Things to Love This Valentines Day

It's Valentine's Day! Whether your heart is full with your loved ones, gal-pals for "Galentine's Day," or you are buying flowers for yourself to honor you, today is a day I hope brings you smiles. 

Here are some worldwide eco-wins to love and that are worth raising a glass of your favorite celebratory beverage to toast!

💖 A First For Clean Energy
3 cheers for renewable energy, which for the first time ever is generating more electricity globally than coal. Likewise, solar and wind power grew at record speeds in 2025. Love that it's no longer a hypothetical wish for the future, but a future that is happening and edging out fossil fuels and coal.​ 

💖 Cities and States Are Trendsetting Energy Leaders
What's not to love about states like Connecticut, Maine, and New York who are passing laws to speed up their push toward 100% clean energy timelines. This investment in climate solution will push toward expanding transit and lowering bills. Fun fact: Chicago's Midway & O'Hare airports and a large number of other city buildings are now powered entirely by clean energy. ​​

💖 Wildlife Comebacks For the Win
Once thought to be extinct, the black lion tamarin of Brazil is now counting at about1,800 tamerin-strong. Community-driven conservation and habitat restoration are to thank for that. Communities like the Sri Lanka Centra Highlands are putting in wildlife corridors which are helping to reconnect the leopards to their habitats as communities grow around them but with them in mind! New protections for the penguins in Patagonia are helping to protect their numbers and breeding potentials.​​​

💖 Rewilding Is On the Upswing
​Rewilding is when you let land and nature have the time and space it needs to heal from overusing the land. This is happening in Zimbabwe's Zambezi region where thousands of animals are being moved to enhance the health and biodiversity of their habitat and ecosystem. Another example is in Europe's Rhodope Mountains where animals such as red and fallow deer, wild horses, and European bison are reintroduced in order to create natural grazing and predator-prey relationships. The same is true with Argentina's Iberá Wetlands where locally-extinct specials like giant anteaters, pampas deer, and jaguars, were brough back to help the ecosystem 

💖 Communities Are Leading
Grassroots movements in many locations are working to make a difference to try to reverse harmful policies. Case and point: throughout Latin America, local communities worked to help conserve bird habitat across hundreds of protected areas. Other projects across the Amazon are being community-driven to protect millions of acres of forest. 

💖 Climate Education Is On the Rise
Let's toast states like Oregon, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, California, and Illinois who are now incorporating climate and sustainability education in their K-12 public schools. Maryland has long had their growing network of certified Green School who are putting environmental education central to their curriculum. We build environmental stewards by weaving climate literacy into everyday life.​

💖 Policy in Action
Environmental policies are starting to show up in many places, really starting to make a positive difference. New congestion pricing in New York City means that vehicles pay a fee to enter the busiest parts of town during peak times. That helps make transit choices will reduce both traffic and vehicular pollution while also having that charged fee go to improving public transit. In other places, climate task forces are creating plans to help mitigate flood or drought risks, tackle heat waves or fire risks, open cooling centers when needed, or providing business incentives for affordable and efficient heat pumps, insulation, or solar panels. Bringing healthier and more affordable solutions is always worth a toast!

💖  💖  💖

So as you celebrate love this year, make sure it's not just about who we love, but how we love the world we live in. Take notice of where we are healing both as people and as a planet. Cheering on not only what's winning in our own life and the things/people we love, but also those on a larger scale. All things flourish that we shower with love!

Grist's 23 Predictions for 2023

The week between Christmas and New Year, Week #52 of the year, has long held the tradition of being dedicated in media and magazines to that transitioning to the new year. All of the achievements, accomplishments, awards, and kudos that have happened locally, nationally, even globally are celebrated. As are the tragic losses we've had the past year. (Oh, Betty White, we miss you!) Additionally, it starts gearing up to the preparations and predications of what all may happen in the new year.

Given that, I have fallen in love with Grist's 23 Predictions for 2023 and now is the perfect time to share it.

For those of you who don't know about Grift, it's a nonprofit, environmentally-oriented media organizatiton whose goal is to strive for a better, more just and climate conscious world since 1999. They focus on climate change solutions and innovation, with the goal to bring down emissions by 2030.

Their 23 Predictions for 2023 article is a combination of innovation and forecasts for the upcoming year by 23 climate and environmental justice specialists. The key areas they looked at: 

Big Wins:

With the US passing its climate legislation ("Inflation Reduction Act") in August, $369 billion will go toward cutting emissions and helping at-risk climate-vulnerable communities. Additionally, November's COP27 made some historic moves toward global climate justice. 

