Pride Month: Out In the Wild

June. Pride Month. A time to honor our right to joy, resilience, and a reminder

that we all have the right to be free and to be our own personal selves. 

Nothing in nature asks for permission to grow--nor should we feel like

we have to ask for similar permission.

 

Pride month is a month of identity. It's biodiversity in human form. It's a good time to grapple with deeper questions like: Who gets to feel safe? Who gets to be seen? Who gets to belong? The answer is--we all deserve that right. 

The waving rainbow flags are pretty and the parades and events can be entertaining. But more importantly, they are empowering. Just as the planet needs biodiversity to thrive, so do we as humans. There's no thriving in nature on sameness. We need the richness of diversity to keep our food webs and habitats healthy; in doing so, we keep our plants and animal species from becoming endangered or extinct. Our wild variety is what maintains our environmental resilience. Our communities and cultures, like our ecosystems, are the healthiest and most vibrant when varied and diverse. Skin colors, sexual/gender orientations, religious beliefs, and all the differences in between. 

Nature seemingly is neutral--and yet, that isn't always the reality. Politics have creeped into environmental issues in more ways than one--and with the onset of social media, there's certainly way too much politics.

Additionally, the outdoor world isn't as gender-non-specific as you'd imagine. A lot of the outdoor industry is geared to straight, white males. That can make it hard for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) folks to feel comfortable out in nature. Instead, they can feel more "outsiders" than "out in nature-ers." Outdoor spaces may not always feel safe--both physically and as a place to feel emotionally safe to be out and openly queer. Hate crimes are real, and sadly, LGBTQ+ people are at a higher risk of being victims of these.  People not only deserve safe places, but they want and need to feel included, represented, and like they are a part of a community of like-minded individuals...where they are surrounded by connection versus limitations, segregation, or exclusion.

Along those lines, representation and seeing yourself in certain circumstances matter. People matter. Everyone's uniqueness matters. The right to feel comfortable in spaces where you want to be...they matter. Everyone is entitled to the right to be comfortable in their own skin, living a life that works for them, being treated with kindness and respected for who they are. Outdoors or environmental education affinity groups can help to build a more inclusive outdoors, as can the knowledge, the acceptance, and the intersection of LGBTQ+ pride along with racial or environmental justice and outdoor recreation too.

There’s a growing field of study known as Queer Ecology.  Queer Ecology counters the assumption that nature is rigid or binary. There's a lot of fluidity out there in nature: species that change sex (clownfish and slipper limpets) and same-sex partner paired animals (penguins, bonobos monkeys), and male-birthing seahorses. Imagine if we had that level of openness in our human species and greater communities.

So maybe for the remainder of this Pride Month, now that schools are out and kids, teens, and grown-ups alike are all out and about, playing outside more than before, we can celebrate not only the healthiness of nature's biodiveristy but that of our human kind too. Inviting anyone to climb trees, hike trails, and find their space and place in nature, in a safe way, in a welcoming way, in an everyday way!

For more resources that embrace the intersection of pride, planet, environmental & social justice, check out the following:

• National Forest Foundations' article: These LGBTQIA+ Leaders are Creating Space for Pride Outdoors

• Sierra Club's article:  Out, Proud, & Outdoors: 5 Organizations that Help Members of the Queer Community Experience the Outdoors 

• Pride Outside's resource page: Organizations and Initiatives Connecting the LGBTQ Community and the Outdoors

• National Park Foundation's article: Finding Pride Outside: The LGBTQ Community is Overcoming Barriers, Finding Joy, Sharing History, and Creating Space Outdoors

• Children & Nature's Celebrating Pride Month (which includes links to many resources, organizations, and inspirational stories)

• Muddy Paddle Club's post: Why We Need Pride in Outdoor Learning

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Postscript:

This Pride Month post was already in the works when this past Wednesday's decision came out that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is closing the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program, effective July 17, 2025 (30 days after the announcement).

Timing, as they say, is always everything.

