Acting DEP Commissioner Ed Pataznik announces climate change resource library for teachers

Acting New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Pataznik announced an online climate-change resource library for educators during Earth Week, saying the collection was built to be “accessible and userfriendly” for teachers.

Pataznik, who said he is a former high school chemistry teacher, credited Department of Environmental Protection staff with developing the database and encouraged both New Jersey teachers and residents to use it. “The library includes 500 total entries, including lessons, books, videos, and other resources,” he said.

The commissioner said the materials are intended to supplement existing lesson plans across subjects — including science, math and English language arts — and span all grade levels. He described the resource as free to use and aimed at helping educators incorporate climate impacts such as wildfires, extreme heat, storms and flooding into classroom instruction.

Pataznik framed the announcement as part of Earth Week outreach and emphasized the importance of preparing the next generation to understand climate threats. The Department of Environmental Protection said staff worked to make the online database easy to navigate for teachers seeking classroom-ready content. No formal action or vote accompanied the announcement.

The department did not provide a launch URL or further implementation details in the remarks; those specifics were not specified in the statement.