Here's an overview of the 23 predictions by category--you can always learn more at Grist's 23 Predictions for 2023 by clicking the "Read More" buttons under each expert and their prediction.

Water 

This past year had 47% of the United States facing one of the worst droughts in over 1,000 years. Water security is paramount!

1). "Western states must find common ground managing the Colorado River"

Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University

2). "Nature-based solutions and Indigenous input will make 2023 a turning point"

Felicia Marcus, attorney, founding member of Water Policy Group, and visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West program

3). "Data-driven technology will shape how we use water"

Newsha Ajami, hydrologist and chief development officer for research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Area

Ecosystems 

Through healthy ecosystems (especially marine, forest and wetland which hold carbon dioxide) aid against the blow of climate change. We need to use nature to help us fight the destruction we have caused.

4). "2023 will bring more environmental threats — and more money for solutions"

Tarik Benmarhnia, environmental epidemiologist at Scripps Institute of Oceanography

5). "Wetlands (finally) get the attention they deserve"

Eric W. Sanderson, senior ecologist at Wildlife Conservation Society

6). "Reforestation will uplift frontline communities"

Michael French, forester and director of operations at Green Forests Work

Politics & Policy 

Life after the midterm elections in November placed a lot of environmentally-friendly governors and other legislators as the winners of their race. The year ahead will see where we are with those promises of eco-justice and initiatives. 

7). "A new EPA office could mean additional protections for vulnerable communities"

Catherine Coleman Flowers, founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice; vice chair of the White House EJ Advisory Council

8). "The midterm results will drive progress at the state and local levels"

Leah Stokes, political scientist and professor of environmental politics at the University of California, Santa Barbara

9). "Bipartisanship and pragmatism will shape climate policies"

Quill Robinson, vice president of governmental affairs at American Conservation Coalition

10). "Activists will pressure the U.S. to ‘walk the talk’ after COP27"

Adrien Salazar, policy director at Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

11). "SCOTUS will complicate, but not thwart, national EJ initiatives"

Emily Hammond, energy and environmental law professor at George Washington University Law School

Mitigation & Adaptation 

Over time, climate disasters (like wildfires, heatwaves, and hurricanes) have been intensifying. 2022 had many record breaking floods, record breaking heat days, record number of wildfires in the past ten years, and catastrophic hurricanes. This trend has been happening in 90% of the United States over the last ten years, so these climate disaster reports are not "new news." Where we go from here will be important.

12). "People will hold governments accountable"

Njoki Mwarumba, assistant professor of emergency management and disaster preparedness at the University of Nebraska

13). "Communities will drive a bottom-up transformation in renewables"

Arturo Massol-Deyá, executive director of Casa Pueblo

14). "We need to be open to the possibility of relocation"

Auroop R. Ganguly, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern University

15). "We must make bold moves towards resilience"

Maxwell Alejandro Frost, representative-elect for Florida’s 10th congressional district and the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress

Technology

Part of the money from the Inflation Reduction Act is slated toward innovation in clean and green energy. It supports tax credits and incentives. Likewise, it supports creating circular "cradle to grave" to maximize resources.

16). "The IRA will supercharge a circular, domestic EV supply chain"

Alexis Georgeson, vice president of government relations and communications at Redwood Materials

17). "Tribes will lead the next phase of the EV transition"

Robert Blake, executive director of Native Sun Community Power Development

18). "American homes will electrify faster than ever"

Sam Calisch, head of special projects at Rewiring America

19). "The mining required for clean energy will create new EJ battles"

Jade Begay, climate justice campaign director at NDN Collective

Business

After seeing companies and business models that have successfully prioritized sustainability, it has shifted what is possible in the business world....while other companies have backed away. What lessons can we take away from 2022's successes to promote greater sustainability in the business world?

20). "Underrepresented founders will get the funding they deserve"

Destana Herring, associate at Regeneration.VC

21). "Brands will find new ways to generate revenue from their used products"

Nellie Cohen, director of circular business models at sustainability consultancy Anthesis

22). "Investors will zoom in on climate and impact"

Alyssa Stankiewicz, associate director of sustainability research at Morningstar

23). "Companies will need to show they are taking the climate crisis seriously"

Corley Kenna, head of communications and policy at Patagonia

Image from https://grist.org/fix/policy/23-predictions-for-2023-climate-justice-forecast-trends/

5 Decades of Environmentalism: 1969--2019

By the time the first earth day circled 'round in April of 1970, I was just about to hit my 6-month birthday. Needless to say, I don’t remember much about it and I was far too little to hug my first tree.

