10 Dynamic Eco-Women

March is known as Women's History Month, but who says you only have to pay tribute to women one month of the year? I certainly do NOT subscribe to that! Especially during the month of Earth Day!

This article from BBC Wildlife showcases these 10 amazing women: "10 Women Who Changed the World: The Pioneering Female Conservationists, From Jane Goodall to Sylvia Earle, who redefined Our Bond with Nature by Amy May Holt (10-2-2025). I love the videos that are included on many of these phenomenal environmental leaders.

Image created using www.Perplexity.AI with this prompt: Make a photo montage/collage of these environmental leading women: Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earle, Dian Fossey, Saengduean Chailert, Lily Venizelos, Margaret Murie, Wangari Maathai, Marina Silva, Leela Hazzah, Florence Merriam Bailey.

Jane Goodall's 90th Birthday--Environmental Champion

Lately, with life events, I've been living the Meg Ryan Lines in the 1991 movie "When Harry Met Sally" and I've been "trapped under something heavy." 

Given that, I've not been running as "on time" as I'd like. But there's a lot going on in the world eco-wise these days. Please bear with me as I play a little important catch up...starting with Jane Goodall's birthday about 2 weeks ago on April 3rd. 90 years are definitely worth celebrating!

Born in 1934, Jane Goodall is certainly an environmental champion and cheerleader. A primatologist, an ethologist (person who studies animal behavior), an anthropologist, a conservationist, a UN Messenger of Peace, an activist, a trailblazer, and the founder of The Jane Goodall Institute. Not letting 9 decades slow her down, she's currently on a worldwide tour to hit 6 continents this year. Her primary message: "hope through action." She's a phenomenal lady who could be slowing down, but would rather spend her time, energy, and effort fighting the good fight on behalf of our planet. In the days leading up to Earth Day, she certainly is one to celebrate!

And here are some additional tributes to this amazing environmental champion with some of my previous posts--happy belated birthday, Dr. Jane Goodall!

• Happy 80th Bday Jane Goodall!! April 4, 2014

• The Love of Books... And Jane Goodall, August 15, 2014

• Jimmy & Jane (Fallon & Goodall, That is!), Sept 23, 2017

• 60 Seconds with Jane Goodall, May 16, 2020

• A Trio of Messengers of Hope, Feb 9, 2022

Images: Portrait from her Jane Goodall Press kit (OTH0163-02-CREDIT: JGI/Bill Wallauer.jpeg) https://archive.janegoodall.org/portals/presskit?_gl=1*ouonf9*_ga*MTg2NTE2NzMzMy4xNzEyOTMyOTY3*_ga_TJ66KYN8TV*MTcxMjkzMjk2Ny4xLjEuMTcxMjkzMzYzMC42MC4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MTQ1MTYwODEyNi4xNzEyOTMyOTY3&_ga=2.129113676.157562142.1712932967-1865167333.1712932967, group photo taken by me on a school visit just a day after her 74th birthday https://www.greenteamgazette.com/2014/04/happy-80th-bday-jane-goodall.html, videos from https://youtu.be/7ZFgtsRpsUM?si=XmTU3ivgKBGd087L and https://youtu.be/wBZEVOuvqi8?si=Ds0t5CAJdnNpnkGF

Positive Environmental News for 2023

OneTreePlanted is a great place to go for good environmental news. After landing on their article "Good Environmental Stories From 2023," I was inspired to create the world map infographic below, showcasing some of the great news that includes plastic and paper bans, rejuvenated species, ocean clean ups, activism, biodiversity, and other great eco news. Click the poster to see an enlarged version, then click article links to find out more!!

Image created at canvas.com using information from https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/good-news-2023

Checking Out ChatGPT

Unless you have been living under a rock or have banished daily news of all forms, you have heard about the latest platform in Artificial Intelligence: ChatGPT. ChatGPT is all over the news and has been almost daily for the last 3-4 months. 

ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research lab in SanFrancisco created in 2015 with the goal of creating "friendly AI." There's a whole history lesson there, where you can learn all about it at Taskade's article "What is OpenAI?—Its History and How ChatGPT Is Changing the World."

