Peer Leadership Training for SPU: Environmental Justice Network in Action
Situation
Environmental Justice Network in Action (EJNA) is a partnership between Seattle Public Utilities, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), and non-profit and government agencies. Through EJNA, Seattle Public Utilities conducts needs assessments that identify the top environmental and environmental health concerns for low income, people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities. Reciprocal partnerships with CBOs support research and the identification of public engagement strategies that work best to share with others.
Triangle's work for the King County Schools and City of Everett Schools Programs offered a foundation for both subject matter and peer leadership training that translated well to Seattle Public Utility's EJNA grant program.
Process
Triangle partnered with two schools, Maple Elementary in Seattle and Kent-Meridian High School in Kent, to teach students about waste reduction, recycling, and water conservation (Maple) and househole hazardous waste (Kent-Meridian), and to provide students with the skills, planning opportunity, and ideas for teaching others in their community about their given topics. By providing classroom presentations followed by leadership training, students were well-equipped to take newly-gained knowledge and internalize it as they developed their outreach programs.
Results
At both schools, students developed a variety of tools, ranging from skits and games to PowerPoint presentations and brochures that were used to educate peers, younger students, and the parent community. Because students were given the space, time and respect to develop their own ideas, the products reflected the community they were intended to reach. They empowered students to become leaders in their communities, and they promoted behavior changes. The younger students spoke more of recycling, composting, and taking shorter showers, and the high school students spoke of the energy they felt in front of a group, how it felt to be a teacher, and what it was like in a leadership role. Both schools will use materials developed for this project in future years.
“The best part of the process was seeing students get excited to share what they learned about conservation.”
- Elyse Litvack, Maple Elementary teacher
“After the middle school teaching day, students wanted to go to every school in Kent and be there teaching all day!”
- Dianne Thompson, Kent-Meridian High School
Triangle has created and delivered highly-rated, innovative education programs for schools on environmental issues for over a decade. 
Triangle has presented over 1,500 assemblies and thousands of classroom workshops to nearly every elementary school in King County.
City of Everett hired Triangle Associates to develop education programs and support materials that will reach students and families in their service area.
Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) hired Triangle Associates to best meet their goals of educating students throughout the County on local alternative energy systems.
Within the framework of SPU's Environmental Justice Network in Action grant program, Triangle investigated strategies for using the local school systems as a vehicle for community outreach to historically underserved communities. 
Triangle staff continue to develop programs and support materials that reach targeted audiences at a time when they are most likely to change their behavior--students who are just learning new habits and parents of young children, concerned about health and safety.
Triangle brings its depth of experience in waste reduction and recycling education to help schools make lasting environmental changes.
Seattle City Light, a nationally recognized climate action leader, hired Triangle Associates in 2008 to educate elementary students and teachers about climate change and the importance of reducing personal carbon footprints through conservation efforts.