Programs

Ocean Climate Science Youth Education Program
In 2017, STAY COOL created climate lessons and hands-on science experiments to teach the science of ocean warming and ocean acidification. The classes are taught by University of California Scripps Institution of Oceanography (UCSD-SIO) grad students with assistance from STAY COOL volunteers, and the lessons are most appropriate for 6th grade classes. To date, lessons have been taught to more than 3,000 students in elementary, middle and high schools throughout San Diego County. STAY COOL is also developing ways to reconnect with interrupted classes through online classes and potentially use this format to expand programs to other geographic locations. Click here to learn more.

Intergenerational Collaboration
STAY COOL and University of San Diego (USD) are establishing a dialogue between “Boomers”, “Millennials” and other younger generations to provide an opportunity to more fully understand the anxieties many feel about living in a changing climate. A proposed outcome is to galvanize a partnership with a message that resonates with a broader audience and would inspire stronger advocacy in the community.

Member Meetings
The purpose of STAY COOL quarterly member meetings is to advance understanding of climate science and climate policies, stimulate new ideas, and reach agreement on effective advocacy activities. The quarterly gatherings include a keynote speaker on climate science or climate policy followed by a Q&A. The meetings also foster a spirit of community, mutual trust, friendship, collaboration amongst the STAY COOL members.

Grandkids’ Climate Defender Award
STAY COOL has honored two awardees with the “Grandkids’ Climate Defender Award”. These individuals are recognized for their contributions to climate science and for protecting our grandchildren from global warming. Congratulations to past award winners: Richard C. J. Somerville, Ph.D. (December 2017) and Dr. “Ram” Ramanathan (November 2018).

Public Forums
In addition to the Member Meetings, STAY COOL brings in experts for public presentations throughout the region, and these are open to the community. Recent topics focused on the impacts of wildfires and were held in Solana Beach and Poway.

Field Trips
Members and their families have enjoyed the variety of field trips sponsored by STAY COOL. Some are designed for families, such as walking along the beach during a King Tide with a SIO researcher explaining the science behind it and strolling through the San Diego Audubon’s nature preserve with a docent pointing out the various birds and habitat. Other trips are adult-oriented and include visits inside an SIO climate research lab and a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the sustainability efforts at the San Diego Airport.