Given this, please take note if you or a loved one need these of a crisis lifeline service, the Trevor Project is here for you. The Trevor Project provides advocacy, affirmation, eduation, and crisis support 24/7 for LGBTQ+ youth. Crisis services include:  

• Lifeline—The only national 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQ+ young people under age 25, available at 1-866-488-7386.

• Chat—A 24/7 free instant messaging service for LGBTQ+ youth that provides live help from trained counselors, open daily.

• Text—A 24/7 free service through which LGBTQ+ young people can text a trained counselor of The Trevor Project for support and crisis intervention, available daily by texting START to 678678.

• To learn more, go to the Trevor Project's website.

"Biodiversity" image from https://www.muddypuddleclub.co.uk/post/why-we-need-pride-in-outdoor-learning; "Our Minds Matter" from https://ourmindsmatter.org/2022/05/31/lgbtq-minds-matter/, "It's Pride Month" image from https://www.nathab.com/blog/wild-about-pride-the-nature-of-belonging; Trevor Project logo from https://www.thetrevorproject.org/; Pride Month quote picture created at www.canva.com using their Magic Media tools

The ABC Benefits of Travel

We just recently had spring break (a true joy for teachers and students alike). 

During that time, my husband and I went to Spain. Needless to say we had an amazing time, and I keep rolling the experiences over my mind. It was both our first time to Spain & to Europe together. 

It got me thinking that travel is the ultimate learning experience -- outdoor education as we walked miles through the cities we visited, conversations with locals and with travelers learning from each other, awareness of how other countries do things that we take for granted, comparing 'us versus them' and 'new versus old' and noticing that both can be exceptional...and that we are richer for the experience.

All of this during my trip reflection led to these ABC benefits of travel and all of the things I loved about our trip--big, small, important, powerful, significant, and meaningful.

Architecture & art and an astonishment of "how did they do that, so long ago, with less tools and technology to build these amazing structures?"

Bevy of beverages...not to mention bon voyages, backpacks, boarding passes, and bounding into new experiences.

Churches & cathedrals & capturing the visual sensation of old worlds and modern times coming together.

Deepen understanding of others and their diversity.

Exposure to exotic &/or extraordinary experiences, exploring different cultures, and exercising through miles of exploration. 

Food, flavor, fun, flexibility (as things don't always go the way you expect), ....and for us: flamenco!

Gives you a chance to become a global citizen, seeing how interconnected & similar we are despite our differences. 

Hands-on history lessons where you get to be at the heart of where so much has happened and see the impact humans have had on a place over time.

Increases empathy & exposes you to brand new horizons & it impacts your way of thinking and it illuminates new ideas.

Journeys have a way of jump-starting your creative juices as you see things through a different lens.

Keeps you on your toes as you navigate new territory, keenly aware on the kaleidoscope of new sights in front of you.

Learning thru immersion and sometimes even the uncertainty of local languages and getting lost.

Make meaningful memories while meandering, and meeting others along the way.

Novelty, newness, and nature nourish our soul and keeps us energized.

Overcoming small hurdles like getting around and trying to communicate in other languages gives a great opportunity for growth.

Perspectives, people-watching, & opportunities to practice patience.

Quaint little shops & quiet corners are what make new places quintessential gifts along your quest.

Real opportunity to build rapport and relationships with your fellow ramblers, while also reaffirming that rest, relaxation, and reflection are so important in order to emotionally, spiritually, and mentally readjust from the rigors of every day life. 

Stepping out of your own comfort zone and savoring the sights, sounds, sensations, & situations of somewhere brand new to you.

Time takes on new meaning, you are totally “in the moment” when traveling.

Unexpected and unique ways to unplug and step away from the urge to gravitate toward your technology.

Value and validation comes in the voyage, vision, and new-to-you view and vantage point of vacations.

Wanderlust gives you the chance to coddiwample: wander forth freely without a destination.

‘Xcursions can give you ‘xactly what you need if you approach travel with an open mind.

You can feel young at heart as you travel, since you are never to old to learn and experience something new. 

Zeal for life and zen moments abound as travel reignites passion, curiosity, and enthusiasm for the world around you.

From our virtual travel companion, Rick Steves (who was only a Kindle book away): 

“Travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.” 

