• Sustainability
Sustainable Engineering in STEM with Lectec
What if students could fight climate change by building and learning with real tech that teaches sustainability, responsibility, and innovation?
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Written by
Edison Chen
Overview
By 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9.7 billion, increasing the demand for food, energy, and water while the planet continues to warm at an alarming rate¹. As these environmental pressures grow, the need for innovative, sustainable solutions has never been greater. That’s where STEM education comes in, not just to teach science and technology, but to prepare the next generation to solve real-world problems with responsibility and ingenuity.
Why Sustainability Matters
Sustainability is more than a buzzword. It is a necessity. It means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Today, human activities consume resources 1.75 times faster than the Earth can regenerate them². Without a shift in how we approach energy, waste, and resource use, we risk long-term damage to ecosystems and societies.
According to the United Nations, sustainability touches every corner of our future. It affects energy efficiency, carbon emissions, sustainable agriculture, and water conservation³. By embedding these concepts into STEM education, we prepare students to design the tools and technologies that can reduce our environmental impact.
Why Students Need to Learn Sustainability
Environmental literacy is now a foundational skill. Today’s students are future engineers, scientists, designers, and policymakers. They will inherit the responsibility of addressing climate change, resource depletion, and environmental justice.
But it’s not just about responsibility. It is also about opportunity. The global market for environmental goods and services is projected to reach $2.2 trillion by 2028⁴. In the U.S., employment for environmental engineers is expected to grow by 6% from 2022 to 2032, with over 3,000 new job openings each year⁵.
Research shows that students exposed to sustainability education early develop stronger critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills⁶. They are also more likely to adopt sustainable behaviors and pursue careers in environmental science and technology.
How Lectec Teaches Sustainability
Lectec integrates sustainability directly into its STEM curriculum through a browser-based Learning Management System (LMS) and hands-on electric vehicle kits. Our mission is to give students the tools to build, experiment, and innovate while understanding the impact of their creations.
Through engaging modules like Gather, Analyze, Innovate, and Narrate, students explore the mechanics of Personal Electric Vehicles (PEVs) and apply environmental science and engineering concepts in real-world contexts.
Core Sustainability Lessons
Carbon Emissions
Students compare the carbon footprint of different forms of transportation, from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric skateboards. Through this lesson, students:
Calculate the energy usage and emissions of each method
Discover how electric mobility reduces per-person carbon output
Learn how transportation choices affect the global climate
Sustainability & Resources Use of Electric Skateboards
In this lesson, students dive into the materials used in electric skateboards such as lithium batteries, aluminum decks, and rare earth metals. They explore:
The global supply chain and environmental impact of sourcing each material
The energy and emissions involved in production
Opportunities to design more eco-friendly alternatives using green materials
Why It Works
Hands-on learning makes sustainability real. Students are not just hearing about carbon footprints. They are calculating them. They are not just reading about electric vehicles. They are building and analyzing them. Every lesson fosters critical thinking, systems-level design, and environmental consciousness.
Lectec ensures students leave with more than knowledge. They walk away with real-world skills, a problem-solving mindset, and a commitment to building a more sustainable future.
Ready to Ride Into the Future?
If you're an educator looking to bring sustainability into your STEM curriculum, or a parent hoping to inspire real-world impact through hands-on learning, Lectec is your answer.
These electric vehicle kits don’t just teach engineering, they show students how technology can drive a greener future. From calculating carbon footprints to exploring sustainable materials, every module helps turn environmental curiosity into action.
👉 Ready to teach sustainability through innovation? Visit Lectec.com to explore kits, resources, and book a demo today.
Resources
United Nations, World Population Prospects 2022 https://population.un.org/wpp/
Global Footprint Network, 2023 Ecological Footprint https://www.footprintnetwork.org/
United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Statista, Global Market Size of Environmental Goods https://www.statista.com/statistics/1200043/global-market-size-of-environmental-goods/
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Environmental Engineers https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm
National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), Benefits of Environmental Education https://www.neefusa.org/education/k-12-education/benefits-environmental-education