
This upcoming Saturday, June 5th...World Environment Day.
Rwanda, the host country, is set to sync with the United Nations Environment Programme to celebrate the 38th annual World Environment Day as a day of global action. With this year's theme being the UN International Year of Biodiversity, it's perfect in that Rwanda is the one of the Africa's most biologically diverse places on the planet. Tuesday Phillips, winner of the UNEP blogging contest, will be posting commentary this week about her experiences in Rwanda!
The whole gist of World Environment Day is that by all of us taking actions in little ways, it can lead to huge change. Encouraging "political attention and action," the book "Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who are Helping to Protect our Planet" by Harriet Rohmer follows the same premise as WED's mission.
The stories in this book are interesting--for adults and youth alike. You start to see that simple, yet focused visions, of individuals coalesce and take fire, becoming something bigger than oneself.
In this book, you will meet these dozen environ-heroes:
- Will Allen, Founder of Growing Power Community Food Center--bringing gardening into the urban center)
- Kelydra Welcker, Student Chemist, Environmental Scientist, Inventor--cleaning polluted water)
- Omar Freilla, Founder, ReBuilders Source--turning one man's waste into another's riches!
- Derby Tewa, Solar Electrician--bringing solar light to her reservation
- Margie Richard, Activist & Former Middle School Teacher--fighting the oil company to make a difference
- John Todd, Inventor, Engineer, Designer--cleaning water for the community
- Alex Lin, Teen who Helped write Rhode Island's E-Waste Law--keeping today's technology from becoming the trash of tomorrow
- Julia "Judy" Bonds, Community Activist, Coal River Mountain Watch--moving from coal energy to wind energy
- El Hijo Del Santo, Champion Masked Wrestler--being the celebrity voice of environment
- Barry Guillot, Middle School Science Teacher--protecting the Louisiana wetlands with the help of his students
- Sarah James, Spokesperson, Gwich'in Indian People of Alaska & Canada--speaking for her people by saving the porcupine river caribou
- Erica Fernandez, Student and Environmental Activist--speaking out against environmental hazards in her community
Plus, I've got to say...to be reading a bulk of this book while camping....priceless!
"We must work with nature instead of fighting it." ~ John Todd, Inventor
Places to get busy visiting:
- It's not too late to go to the "Wide World of WED Map" and register what big or little thing you can do to take part in making a difference for the environment on this one day. Go to http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english/activitymap/
- To check into the US site for the UN's World Environment Day and their Pittsburgh adventures, go to http://www.pittsburghwed.com/%20
- To visit the United Nation's page on WED2010, go to: http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english/about.asp%20
- To see the 54 blogs submitted for the WED2010 Contest (including winner Tuesday Phillips and yours truly), go to Greg Smith's blog: http://my.opera.com/gregsmithsays/blog/unep-blog-contest-list
- To Download an 8 page "Must See" Teacher's Guide for "Heroes of the Environment" for 4th--8th graders, go to http://www.chroniclebooks.com/pdfs/HeroesEnvironment_TeachersGuide.pdf
There is a facebook group called "Il Salvambiente" (the environment saver) set up by an ecological paint company in Italy, that for World Environment Day is donating 1 euro for every new fan who "likes" and "shares" the group. A nice initiative worth supporting IMO. The link is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Il-Salvambiente/105439732835351?ref=ts
ReplyDeleteThis is great information! Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteI posted the website on my FB page too--feel free to add more info there too!: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Team-Gazette/106416856056829?ref=ts
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