Educational Events
Debates
Environmental issues are rarely black and white. To many times we only hear from one side about an issue. Debates allow us to hear from experts on both sides of an issue in a fun and efficient way that can help us form nuanced opinions.
Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant
In 2016, NY Gov Cuomo had to decide whether the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, built in the 1970s and situated 35 miles north of Manhattan along the Hudson River should be closed or receive a 20 year permit extension. The two reactors at the site provided about 13% of the electricity used in New York City, with the remainder of the 2,000 megawatts generated being used elsewhere.
Acclaimed filmmaker, Robert Stone who made the documentary, Pandora’s Promise argued in favor of keeping Indian Point Running. Marilyn Ellie, a founder of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, IPSEC, argued that the plant should be shut down. Michael Lemonick, Opinion Editor at Scientific American moderated the debate.
Check out the debate below!
EEF educational events at college and high school campuses are meant to help interns develop new skills and expand upon their environmental knowledge.
En-ROADS climate simulation training session hosted by EEF interns and students from the PRISMS School
EEF interns participated in an En-Roads simulation hosted by Dr. Randy Weintraub of the Princeton International School of Science and Math, in collaboration with the Princeton Environmental Film Festival at the Princeton Library in February. En-ROADS is a global climate simulator Developed by Climate Interactive, the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, and Ventana Systems, that allows users to explore the impact that dozens of policies—such as electrifying transport, pricing carbon, and improving agricultural practices—have on hundreds of factors like energy prices, temperature, air quality, and sea level rise
2024 Youth Climate Action Summit
En-Roads Presentation
There are so many proposed solutions to the climate problems we are facing today, and legislators are constantly faced with many different options on which actions to take. The En-Roads simulator is really helpful because it shows what actions are actually effective in the long term, and what solutions need to be combined to create the desired results.
After attending an En-Roads training session, EEF interns presented what they learned to a class of their peers during the 2024 Youth Climate Action Summit at the Watershed Institute this March.
“As a high school student looking to learn more about proposed climate solutions and what changes we can make to combat the climate crisis, I found this free and self-paced training course very helpful and informative.”
- Elif Cam, 16, Princeton High School
2024 Youth Climate Action summit class discussion and hike
At the 2024 Youth Climate Action Summit held at the Watershed Institute this March, EEF interns shared insights from their En-Roads training session with their peers, highlighting how the simulator helps pinpoint effective climate solutions and the need for combined actions to achieve long-term results.
After the class discussion, students participated in a guided hike through the scenic Watershed Reserve, where conversations about climate resilience and local ecosystems continued in an inspiring natural setting. The day also included film screenings that explored various environmental topics, offering students the opportunity to reflect on the urgency of climate action from a global and local perspective. The combination of discussions, hands-on learning, and time spent in nature made the summit an engaging and impactful experience for all attendees.
