Yesterday Maryland became the first state in the country to include environmental literacy as a requirement for high school education. This "defining moment" will equip Maryland students "with a keen understanding of and connection to the natural world," said Governor O'Malley, "Only through exposure to nature and education about our fragile ecosystem can we create the next generation of stewards." Groups such as the Governor's Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature and No Child Left Inside Coalition will help provide resources and tools.

However, the movement to include environmental literacy as part of our children's education is expanding throughout the country. In Washington, environmental education advocates are now lobbying Congress to re-introduce the No Child Left Inside Act into the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) . On Earth Day, Maryland Senator John Sarbanes, one of the supporters of the NCLI Act, described it as " a down payment to grow the next generation of scientists, promote environmental stewardship, and encourage Americans to live healthier lifestyles."