 

ChatGPT launched November 30th, 2022, and it had over a million users in a matter of 5 days.

 

As educators, the buzz about it and what to do about it started almost instantly. Will it lead kids to cheat? Is the college essay dead? Should schools block this or embrace it? I will share a later post that will discuss some of the merits in the classroom that teachers can take advantage of AI & ChatGPT as a timesaver for busy teachers. 

 

When it first came to my attention (probably about the start of the new year), I tried repeatedly to get on to see it in action and I kept getting messages that the system was at capacity and they'd get back to me if I left an email address. I did, but they never did. 

 

I finally got a chance to play with ChatGPT mid-February, when they opened it up if you create an account. For now, it is free. Here's what you see when you login:

 

One of the first things I did was look into their FAQs. See if there wee any tips, tho the biggest one I knew: the more specific you are in what you ask, the better ChatGPT's response will be. 

 

One of the pieces that did strike me, however, was their general question of "Can I trust that AI is telling me the truth." This information is a good beacon to continually come back to:

"ChatGPT is not connected to the internet, and it can occasionally produce incorrect answers. It has limited knowledge of world and events after 2021 and may also occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content. We'd recommend checking whether responses from the model are accurate or not. If you find an answer is incorrect, please provide that feedback by using the "Thumbs Down" button."

Okay, so now that I was in, I start posing questions. My first question on February 19th was the following, just to see what it would post:

 

"Write an environmental education blog post for teachers 

about the 5 top eco win of the past year."

 

It was crazy quick how fast the information spit out!!! Full disclosure: this is verbatim what ChatGPT spit out in less than 2 minutes.

 

"As educators, it's important for us to stay up-to-date with the latest environmental news and progress. This past year, there have been some exciting wins in the fight against climate change and for environmental conservation. Here are the top five eco wins of the past year that we can celebrate and share with our students.

1. Renewable energy overtakes coal in the US

For the first time in over 130 years, renewable energy sources generated more electricity than coal in the United States. This is a significant milestone in the transition towards a clean energy economy, and it shows that renewable energy is becoming more economically viable than fossil fuels. This is a great opportunity for teachers to teach about the benefits of renewable energy and the importance of investing in sustainable energy infrastructure. 

 

2. Global agreement to protect 30% of the planet's land and sea by 2030

At the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China, more than 100 countries agreed to protect 30% of the planet's land and sea by 2030. This commitment is a significant step towards protecting biodiversity and preserving critical ecosystems. As teachers, we can use this as an opportunity to teach our students about the importance of conservation and the impacts of human activities on our planet.

 

3. Amazon rainforest deforestation hits a 10-year low

 

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest decreased by 70% from August 2019 to July 2020, hitting a 10-year low. This is a significant win in the fight to preserve one of the world's most important ecosystems. As teachers, we can use this as an opportunity to teach our students about the importance of rainforests and the impacts of deforestation, as well as how we can support efforts to protect these critical ecosystems.

 

4. China commits to reaching net-zero emissions by 2060

 

China, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, announced its commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2060. This is a significant milestone in the global fight against climate change and shows that even countries with high emissions can take meaningful action to reduce their impact on the planet. As teachers, we can use this as an opportunity to teach our students about the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the role of countries and individuals in mitigating climate change.

 

5. Plastic bag bans and restrictions continue to expand globally 

 

Countries around the world continue to implement bans and restrictions on single-use plastic bags, reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in our oceans and landfills. As teachers, we can use this as an opportunity to teach our students about the impacts of plastic pollution and the importance of reducing our plastic use.

 

In conclusion, the past year has seen some significant eco wins that we can celebrate and use as opportunities to educate our students about the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability. By sharing these wins with our students, we can inspire them to take action and work towards a more sustainable future."

 

Holy guacamole! That was a lot, and it was fascinating--both from the eco-win standpoint but also the speed and capability of the AI side of it. But, given my question above of "is it telling the truth," I decided this might be a good next follow up question in the same thread: 

"Include the citations where this information came from."

 

Again, almost faster than a blink of the eye, here is the response I got. I will say, it threw me off a smidge with the conversational tone:

"Sure, here are the sources for the information in my previous response:

 

Renewable energy overtakes coal in the US:Source: US Energy Information Administration. "Electricity in the United States". Retrieved 17 Feb 2023, https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/electricity-in-the-us.php#tab2

 

Global agreement to protect 30% of the planet's land and sea by 2030:Source: Convention on Biological Diversity. "Kunming Declaration: Adopted at the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity". Retrieved 17 Feb 2023, https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/e167/59b4/84b8d747cbd2cfc2a3849ee6/cop-15-dec-33-en.pdf

 

Amazon rainforest deforestation hits a 10-year low:Source: Mongabay News. "Amazon deforestation fell by 70% in the past year". Retrieved 17 Feb 2023, https://news.mongabay.com/2020/08/amazon-deforestation-fell-by-70-in-the-past-year/

 

China commits to reaching net-zero emissions by 2060:Source: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. "China Commits to Carbon Neutrality before 2060". Retrieved 17 Feb 2023, https://unfccc.int/news/china-commits-to-carbon-neutrality-before-2060

 

Plastic bag bans and restrictions continue to expand globally:Source: UN Environment Programme. "Plastic Waste: What you need to know". Retrieved 17 Feb 2023, https://www.unep.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/plastic-waste-what-you-need-know"

 

With the exception of the Mongabay reference which I hadn't ever hear of before, these are some legit resources! [However, I have heard others on message boards report that this is not always the case--so do your homework!!]

I proceeded to ask a slew of other questions, more specifically about integrating ChatGPT in the classroom, but like I said, more on that later. It also left me pondering a slew of moral and philosophical questions and implications, making me wonder where this will all take us as a society. Didn't take long for me to feel like my head was completely spinning!

 

In a big way, it reminded me of falling down the rabbit hole of YouTube and the stereotypical "crazy cat videos." Posing question after question to ChatGPT is like that!

 

Just like an open tube of toothpaste, once it's squeezed and the toothpaste is out, there's no putting it back in. Same holds true for Pandora's box. Now that we have this capability, it's out there, and the technological advances will only continue to "speed racer" at double or quadruple the speed. AI is not going away! The slew of controversial conversations will only continue. Is it okay to use it as brainstorming or cutting through the writer's block, as long as we go in and edit it? I don't know. Would we accept that explanation from our students. Doubtful. That probably should be the guide. Is it okay to use it for thank you notes or resignation letters... or is it dumbing us all down? Seems like there are lots of parameters to figure out.

 

As all of this AI continues, let's just all hope we ALL make decisions to use this type of tech for the power of good, not the force of evil!!! 

Images from: Screenshot from https://chat.openai.com/chat when you first login to chat (Taken 2-25-2023), OpenAI/ChatGPT image from https://levelup.gitconnected.com/what-is-chatgpt-openai-how-it-is-built-the-technology-behind-it-ba3e8acc1e9b with Image Source: Amarujala

Earth Porn & More--Say What?!

 Earth Porn: Don't let the name deceive you. It's more rated G than it sounds!

Sometimes, you just want to see something beautiful. And sometimes, you just can't get yourself out in that beautiful place.  Earth Porn, despite the name, is one of the many places you can get out in nature digitally, if you need a quick fix of the great outdoors.

Earth Porn is a Facebook page where you can go and find beautiful images of this li'l home of ours called Earth. They don't take the photos nor claim the credit, they just pass along the loveliness that they happen to find on Earthables photo sharing website. There's also their website EarthPorm (notice the spelling change).  

Here are some other great sites if you are searching to soak even more, when you need a visual gem to remind you of the nature that surrounds.

Nature Picture Library

Earthables

Department of Interior Photo Gallery

National Geographic Photo of the Day

Conde Nast's 50 Most Beautiful Places in the World

Earth Porn Logo & waterfall pic (from Tropical Cauldron in Kihei, Maui; Photo by Mike Dawson) from https://www.facebook.com/earthporndotus

Nature is Speaking: The Rainforest

"Nature is Speaking" this November here at Green Team Gazette.  Today is brought to you by Kevin Spacey as "The Rainforest."

To view any of the previous posts this past week from Green Team Gazette spotlighting this Conservation International mini movie series, click through the listing below:

• Julia Roberts Is Mother Nature
• Harrison Ford is The Ocean

Images & video from http://natureisspeaking.org/

Happy 80th Bday Jane Goodall!!

Sometimes it's a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

Time:  Spring 2008  (April 4th, to be exact, a day after "her" 74th bday)

Situation:  My first year at Gibson Island Country School (Now Eagle Cove School thanks to a name change 3-4 years ago.  Irony: this is my LAST year at Eagle Cove School due to a January board decision to close us down due to low ##'s.  As an aside:  still quite saddened by this!!)

Event:  An Über-special Roots & Shoots Fair at MY school, with schools area-wide sending teacher and student representatives. How lucky am I to land HERE?!  I know if I shut my eyes, I can see her right there, nearly close enough to touch, while she speaks on her experiences with the chimpanzees in Africa.  I think, if I shut my eyes, I can still hear her "hoot-hoo-hoo" in a volume-expansive chimpanzee call!!!  To hear a semblance of it, click here and see it at 4 minutes and 26 seconds in.  It stays with you!!


So Jane Goodall, noted primatologist, is turning 80 this Thursday, April 3rd.  As someone who has studied chimpanzees, their habitat and environment, and been a beacon of conservationism for 50+ years, she's truly a remarkable woman.  She deserves 80,000 birthday wishes this 80th birthday!!!

Happy birthday, Ms. Goodall!  Thanks for all you have done and continue to do.

To learn more about the amazing icon we call Jane Goodall, check out some of these sites:

• Huffington Post's 4-2-2014 article: Dr. Jane Goodall's 80th Birthday: Being Smart Is Sexy, and Being Gentle Does Not Make You Weak

• Globe & Mail's 3-30-2014 article: Youth give Jane Goodall reason to hope

• NPR's 3-29-2014 article: Happy 80th Birthday, Jane Goodall

• ARKive's blog: ARKive Celebrates Dr. Jane Goodall’s 80th Birthday! 

• Liberty Voice's 4-2-2014 article: Jane Goodall Turning 80 [Video]

• Biography.com 

• Anything on Amazon.com

Green Team Gazette 2.8 April 2010 from Vicki Dabrowka




Jane Goodall pic with my then-3rd graders at Gibson Island country School, Spring 2008
Video from
Green Team Gazette Newsletter from http://www.slideshare.net/thirdgrade/green-team-gazette-28-april-2010-pdf
Jane Goodall and chimp pic from the past:  https://www.google.com/search?q=jane+goodall+80th+birthday&oq=jane+goodall+80&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l2.4095j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8#q=jane+goodall+80th+birthday&tbm=nws

In the Clouds In Costa Rica This Holiday Season

One of the things I love about my job is that there is always something in the works at Eagle Cove School [aka: "ECS"]!

On one of our last few days of school this December before break, there was more going on than just holiday parties, making ornaments as parent gifts, reading holiday stories, and an all-school sing-a-long. In between all of that, my 3rd graders managed to squeeze in a quick FaceTime iPad conference with our science teacher. This, in and of itself, isn't so unusual. But, the FaceTiming was a tad farther than just the other side of campus. It happens that way when Tim Decker, our science teacher, happens to be in Costa Rica!  [Rumor on the street, our 5th graders also FaceTimed Costa Rica and Mr. Decker as well.]

Christmas and Costa Rica don't normally go hand in hand in our neck of the woods... but they do this year. Using part of his Christmas break and the last few days before break, Tim Decker flew south to spend some time at The Cloud Forest School. The Cloud Forest school (el Centro de Educación Creativa) is an is an independent PreK--11th Grade school located on 100+ acres of cloud forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica.