We came home with all of that -- and all of the above -- for sure!

Mixed Messages

We've recently returned from a US beach vacation at a popular beach destination. It definitely got my #BlueMind on with time hearing the waves hit the shore, frolicking in the water while the tides coming in, and also having relaxing pool time when I wanted a lower key, less sandy, close to "home" place to hang out.

We stayed in a condo situation, so we would walk to the local grocery store to get some provisions to have some meals at home. Given that, we produced trash and recycling.  

It was here I started to noticed the mixed messages in the community:

There was no recycling. And sadly, the bulk of our waste was plastic. Yet we had one option--the trash chute. 

How is this possible in a community where all of this is in place:

• Environmental tourism was definitely key with the beach, kayaking, boating, biking, and other outdoor adventures.

• Everywhere we went, there were notifications about being aware of nesting sea turtles--encouraging beach patrons to turn off lights at night, using red-light flashlights so as not to confuse the turtles, not disturbing any nests that are found, and filling holes on the beach for safe passage.

• The clerk at the grocery store, as she was packing our items in a paper bag, said that they hadn't used plastic bags in this county for approx 5 years.

• Several of the restaurants we went to had either no straws or paper straws. One of the cafes we went to had in their menu that they were plastic-straw-free since 2016.

• Beach messaging was highly dedicated to leaving no trace behind.

I don't understand how there can still be such mixed messages here in 2023 in a community that is seemingly so eco-friendly. Yes, perhaps it is on the establishment where we stayed that there was no recycling. But, there also a lot of plastic cup consumption at the beach bars we visited. Again, glass at the beach (along with the potential of inebriated patrons) don't mix. But yet, that's also a lot of plastic waste. Were they recycling? That I don't know.

Sadly, it's the world in which we live in. Add in, we are completely greenwashed in that recycling will solve the problem. Yet according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), globally, only 9% of plastic is recycled--which is better than the 4% of plastics that are recycled in the U.S. In the US, 73% of plastics land in the landfill. 

How are we still here in 2023. 

I have no answers, other than in part it starts in the stores and with production, and certainly ends in consumption (which has "quadrupled in the last 30 years"). That, and of course, the idea that we can--and should--do better!

Innovators! We need you to solve our problems! What can we do to have fewer mixed messages--not only the beach, but everywhere!

Image created at Canva.com

Down to Earth w/Zac Efron Season 2

As I'm home recovering from a 2nd surgery this year, I'm faced with a lot of reading and TV time, once again. 

One of my binge-watching shows last time was Zac Efron's "Down to Earth," Season 1. 

Well, the second season of this Netflix series is out! This season, "Down to Earth" happens Down Under. Australia.

Back in business with wellness expert Darin Olien, Zac and the show continue to check out sustainable living. What began for Zac as a surfing trip in Australia morphed into Season 2 when Zac got stuck there due to Covid lockdown.

Some of my favorite parts included the educational animated shorts that teach about certain concepts on a very any-age-friendly, eco-friendly way. Additionally, it goes without saying that the scenery is amazing as well. Australia always has that exotic feel, and this show is no different. It is interesting to see the environmental issues that are unique (for example: koala populations) and those that are universal (wildfires, energy conservation, and more). 

The episode lineup is as follows:

1: Habitat Conservation
2: Regenerative Agricuture
3: Great Barrier Reef
4: Torres Strait
5: Waste
6: Wildfire
7: Aboriginal Voices
8: Eco Inovators

After soaking in these 8 episodes, you walk away with a greater appreciation of the planet, getting to be arm-chair tourists. Additionally, you grow your environmental stewardship by learning along the way.


Image from https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/zac-efron-down-to-earth-season-2-trailer, video from https://youtu.be/j2rlnsGWGBU, map from https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/australia

A Binge-Watching We Shall Go: Down to Earth!

As I've mentioned in my last post, I'm a bit laid up right now. So in my "wintering" this summer, I'm reading a lot of books and binging a lot of shows. 

• Bridgerton
• The Lincoln Lawyer
• Heartstopper
• Virgin River
• The Gilded Age
• Working Moms

Those are just a few of my latest favorites. 