In honor of my 50 years on this planet, I wanted to celebrate 50 of some of the biggest environmental moments of the last 5 decades. What better way than with an infographic.

Infographic created using canva.com   Data from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/earth-days-modern-environmental-movement/; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/environmental-victories-in-photos/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_history_of_environmentalism; http://environmentalhistory.org; https://www.preceden.com/timelines/165371-major-events-in-the-environmental-movement; https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2018/12/year-climate-progress-top-5-environmental-victories-2018/

When Vegan Meets NASCAR

NASCAR & Vegan aren't two words that usually go together. But they do when you look at Leilani Münter & her motto:

Leilani's short story: she was born Feb. 18, 1974, she was a biology major from the University of California San Diego, an environmental activist & a vegan, a lover of fast driving and scuba diving, a race car driver (not just any driver, but one of the top 10 female drivers of the world AND in 2007 the world's first carbon neutral driver AND in 2014 the first person to drive oil free in her Telsa Model X AND the first person to power her pit crew using 100% solar).

In addition to all of that (from her website):

"She sits on the board of three non-profits: Oceanic Preservation Society, Empowered by Light, and EarthxFilm. Leilani is also an ambassador for Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project and a patron of Population Matters. Leilani was featured in the 2015 documentary film Racing Extinction. Leilani wants our future to be a cleaner and kinder world."

For the long story on Leilani, check out her bio on her website as well as the story of what got her from a biology graduate to a race car driver.



Using her platform as a racer, she's able to reach a multitude of people on issues such as climate change, renewable and clean energy, and oceanic health. She's spoken on Capital Hill and took part in the 2015 environmental documentary Racing Extinction. She also knows a little bit about what it is to be a leading female in a male-centric sport.


Leilani's Links page is lengthy, with a list of partner and friend organizations she supports and documentaries she recommends. This is a great place to go if you are looking for environmental documentaries to watch.

As of this writing, she still also has a link on her website to VegNation, the apparel store she founded using 100% solar and environmentally friendly materials. However, VegNation has the note: "Next shipment date is Jan 7. Once our current inventory is gone, we will be shutting down VegNation." So, it might be your last opportunity to shop on her site!


Video from https://youtu.be/WKRvQVzskpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULJV8aCVKl8

Images from http://www.leilani.green

My 6 Fav Maker Activities

As a Technology Specialist and Maker Lab Teacher, we get to have a lot of fun in my K-5 classrooms.  Check out this clickable infographic (hover above the fingers to see the linked hot spots) and the blurbs below to see what some of my personal favorites are through the years! The links on the infographic will take you directly to websites of instructions, images, lesson plans, or examples.

Squishy Circuits
Following up our Valentine's Day Circuit Card Creations, we had loads of fun with some conductive and insulating dough. In addition to the clickable link above, this video and these instructions were helpful. We did the activity with 2nd and 3rd graders, but any elementary students would love it!

Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season
My 4th & 5th Grade elective class had fun with this hurricane-inspired STEAM activity--timely this fall when the hurricane reports cropped up. The "Emoji Guys" and ramping up the box fan to create different categories of major win added to the elements of excitement.

Lego Landmarks

For several years now I've tied the work to Lego sculpturist Nathan Sawaya into a Maker activity with my Kindergartners. I show them a plethora of natural landmarks and iconic structures. From there, they pick one to build using Legos and take several pictures along the way using iPads to detail their design process. From there, we revisit the activity another day where they each insert their pictures in order in the Timeline app on their individual iPad so each student can show off his/her design process chronologically. This activity, of course, could work for kids at any age.

Artbot
Throughout the years, I've done a variety of artbot activities, but for my Kindergarteners this year, it was "Dollar Store electric toothbrushes and pool noodles for the win!" This simple and straightforward example was perfect for the age group and brought about delighted glee from all!

Henry "Box" Brown
Henry "Box" Brown was an enslaved man during the Civil War era who crated himself up and mailed himself to Northern freedom with the help of some abolitionists. As a natural extension within the 5th Grade Civil War Unit, after reading the picture book Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, students got into a large cardboard box to see what that would feel like. Then, using some measurement and ratios (based on both 3 inch Playmobil guys and the 6 foot height of an average adult man), kids were challenged to build a box their guy would fit in using craft sticks, tape, and heavy construction paper.

