identify, research, and advocate for solutions to issues of environmental concern and justice.
“Education plays a critical role in the journey to a sustainable future,” said Elizabeth Carlson, Chief Sustainability Officer at Tricon. “The goal of this collaboration is to support students to see themselves as agents of change, equipped with skills to help build a future with zero inequality, zero emissions, and zero waste.”
“Our team at CELF is thrilled to enter this collaboration with Tricon, a company committed to pursuing a more inclusive, circular economy,” explained Tara Stafford Ocansey, Executive Director for CELF. “Through this collaboration, we will be able to grow and connect our community of educators and students in both Houston and Ghana, helping to empower young people with skills and amplify their voices to build a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable future.”
About CELF
The Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation was founded in 2003 with the mission to make sustainability education an integral part of every child’s K-12 learning experience. Through immersive and innovative professional learning programs for educators, CELF has reached nearly 2 million students, 15,000 educators, and over 5,000 schools across the country.
About Tricon
Tricon Energy is an industry leader in the global commodity trade and distribution market. In our 25+ years in business, we have grown to become one of the largest privately held companies in Houston, TX, and recognized as the 3rd largest chemical distributor in the world by ICIS. Our purpose is to efficiently and sustainably connect the world with essential goods, and we do that by providing logistics, risk management, financing, and market intelligence services.
Tricon Contact:
Elizabeth Carlson
Chief Sustainability Officer
carlsone@triconenergy.com
+1-713-346-9925
CELF Contact:
Laura Steinberger
Chief Operating Officer
laura.steinberger@celfeducation.org
+1-914-449-6868
Source: Tricon Energy and Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation