San Fran Styrofoam Ban

Anyone who has been following along over here for any amount of time knows that I am NOT a major fan of Styrofoam (aka polystyrene). In fact, I have my children well versed to know that "evil" and "styrofoam" are two words that are locked together.  It's an environmental and health nightmare:

Good news earlier this month comes out of San Francisco. Starting 2017, San Francisco becomes the first city to ban polystryrene as part of their 2020 Zero Waste Goal.  Let's all raise our non-Styrofoam glass to toast this great eco-win!

To learn more about the polystyrene ban, check out this article from LiveScience and watch the video below.


Image from https://earthrespect.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/7266564_orig.jpg, Video from https://www.facebook.com/WeHateToWaste/posts/1440054946011970

Building a Wall: With Brik Tiles & Legos!

Who doesn't love Lego's?  In fact, a year ago, I wrote about 11 ways why Lego's are downright awesome!

Well, thanks to a new Kickstarter that's out there, we can bump it up to 12 or more!  Who out there, especially anyone who has played around with the Maker Movement, hasn't dreamed about a Lego wall?]

Looks like the Brik Tile is going to make it. With only a few weeks to go in their Kickstarter campaign, the Jolt Team (creators of the BrikBook) are well over their $30,000 goal. The best part--estimated production and delivery, October 2016!

I see a world covered in Lego tiles! If anyone is going to "build a wall," this is the best kind of wall to build!


Image from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joltteam/brik-tile-legotm-compatible-wall-tiles; Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMRCSrb3Lqk

Eco Tips on a Dolphin Trip

It's exciting for this li'l eco-warrior when I'm trekking about and happen to see environmentalism in action.  One of our favorite day was our dolphin excursion. We got to pet, kiss, high 5, and kick-board swim with the dolphins.  I discovered they are incredibly, surprisingly strong creatures as they pushed our feet and kick-boards went zooming.

While meandering about at the dolphin center, I ran across some signs detailing some eco tips.  So, of course the camera came out, along with the poster-making apps. 

We are one world--let's all take care of it together.

Photos from my camera at Dolphin Discovery.

Think Eat Save: Reducing Your Food Footprint

It's always interesting when you are living life for a week in another country.
In addition to immersing yourself in a little bit of relaxation, you get the great opportunity of seeing the sights of another culture.  Not only seeing their history, but the little things as well.

One of the very interesting sights I saw was at a buffet on a catamaran day trip we took.  Posted above the pans of amazing food dishes was the following sign:

Anyone who is a mom knows that these are the little messages we all share with our kids.  Especially at a buffet.  That whole "make sure your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach" thing.  I like that here it is a posted message of environmental awareness to help us all reduce our food footprint.

Speaking of which, here's a good video highlighting that same importance in the grocery store. It shows the journey that food goes through to get to your fridge.  Therefore, once it gets there, make sure it gets eaten and does not go to waste or compost.

Photo from my vacation camera, Video from https://www.facebook.com/TheHungerSite/posts/10153793205643366

Effects of Food On Your Brain

In the summer, I'm always thinking about health, fitness, and nutrition. I think it's that thing called "the gift of time."  That, and there aren't the fast food runs that seem to happen on busy nights of school events or soccer practices.

Here's one of the many gems over at TED-Ed.  My latest discovery of their treasures is "How the Food You Eat Affects Your Brain" by Nia Nacamulli. This video analyzes how food affects our mental functions. Why we might be sluggish after lunch, why we peek and drop after a sugar fix, and how protein, fatty acids, carbs, and more affect your brain in different ways.


For lesson follow-up activities to use in class, be sure to check out the video over at TED-Ed.

Video from http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-the-food-you-eat-affects-your-brain-mia-nacamulli, infographic from http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/health-and-fitness/health/20150302-how-your-choices-affect-your-brains-health.ece

Getting Away: The Secret of Life

I'm getting away.

Getting off the radar.
Getting out of the country.
Passports are packed!
I'm sleeping in.

Getting up early.
Lounging and adventuring.
Sitting by a pool and perhaps even drinking yummy fruity concoctions.
Or two.
Seeing exotic sights.
Seeing sunrises and sunsets.
Taking advantage of the best parts that summer has to offer.

Getting away from the rut, the homework, the chores, the papers to grade, the people you love in your own house to go visit other people you love.
Doing the kinds of things that you should do in the summer.
Especially teachers.

Can't wait for the rejuvination!

Reminds me a bit of a Faith Hill Song:

"The Secret Of Life"

Couple of guys sittin' around drinkin'

Down at the Starlight Bar

One of 'em says, "You know I've been thinking"

Other one says, "That won't get you too far"

He says, "This is your life, and welcome to it

It's just workin' and drinkin' and dreams

Ad on TV says 'Just Do It'

Hell if I know what that means"

The secret of life is a good cup of coffee

The secret of life is keep your eye on the ball

The secret of life is a beautiful woman

And Marilyn stares down from the barroom wall

"You and me, we're just a couple of zeros

Just a couple of down-and-outs

But movie stars and football heroes

What have they got to be unhappy about?"

So they turn to the bartender, "Sam, what do you think?

What's the key that unlocks that door?"

Sam don't say nothin', just wipes off the bar

And he pours them a couple more

'Cause the secret of life is in Sam's martinis

The secret of life is in Marilyn's eyes

The secret of life is in Monday Night Football

Rolling Stones records and Mom's apple pie

Sam looks up from his Sunday paper

Says, "Boys, you're on the wrong track

The secret of life is there ain't no secret

And you don't get your money back"

Hey

The secret of life is gettin' up early

The secret of life is stayin' up late

The secret of life is try not to hurry

But don't wait

Don't wait

The secret of life is a good cup of coffee

The secret of life is keep your eye on the ball

The secret of life is to find the right woman

The secret of life is nothin' at all

Oh, it's nothin' at all

The secret of life

Couple of guys sittin' around drinkin'

Down at the Starlight Bar

One of 'em says, "You know I've been thinking"

Other one says, "That won't get you too far"

"That won't get you too far"

Lyrics from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/faithhill/thesecretoflife.html, image from http://newmedia.thomson.co.uk/live/vol/3/2ff032ce052f193dcb21b89f455d7b9dd44c3f1e/658x370/web/CARIBBEANMEXICOMEXICOCON_MEXMEXICO-CARIBBEANCOASTCANCUNRES_001227MOONPALACEGOLFSPARESORT.jpg

Straws: Sipping & Stirring Up A Major Eco Issue

Here are some interesting visual factoids about the hidden environmental impacts of something so simple that we all use with probably every fast food run we make: straws.

They look so friendly and inviting when they come to us at the restaurant, greeting us there in our soda on the table.  

And yet...

Linda Booker wants to do something about this straw situation that's in front of us.

Linda along with Blair Johnson, who also produced the documentary Bringing It Home: Industrial Hemp, Healthy Homes, and a Greener Future for America, are the masterminds behind this next eco-documentary-in-the-making.  They have developed a whole Kickstarter program to help fund this next documentary all about the perils of this slim little sippers.  Check out trailer and Kickstarter plee here for Straws: A Documentary Film for a Sea of Change:

STRAWS KICKSTARTER Video from Linda Booker on Vimeo.

If you are feeling the straw-impact after watching this, please donate to the film.

Here are other places to learn why you should take a stand against straws:

• The Last Plastic Straw, where you'll find a ton more resources of where to go to fight this mission.

• Be Straw Free campaign, started by 9 year old Milo Cress in 2011.

• One Green Planet: You Are What You Eat With: Why Saying Yes to Plastic Straws is a Big NO for the Planet

• Xanterra:  Choose to Be Straw Free

• To find companies where you can purchase reusable straws, check out The Last Plastic Straw's Alternatives page

Video from https://vimeo.com/17150610, US Consumption image from http://thelastplasticstraw.org/; 6 million stirs & straws image from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/plastic-straws-and-the-environment/, Milo Cress video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flU66u9cStE, Infographic from http://tinarudolf.com/journal/dont-be-trashy

The Updated Periodic Table of iPad Apps

I love infographics, and this may just have topped the list of best one ever--especially related to the edtech world!  Behold, the iPad Perodic Table of Apps, Volume 2 created by Mark Anderson.

I love the color-coded highlighted skills of creativity, demonstrating, learning, workflow, teaching, collaboration, numeracy, and literacy. The only thing that could possibly make it better is if it were ThingLink hotspot-activated. Maybe that'll be a summer goal of mine.  On top of all the other personal agendas I have!  (Insert wink emoji here!)  Or, if anyone finds THAT one (or Mark Anderson, if you make one!), please let me know!!

For high definition image, you can find it here.

Then, go forth and send it to all of your #edtech buddies and pals who coexist with you in iPadLandia! Your next stop after that may just be your App Store!

Images from
http://emojipedia.org/winking-face/, periodic table image from http://ictevangelist.com/periodic-table-ipad-apps-vol-2/

Park Match From "Funny Or Die"

Leave it to "Funny or Die" to take a twisted turn on the National Parks #FindYourPark and the many National Park Service apps that are out there. The comic geniuses created a fun tongue-in-cheek video comparing the app to a dating app where you can find "love....exciting and new" at a national park near you!

It's a fun way to get inspired to go to your nearest app store and check out one of the following apps to help you navigate to your nearest national park.  (All listed below are free!)

• National Park Service Virtual Tour
• National Parks by National Geographic
• REI--National Parks Guide & Map
• Passport to Your National  Parks
• Oh, Ranger! Park Finder
• National Parks by Chimani

Then, once you #FindYourPark...perhaps it will inspire you to grab your hiking shoes or your camping gear to get you outdoors, moving and grooving and enjoying nature.  What a great plan for the summer ahead! Plus, humor is ALWAYS a grand companion! Might be a great way to celebrate America this 4th of July weekend!

Park Match pic from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY_aMdY_UyE, "Find Your Park" pic from http://www.seviernewsmessenger.com/2015/04/06/great-smoky-mountains-find-your-park/; video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY_aMdY_UyE