[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21442]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN HONOR OF THE LIFE LAB SCIENCE PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 10, 2009

  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the community-based 
Life Lab Science Program for their 30 years of work in the field of 
science and environmental education. The Life Lab Science Program is 
committed to environmental stewardship by promoting science and garden-
based education for all learners. Since its inception in 1979, the Life 
Lab has supported science and garden-based education through 
publications, professional development, and innovative programs. 
Through the efforts of the Life Lab Science Program, thousands of 
educators and youth have developed gardens, while simultaneously 
learning about food, health, the interrelationships of the natural 
world and environmental sustainability.
  Today, the Life Lab Garden Classroom is a two-acre interactive and 
educational garden which receives over 15,000 visitors each year. Using 
the Life Lab garden and farm, in cooperation with the UCSC Center for 
Agroecology and Sustainable Food systems, the Life Lab Garden Classroom 
teaches environmental science, garden-based nutrition and effective 
outdoor education pedagogy to children and adults alike. It offers 
guided garden- based field trips for elementary school classes, a 
variety of workshops for teachers, and an opportunity for the public to 
learn about ecological concepts in a hands-on, living laboratory.
  The Life Lab Science Program also works with schools in Santa Cruz 
County to make a positive impact on the environment through an 
intensive waste reduction program, called Waste Free Schools. Along 
with gaining a deeper understanding of educational issues related to 
waste reduction, each participating school organizes a Community 
Outreach event. These events educate the greater community about 
resource conservation and the school's waste reduction efforts. 
Currently, Waste Free Schools conducts assemblies and in-class 
presentations that reach over 8,000 students each year.
  Another significant contribution of the Life Lab Science Program is 
the Monterey Bay Science Program, which provides professional 
development services to teachers in order to bring all learners into 
the mainstream of academic literacy. This award-winning program hosts 
teacher workshops on how to use scientific concepts from the physical, 
earth and life sciences.
  Programs such as the Life Lab Garden Classroom, Waste Free Schools, 
and the Monterey Bay Science Program serve to educate the youth of 
today about the importance of environmental sustainability and waste 
management. The Life Lab Science Program is a rare gem, teaching people 
of all ages about the unbreakable bond between humans and the beautiful 
environment in which we live. The efforts of the Life Lab, and others 
like it, better our chances at some day achieving a sustainable future, 
in which all citizens truly appreciate the plentiful gifts we reap from 
the land.
  Madam Speaker, I applaud the Life Lab Science Program's efforts to 
promote environmental sustainability and education in an interactive 
living laboratory. Its dedication towards environmental education is 
one that ought to be mimicked across the nation, as the effects of 
unsustainable practices and environmental degradation begin to be felt 
by our generation and those to come. I know I speak for the entire 
House when I congratulate the Life Lab Science Program for its 30 years 
of commendable community service and extend our wishes for many more to 
come.

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