There's almost a science in finding the next bingeworthy watch. It's nearly a mathematical equation where you factor the number of seasons versus the episodes per season, Enough to get into, yet not so many that it feels like you'll never make it to the end.

Once again, it feels very "pandemic quarantine-like" in this time and space for me. In part given that, I decided my next binge adventure would involve some adventure and armchair traveling. 

My latest bingeworthy discovery: Down to Earth With Zac Efron on Netflix.

Not surprisingly, this original season came out in summer of 2020...when we all were actually arm-chair, "pandemicking," and glued to the television bingewatching any and everything. Together, Zac Efron & wellness guru Darin Olien traveled to 8 global locations (typically one per episode) to discover eco-innovation, healthy, and sustainable ways to live regarding to food, water, and greener energy. Iceland, France, Costa Rica, Sardina, Peru, Puerto Rico, New York City & London, and the Amazon Rainforest. Gorgeous scenery, environmental enlightenment, some amazing looking food, the ability to live  vicariously and see the world.... What's not to love! 

A second season, set primarily in Australia, is set to come out later this year.

Images from https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/why-do-we-binge-watch-and-is-it-actually-good-for-/p07nml87,  https://twitter.com/nacellecompany/status/1282100244553973761/photo/1, Video from https://youtu.be/oMzYiY5wcHU

Great American Outdoors Act

Things that are important are worth doing, doing well, and spending valuable time on.

Since 1964, 5+ decades worth of time has been spent by members of Congress, environmental activists, businesses, and more to do just that to support the Land & Water Conservation Fund in order to bring the Great American Outdoors Act to fruition. I happen to know one of the key players who was working hard for at least the last eleven years to push through this Act and get it to the President's desk. I know she was doing a lot of celebrating this spring as the bill passed each of the following:

• Introduced in the House of Representatives on March 28, 2019 by the late John Lewis;
• Passed the Senate on June 17th, 2020 by a vote of 73-25;
• Passed the House of Representatives by a huge bipartisan vote of 310-107 on July 23rd, 2020;
• Signed as a bill on August 4th by our current president.

What will the Great American Outdoors Act ensure? It sets aside major funds to safeguard & protect parks, forests, and trails on the local, state, and national level, without a 50 year time restriction (as has been done in the past). For the next five years, $1.9 billion per year will come from energy development revenues to provide facility maintenance and infrastructure assistance for "national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and American Indian Schools. It will also use royalties from offshore oil and natural gas to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund to the tune of $900 million a year to invest in conservation and recreation opportunities across the country."With over 325 annual visitors to the national parks, repairs are backlogged (to the tune of $12 billion), and this money will go far for improvements.

For some it may be a bit of a surprise given Trump's environmental track record, especially when his administration worked in the past to shrink protections from national monuments such as the Bears Ears National Monument, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National monument and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. According to The Hill, Trumps' reversal stems from the fall re-election of Senators Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) and hoping to hold those seats in the Senate.

To celebrate, this year all public land fees were waived on August 5th, and going forward the same will hold true for all future August 4ths to commemorate this environmental win.

To learn more:

• Go to the Land & Water Conservation Fund Press Release
• See the Bill at Congress.gov
• Visit the Legislative & Congressional Affairs Page on the Great American Outdoors Act at National Park Service

Images: https://affta.org/news/518590/Great-American-Outdoors-Act-Passes-the-House.htm and https://twitter.com/TWWPioneer/status/1290672923238260736/photo/1

The Blues and Greens of West Virginia

For a week, we were immersed in a spectrum of blues and greens. With some pent up pandemic-centric cabin fever, we decided to hit the road for a change of scenery and a strategically-planned socially-distanced vacation. Original plans for the summer had been a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, but for every reason we chose that place (aka: a lot to do), it was every reason we decided to bow out. Especially thankful after we saw the rise of some 36 states with their Covid cases.