The reason for this mid-December visit? To foster an environmental & educational friendship with a like-minded school. When you look at their vision, it is easy to see the parallels to ECS, a Maryland "green" school since 2006. From the Cloud Forest School's website:

"Our vision is to help foster a sustainable future for the Earth by educating individuals to:  Love, respect and protect the natural environment;  Strive for justice and peace as well as academic excellence, and;  Work towards conserving biodiversity and enriching community life."

Like-minded indeed!

Additionally, while packing for Costa Rican warm-weather-wear during our typical Maryland winter season, Decker packed heavy for his trip down south.  He took a suitcase-full if needed school supplies that were brought in by ECS students & their families.

Once down in Costa Rica, Decker met with school leaders and teachers to brainstorm future collaborations between the two schools. He also shared a virtual tour of ECS that our 5th graders created with their 1:1 iPad program using the iMovie app. Plans are in the works between the two schools for future video-conferencing visits and student activities comparing and contrasting our riverside/wooded school campus with their Cloud Rainforest campus. Wheels of educational ideas are turning on both sides!

Eagle Cove School's Parent Association funded Tim Decker's trip through the sales of special eco-Tshirts. First through fifth graders submitted designs centered around an environmental quote. The winning design (by one of our ECS 2nd graders) included a quote of her own creation.

As quoted in the December 2012 Bay Weekly, "'This project seems perfect for our students,' Decker says. "It brings together science, language, geology, culture, technology, and service.'" To learn more, be sure to check out Bay Weekly's link or go to the the 12/11/2012 article in The Arundel Patch.

Given the mutual environmental passion of both schools, it's easy to see the magnetic attraction. Additionally, given the lens of community stewardship and collaborative spirit of learning that are at play, the following quote seems to strike a chord:

"A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed...It feels an impulsion...this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons." ~ American author, Richard Bach

Mural in the works at The Cloud Forest School (photo taken & shared by Tim Decker)

White-faced monkey in the Costa Rican jungle (photo taken & shared by Tim Decker)

 

Classroom FaceTiming pic and Tshirt pic from my camera; map of Costa Rica from http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/cr.htm; Classroom pic of Tim Decker from http://bayweekly.com/articles/news/article/chesapeake-bay-monteverde-cloud-forest

Environmental Education QR Code Quizzes

You know the old commercial:  "He's cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."  Well, in my classroom, my students are "crazy for QR Codes."

You know QR Codes, the box-like bar-scan codes like the one here.  (To learn more, check out GTG's "Q is for QR Codes").  Using Kaywa's QR code generator & books from my eco-library, I found some kid-friendly green-stats, and "QR-coded" them. 

My plan?  To monthly rotate the eco-jokes & green facts so that I have fresh statistics each month.  I foresee the iPads getting a workout, as well as some mental wheels turning as the kids realize the truth in the numbers.  To make a set of your own, check out my Slideshare document (click here, or find it below)... copy, cut out, laminate, grab a bar scanner, & away you go!

Qr Eco Codes

View more documents from Vicki Dabrowka.

Images from:  Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs:  http://www.annotatedmst.com/episodes/superdragon/index.htm; QR Code: generated at Kaywa with my own text;  my classroom window with eco-stats cards; and the Slideshare document that I created, from http://www.slideshare.net/thirdgrade/qr-eco-codes.

Goodbye, Wangari Maathai, Part Deux

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words…Or, 1,000+ Trees

The earth was naked. For me the mission was to try to cover it with green. ~ Wangari Maathai

Continuing the focus this week on Wangari Maathai and her vision, here are 2 "must-reads" and one "must do" are on your list of things to do this week.  

1). On the GreenBelt Movement website, world leaders have left their condolences to Professor Wangari Maathai.  Amazing words from amazing people--check them out here.

2).  Share Wangari’s story with your class/kids by reading the book Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa (2008) by Jeanette Winter. Don’t forget to make time to read aloud the Author’s Note at the back of the book for some additional background information about how Wangari’s simple actions became a remarkable, far-reaching movement. Extend the activity by having your youngsters illustrate pictures or write essays of something they can do to help stop global warming. Urge them to follow in Wangari’s footsteps by choosing something seemingly small that could create monumental changes if everyone did the same.

