The Climate Informed Educator

For many climate-minded educators, the most natural way to take action on global warming is to teach about it! We encourage you to take time this month to engage students in learning about the climate crisis, and thinking about what role they might play in solving it.

In this newsletter, we share some curriculum resources that can help.

In solidarity,

Alex, for the MTA Climate Action Task Force

axhershey@gmail.com

MTA Annual Meeting

May 8-9, 2026

All day at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston

Join MTA Climate Action Task Force members working to connect with the well over 1000 of our colleagues in attendance. We'd love volunteers to join us at our table. Contact Ferd Wulkan at ferdwulkan@gmail.com to sign up.

MIT Climate Action Through Education Conference

May 9, 2026

9:00am-4:00pm at MIT Sloan, Cambridge

Join MIT CATE for workshops, speakers, and panels focused on current climate issues aimed at high school students and K-12 educators. Register here.

The MTA has endorsed Matthew Scheffler for the Teachers Retirement seat on the PRIM, and Lenore Palladino for the state employee retiree seat. PRIM is the board that oversees our pension funds. The Climate Action Task Force is urging votes for these candidates because the reforms they support would be pro-worker and pro-climate. Please vote now by email or paper ballot!

In our February webinar, we spoke with Sara Ross, co-founder of UnDauntedK12, and Talia Fox, Sustainability Manager for the Town of Arlington, about the opportunities and challenges of modernizing and greening educational facilities.

These two experts answer the pressing questions:

• What is school decarbonization, and why should we do it?

• What are the challenges/complexities of doing this work?

• What incentives and supports are available at the federal/state level?

• What role do students, families, community members, educators, and unions have in advancing this work?

In February, we also spoke with Danielle Fox from Climate Finance Action and Mike Powers from SEIU 503 in Oregon about the critical opportunities to transform our pension fund into a force for secure retirements and pro-climate policies.

Climate action liaisons - Spearhead climate work in your local, and be the glue that connects local organizing to our task force.

Newsletter writers/editors - Help us produce meaningful content for this newsletter.

Express your interest in any of this work by contacting Task Force member, Ferd Wulkan - ferdwulkan@gmail.com

A rich and detailed collection of curriculum resources, Subject to Climate provides teacher written lesson plans for K-12 broken down by grade; lessons connected to Next Generation Science Standards, as well as ELA and other standards when applicable.

Climate Action Through Education- free, open source education for high school; sponsored by M.I.T. Center for Energy and Environmental Policy network and developed by MA high school teachers.

Cleanet is a high-quality and rigorously reviewed collection of climate and energy educational resources for K-12 and college classrooms.

Call or Email Your State Senator to Support the Climate Bank Bill as Amendment #4

to the Environmental Bond Bill

*Sen. Mark has filed the CB bill as Amendment #4 to the Environmental Bond Bill (EBB), S.3050.

* The EBB will be debated on the Senate floor and voted on Wednesday, 4/15. All amendments will be voted on that day.

"My name is _________. I live in _________. I would like Senator _________ to vote for Amendment #4 - establishing a Massachusetts Climate Bank - during debate on the Environmental Bond Bill this week. Thank you!"

The Climate Bank Coalition is working hard to pass S. 786/H. 3937, an act to create a Climate Bank in Massachusetts during this legislative session. The MTA has endorsed this bill. The Climate Bank Steering Committee is gearing up to organize as many constituent meetings with Senators on the Ways & Means Committee as possible. However, there are several important Senate districts where we're shy of inviting constituents to participate in a constituent meeting with their W&M legislator.

We need your help!!! Are you a constituent of any of these Senators on the Ways & Means Committee?

State Senators - Oliveira, Feeney, Rodrigues, Brady, Gomez, Payano, O'Connor, Fatman, Dooner

If you are and would like to participate, please email Susan Ebitz, scuzie52@gmail.com and we’ll get to work!

Need to know more before you commit? Read “Why Massachusetts needs a Climate Bank" published in the Commonwealth Beacon by Rishi Reddi.

https://commonwealthbeacon.org/opinion/why-massachusetts-needs-a-climate-bank/.

Forward this newsletter to two colleagues who you think might be interested in union/climate work too! Help us connect with more educators and grow the movement.

If you are not on our distribution list, but would like to be, please contact task force member Ferd Wulkan at ferdwulkan@gmail.com and provide your name, union affiliation, town/city, and contact info