Zip Line Carrier
Everyone loves the concept of a zip line, especially when you are the one building it. Putting my Playmobil guys to use again (rather than building a Lego Creature), this STEAM activity ties really well with our 2nd graders' Business unit and their study of money. My favorite part of this too is the fact that students have to manage their budget by buying only the supplies they can afford.

For more great hands-on STEM/STEAM activities, be sure to check out the following:

• GTG Archives on the Maker Movement
• PBS's Design Squad
• Cybraryman's Makerspace/#MakerEd Page
• Instructables

Clicakable Infographic created using Canva.com & Thinglink.com.

Images from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A60Y9L4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 and http://www.greenteamgazette.com/2015/05/earth-day-family-maker-night-2015.html

Revisiting "Drawdown" and Solar & Wind Power

In revisiting Drawdown's Top 10 list I recently wrote about as ways to reduce Earth's greenhouse gases, I was certainly struck by the prevalence of alternative energy. # 2, #8, #10: wind turbines, solar farms, and rooftop solar. With Earth Day just behind us, these alternative energies have been heavy on my mind this month (as is evident from my latest posts).

I ran across this video (below) which I feel is the heart of Earth Day... and where our planet should be environmentally. I try really hard not to get enmeshed in the politics of the season beyond environmentalism here at GTG, but at times it's hard. Not to mention frustrating and aggravating. I hate seeing the climate deniers at the helm and the budgetary cuts they bring about on behalf of our planet.

I feel like this video from The Years Project encapsulates what we in America are at risk of doing--falling behind the global innovators who are trying to solve the non-partisan environmental (& economic) issues we all face daily. I'm sad to see that we as a country are not addressing (or even, at times, believing in) these issues. Luckily there are others around who are.

May we always be inspired to do better, and make the world a better place!


Clip art from https://newswire.net/newsroom/blog-post/00094186-a-homeowner-s-guide-to-alternative-energy-solutions.html; Video from https://www.facebook.com/climatereality/videos/1669452373141814/

Drawdown's Top 10 To Drop Down Greenhouse Gases

I've recently been reading the book "Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming," edited by Paul Hawken. The book details Project Drawdown and it's ambitious plan to bring together 200+ scientists and researchers around the globe to analyze and rank 100 solutions to reverse the effects of climate change and global warming. Additionally, with the efforts to do this by 2050. In the book they detail what each option would look like by ranking based on the number of gigatons reduces of carbon dioxide, the economic net cost, and the economic net savings.

The term "drawdown" (as stated in the book & their website) "is that point in time at which greenhouse gases peak and begin to decline on a year-to-year basis"(page x in the Forward). They have broken their solutions into the following categories: Energy, Food, Women and Girls, Buildings & Cities, Land Use, Transport, and Materials... and they also share 20 "Coming Attractions" of innovative ideas on the horizon that have environmental potential.

The top 10 alone are fascinating, and speak once again to the fact that innovation is the key to solving our environmental issues:

1. Refrigeration Management (HFC's & previous ozone depleters)
2. Wind Turbines (Onshore)
3. Reduced Food Waste
4. Plant Rich Diet
5. Tropical Forest Restoration & Recovery
6. Educating Girls
7. Family Planning
8. Solar Farms
9. Silvopasture (cattle in treed, not cleared, pastures)
10. Rooftop Solar

Here's a video of Paul Hawken discussing Project Drawdown with Bill Maher. (It is Bill Maher, so this is mostly PG-13, except for about 6:30 and 7:50 in. Therefore, the information here is more for the adults in the room.)


To learn more about Project Drawdown, check out their website, especially their Frequently Asked Questions page. Also online (or in the book), you can see the entire listing by rank.


Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1wXHx2DsSU; book cover from https://www.amazon.com/Drawdown-Comprehensive-Proposed-Reverse-Warming/dp/0143130447/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521212923&sr=8-1&keywords=drawdown; graph from Drawdown's Facebook page: https://www.amazon.com/Drawdown-Comprehensive-Proposed-Reverse-Warming/dp/0143130447/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521212923&sr=8-1&keywords=drawdown

Un-Plugging...With Mother Nature's Help!

Going old school with pen & paper! That's what happens when you get an unexpected 3-day weekend due to a "wind day" off school from the great nor'easter that blew this way. 

It's especially what happens when it knocks out your power around 10:30 am on a Friday (day off) morning. Based on the whipping winds, it's no major surprise as it was only a matter of time until we lost it.  But a power outage definitely reminds you of what you take for granted.