3).  Check out and participate in the "Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign." Along the same vision of Wangari, the goal is to plant at  least a billion trees worldwide per year.  Pledge.  Plant.  Participate!  

Other great sites to learn more about Wangari Maathai and her vision of peace and environmentalism:
The Green Belt Movement (downloadable action guide filled with lots of teacher tips)

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai (the film)

The Mottainai Campaign: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle + Respect

Wangari Maathai Talks about the Mottainai Campaign

Images:  Taking Roots from http://www.shadowandact.com/?p=42103; book pic from http://www.Amazon.com; "Plant for the Planet" and http://www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/Home/tabid/51624/Default.aspx

Goodbye, Wangari Maathai, Part One

On September 25th, sadness struck the environmental community. That was the day, last week, when Wangari Maathai passed away at the age of 71. In today's age, 71 isn't all that old, which leads to greater sadness.

Who was Wangari Maathai? Beyond being an environmentalist, she was a scientist, a professor, a teacher, a mother, a leader, a social justice/human rights activist, a peacemaker, and a Nobel Peace Laureate (in fact, the 1st black African Woman to do so). Additionally, she was the founder of the Green Belt Movement.

Imagine living the life of Wangari: Imagine a former day when your homeland was a beautiful tree-shaded country. Imagine leaving for several years to get your education, then coming back to find your homeland devoid of those lush trees, replaced by wilted & deteriorated plant life, with no shade for the harvest due to the blazing sun. Imagine wanting to do something about it.…then imagine doing it! This was the life of 2004’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai.

On June 5, 1977 on World Environment Day, after being in America for 6 years for schooling, Wangari gave birth to what was to become Kenya’s Green Belt Movement. It all started with the planting of trees, one at a time, along with encouragement to the women of her village. These women began following Wangari’s lead. This symbolic birth of one tree being set into the ground by one woman has become 30,000,000+ trees and many women over time. It brought pride & prosperity to the women of Kenya during a turbulent time of women’s rights in Africa. What a classic example of how one small move can end up resulting in something huge, something that can make a powerful impact.

What a classic example of a remarkable lady!!

Picture from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15060167

Team WED 2011

WED?  Wednesday?  Nope.

WED = World Environment Day ~ June 5, 2011

What is this, you ask?   

An annual, global event to promote environmental action.  Of course we want to do this year round (just the same with Earth Day), but sometimes we need those "kick in the pants" days of remembrance to get us in gear.  A time honored tradition since 1972 from the United Nation's Environment Program.  (http://www.unep.org/wed/about/)

This year's theme?   

"Forest:  Nature at Your Service."  Forests cover 1/3 of our landmasses...so to the masses, we need to take care of them. To learn more about the importance of forests to each and every one of us, go to http://www.unep.org/wed/theme/.

This year's host country?  

India.  With 1.2 billion people, they're taking special aim to lessen the pressure that the dense population puts on the forests...so it's a good fit this year given the theme!  (Galore more India info @ http://www.unep.org/wed/news/hostcountry.asp)

So TEAM WED?  

Nope, we're not talking "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob."  Instead, we're talking Team Gisele Bundchen and Team Don Cheadle, the two Goodwill Ambassadors who are urging all to get involved by taking action, doing something for our planet, and registering your action...for every item registered, they are planting trees!  Watch this video to get caught up in the "team" spirit, then pick a "team" for yourself!!

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PsudPXXn00&feature=relmfu)

More Wonderful WED Finds:

For an amazing short WED informative film, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, click here 

http://www.unep.org/flvPlayer/share/default.asp?id=3291&l=en

(Darn and drat:  I wanted to embed it here yet kept experiencing technical difficulties--it's truly worth your clicking time!!)

From A-Z: Ways you can help the Earth, in alphabetical order!!

http://www.unep.org/wed/A-Z/

So, what are you doing June 5th??

Video & Images from http://www.unep.org/wed/