In California, we like to lead. I’ve said it before. It’s an idea woven into the marrow of Next Generation, and this week it was proven true again.

This year, while the Earth Day anniversary fell short of completely degenerating into a series of class projects involving colored paper, glue and scissors, the solidarity, spontaneity and sense of urgency characterizing the first Earth Day was, once again, glaringly absent.

Although the cause of extreme weather remains a hotly contested subject of discussion, it’s hard to deny—in the face of so much rain, so much heat, so much snow and, in some parts of the United States, no rain at all—that lousy weather has pushed climate change to the forefront of an international debate.

In 2013, renewable energy investments dropped 12% to $254 billion, falling far short of closing the Clean Trillion Gap, the amount of public investment per year in renewables Ceres calculates can prevent global temperature from rising to 2°C.

The impact of Hurricane Sandy continues today and NY works to protect itself from future climate-driven disasters. Energy-related carbon dioxide pollution in the U.S. reaches its lowest levels since 1994.

School buildings matter because kids matter. In this video, students from across California speak out about conditions in their schools.

Students participating in the Alliance for Climate Education program put their knowledge into action, filming parts of their schools where physical repairs could improve energy efficiency, and student health.

News that matters to the Next Generation.

Despite a surplus, state schools have unfunded energy retrofit projects that could save millions of dollars a year for underfunded schools.

We can't deny rights to the disadvantaged and expect to solve climate change.

The news that matters to the Next Generation.

The news that matters to the Next Generation.

Mr. Sebens asked his 4th grade students if they wanted to make their classroom solar powered and he got a very big YES. Check out the story of how they made it happen.

The news that matters to the Next Generation.

School Earth Day celebrations remind us that education is a key to fighting climate change (and we need to do more of it).

Can cash-strapped and resource-strained schools afford energy upgrades? In fact, they can't afford NOT to modernize, so Lawrence Berkeley National Lab put together a new guide to financing retrofits for schools.

The $7 million school solar program in Salinas, where almost a third of children live in poverty, is an investment poised to return dividends for students.

Deciding which schools will benefit the most from Prop 39 funds is trickier than it sounds, but school bond history is a useful clue.

Prop 39 funds can produce savings and improve learning in California public schools.

Where should California start investing the millions of dollars raised by cap and trade? Energy efficiency is a clear winner.