Instead we decided to head to Nowhere, West Virginia... more exactly Lansing/Fayetteville and the New River Gorges area. Perfect place for a socially-distanced vacation. Packing our bikes, helmets, and paddleboards, we traversed about 5 hours from home. We had a week of outdoor adventure. Biking (yikes the hills of West Virginia!!). Water sights and scenes. Time on and in the water by way of inflatable kayaks, paddleboards, stream-exploring, and swimming. We got to see the breathtaking sites of New River Gorges Bridge, Summerville Lake, paddling by once-boom town Hinton, hiking amidst the ghost railroad town of Thurmond, and a whole lot of windy mountain roads in between.

More than once, surveying the landscapes: the blues (periwinkle, sky, cornflower, robin egg, azure, cerulean, denim, indigo, Prussian) dotted with clouds or birds, or dazzling in its aquatic sparkling reflections. The greens (moss, asparagus, lime, emerald, shamrock, viridian, hunter, pine, forest), where you could focus on each individual leaf to the sum total of those leaves per tree and those collection of trees into forested walls. Rock formations and the height of the mountains. The depth of the green & blue hues. The vitality and beauty. The richness and the vastness. The healthiness of it in a world that seems more than just “pandemically sick.”

In gazing about, I took great comfort in feeling small amidst the immensity of the world that surrounded and encompassed me. Humbled by its greatness. Perspectivized. (Yes, a word of my own concoction, but a word that fits.)

Rest, relaxation, rejuvenation... surrounded with Vitamin N, forest bathing, and blue mind... and just plain not long enough!!

Pictures from my camera, compiled in the Pic Edu App.

Stonehenge & Summer Solstice 2020

Symbolically fitting, June 20, 2020 marks this year's Summer Solstice, the "longest day" of the year (in that it is the day of the most hours of sunlight). It also is the official seasonal start to summer, despite the warming temperatures many people find in May and early June.

Traditionally summer solstice has many ties with Stonehenge in England, due to its layout and how it has been found to align with the sunrise on both summer and winter solstice. Dating back to it's start 5000 years ago and it's completion in 2500 BC, Stonehenge has been known as a mystically sacred and spiritual place. Its history has ties to the Druids, Celtic beliefs, and Danish kings, and it serves as transcendental spot for both New Age and earth-centric religions as well. Annual events are common for summer solstice, where people flock to experience the twice annual event of the sun aligning through the rocks, and which reverse their position for winter solstice.

With the restrictions on gathering places, this year the English Heritage organization (the managing entity of Stonehenge) is not opening for the sunrise celebration and is asking people to not visit. But fear not, as a grander opportunity for all of us awaits, making it not necessary to travel to this historic location. Instead, the sunrise will be live streamed on English Heritage's Facebook page and their other social media accounts the morning of June 20th, making it possible for anyone world wide to witness this experience. Mark your calendar!

To learn more, check out these sites:

• For fun facts about Stonehenge
• For more about the Stonehenge live streaming 
• For more about Stonehenge's connection to summer & winter solstice
• For more information about English Heritage

Image from http://www.architen.com/2014/06/summer-solstice-time-celebrate-time-grab-sunnies/ by Christopher Roberts with words overlayed by me in Canva.com, video from https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/stonehenge-summer-solstice-livestream

Pursuing EcoTourism in the Classroom

I co-lead an twice-a-week elective for 4th and 5th graders called "Funtography." It's a combination of photography and digital design. The photography side (run by my colleague) ultimately feeds the yearbook by building digital photography skills. On my digital design side, we talk about all sorts of graphic design elements (like color, typography, and layout). In both halves, there's a lot of opportunity for student exploration and creativity.

This year, we're going with a "going green" theme, which ties to playing with color, and delving into some environmental pursuits including a green screen project. That green screen project will be for my students to make an eco-tourism commercial.

I began by compiling a Wakelet board. Wakelet is a website that allows you to curate everything you want to share with students (or any other group of people). The best part is that with a QR code, link or an embed code, it's one-stop-shopping to all the resources I need for my students to have for the entire project, with the exception of doing their own research. Here's my Eco-Tourism Wakelet board, which details everything from resources to assignment for their green screen activity. I can't wait to see what they come up with!




Videos from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcbzb3uUfpc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDIfFTs9V1A; Wakelet board from https://wke.lt/w/s/gSA3_c,