Nearly everything we do each day is connected in some way to Earth: to its land, oceans, atmosphere, plants, and animals.
The food we eat, the water we drink, our homes and offices, the clothes we wear, the energy we use, and the air we breathe are all grown in, taken from, surround, or move through the planet.
By 2025, eight billion people will live on Earth. If we are to continue extracting resources to maintain a high quality of life, then we, as individuals and citizens, need to know more about our planet — its processes, its resources, and its environment. And only through Earth science education can students understand and appreciate our complex planet.
To ensure a scientifically literate society, one that maintains wise stewardship of Earth’s precious resources, the American Geological Institute, in coordination with its Member Societies, endorses the National Research Council’s National Science Education Standards (1996) and agrees that Earth science should be:
• Included as part of the science curriculum at all grade levels
• Offered as a core credit science course for high school graduation
• Assessed through state-mandated science tests and exit exams.
Ultimately, however, the future lies in the hands of students, parents, grandparents, teachers,school administrators, school board officials, and politicians at all levels of government. The future of Earth science literacy — indeed, the future itself — lies in your hands