Population Education

06/17/2026

🌍 Desertification and Drought Day reminds us that healthy land sustains healthy communities. Protecting soils, conserving water, and restoring ecosystems are essential for a more resilient future.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/desertification-day

06/16/2026

🌟 Trainer Spotlight: Dr. Gayle Thieman

For more than a decade, Dr. Gayle Thieman has helped educators connect population, environment, and civic engagement through PopEd lessons. As a professor at Portland State University, she values resources that are engaging, adaptable, and relevant to a wide range of learners.

Her favorite lesson? Who Polluted the Potomac?—a hands-on activity she enjoys adapting to local waterways.

"For as long as I am an educator, I will be sharing PopEd resources!"

Thank you, Gayle, for inspiring teachers and students alike! 💚
https://populationeducation.org/resource/who-polluted-potomac/

06/15/2026

🏁 Life isn't always a fair race.

At our staff retreat, PopEd and Population Connection teamed up for Unfair Race—an activity that reveals how social and economic conditions can shape health and opportunity long before the race even begins.

Want to try it with your students? Download the free lesson plan:
https://populationeducation.org/resource/unfair-race-lesson-plan/

health

06/15/2026

🌾 More than half of Earth's land is rangeland. What exactly is a rangeland?

These often-overlooked landscapes support biodiversity, food production, and the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.

Ahead of Desertification and Drought Day, take a moment to learn about the vital role healthy rangelands play in our shared future. 🌎

https://www.unccd.int/land-and-life/rangelands-and-pastoralists/overview

Rangelands cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface and sustain over 500 million people who rely on pastoralism for their livelihoods. These diverse landscapes—spanning grasslands, savannahs, deserts and shrublands—play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem regulation ...

06/11/2026

🌱🌎 Population Connection recently shared an article exploring ten ways population growth can contribute to environmental stress.

From resource demand to habitat loss, it offers a great overview of the connections between human numbers, consumption, and environmental sustainability.

On World Environment Day, we look at how population growth plays a complex but critical role in shaping our planet’s future.

06/08/2026

🌊 The ocean may seem vast and distant, but it shapes our lives every day, from the air we breathe to the food we eat and the climate we depend on.
This World Oceans Day, we're invited to reimagine our relationship with the ocean—not as something separate from us, but as a connected part of our shared future.
Through education, we can help students explore the challenges facing our oceans and discover how informed choices and collective action can make a difference.
💙 Because protecting our blue planet starts with understanding our connecti https://unworldoceansday.org/

06/06/2026

🌎 In the U.S., where we live is changing. Since 1970, population growth has shifted toward the South and West, reshaping communities, economies, and resource needs across the U.S. 📈

What trends stand out to you? ⬇️

See which U.S. states grew the most since 1970, as population shifts toward the Sun Belt and Mountain West reshaped America.

06/05/2026

More than a decade after the Paris Agreement was signed, the world continues to pump out greenhouse gases at a record pace.

The good news? Experts say humanity still has time to turn things around.

But it will take all of us. There are things we all can do to live a more climate-friendly life.

Today on , swipe to explore how you can act .
https://www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day

06/03/2026

📊 Is population the whole story when it comes to environmental impact? Not quite.

Understanding per capita consumption—how much the average person consumes—helps reveal why some countries use far more resources than others, regardless of population size.

In our latest blog, we break down what per capita consumption means, why it matters, and how to bring this topic to life in the classroom. 🌎

Read more:

Learn what per capita consumption means, how it’s calculated, and why it matters for sustainability. Explore real-world examples comparing energy use.

06/02/2026

Thank you to our wonderful judges who helped select our 18 winners and supported the contest this year - we could not have done this without you all! 👏🌟🌏

From the UK to South Africa, Netherlands and beyond, let's celebrate this wonderful panel of global educators and experts! 🙌🎉

To see the names of all 57 of our judges, click here ➡️ https://hubs.ly/Q04jnRwp0