My kids, in particular, felt the tech-blast.. loud, strong, hard--and greater than the gusty wind. Watching the slow death of device batteries (along with no wifi aside from 4G phones), it was like awaiting pending doom.

The power-outage-induced-unplugging led me to finish a good old fashioned paperback novel. A novel idea, indeed. Add in, I tackled a few dump piles of purging and sorting that had previously been falling to the bottom of every list. I will admit, that tackle did feel good! My son got caught up on sleep, taking a mega-afternoon nap that I probably haven't seen him embrace for 7 or so years. My daughter went through her culinary options: Popcorn? No microwave. Pasta? No stove. After battling the quandaries, she down-graded to land on a sandwich and chips & dip.

Both kids learned this very important lesson: there's nothing you can do to speed an outage up and turn the power back on. The "powers that be" have all the power indeed, and probably won't get to it until the wicked winds stop blowing! Waiting it out is all you can really do at that point!

Luckily we had family 10 minutes away and could spend our Friday evening with them (and their electricity)... and their TV... and heated food! Packing up to head over there must have been like the modern-day-equivalent to preparing for the Zombie Apocolypes: grab the phones, the iPads, theDS gaming system, the charging station, the USB cords and the plugs! That was the first bag packed so that we could load up our device batteries straight from our relatives' outlets! All so we could power up and ration our devices for another day.

I think the forced tech-free zone of a unplugged day did us all some good... and probably brought a bit of an awareness as to exactly how connected to our devices we all really are. There certainly was a simplicity in this bonus day off--you can't do laundry with no power! Given that, might as well embrace the gift of the day! I also found it humorous how much I defaulted to trying to flip the light switch on! I mean, I knew I had no tech, but I tried to hit that bathroom or kitchen light switch more time than I could count!

 I will say the part I hated most of all was hearing the grinding generator of a nearby store center, overly-loud, inside our home--although it really was around the corner and across a few backyards!

We ended up without power for only 24 hours (almost right on the nose). Not terrible, especially when you consider what it could have been after seeing all the trees down. (Or when you consider that we knew some folks who were out of power for up to 5 day due to this storm! Not to mention how long the folks in Puerto Rico were without power after Hurricane Maria!)

In the end, I think it did us all some good, and we certainly lived to tell the tale... kids included!

Notebook pic from my camera, School Closed pic created by me over at Buncee.com https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/0e1429b406d740a29018f0eac3fe5e56; Someecard from http://nyehumor.com/tag/outage; no electricity pic from https://valorfireplaces.com/products/l2.php

The Artistic & Alternative Side of the Department of Energy

Thinking back to the "American Eclipse," there were some great posters created this year in the style of WPA (Works Progress Administration), akin to those of the New Deal era, highlighting and advertising the momentous occasion.

The secondary cool thing about that is that another series of other cool posters, done in the same style, that were created in 2016 to commemorate alternative energy and the anniversary of 2009's Recovery Act (aka the Stimulus Bill). They came from the Department of Energy's Loan's program office to celebrate the numerous projects and jobs created via the Recovery Act between 2009 to 2011.

To download your own high-resolution set (for your classroom decorations, for your bedroom decor, or as conversational pieces), click here. Let's hope that with all of the alterations and changes within this current presidential administration that the Department of Energy keeps them here for a long while!

Pics from https://www.vox.com/2016/2/24/11107908/department-of-energy-posters

For the Love of Lego's: Wind Turbine Edition

Who doesn't love Lego's?

(Well you might not if you are a parent of a 2-8 year old who discovers one wayward Lego, hidden in the shag carpet, that you discover while walking in the middle of the night, but I digress!)

Once again, their innovation is notably top of the charts! As of May 2017, Lego was running their company on 100% renewable resources. If that isn't great enough, they're doing it 3 years ahead of their goal timeline!

How did Lego celebrate that triumph? By making a giant wind turbine made out of Lego's, of course! 146,251 Lego's and 600 hours, to be exact!

It is located outside the Liverpool ONE shopping center in the United Kingdom. The placement of this Lego Turbine was to highlight their 100% renewable energy goal and their investment in the Liverpool Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm.


To check out more of Lego's commitment to the environment, check out these resources:

• Lego's "Planet Crew" for Kids site on their 100% Renewable Energy Capacity
• Lego's Responsible Resources

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ARbOEoltxg, https://www.lego.com/en-gb/aboutus/medialibrarydetails/timelapse-video---celebrating-100--renewable-energy-capacity--largest-lego%C2%AE-wind-turbine-90477d0d7633467ead525a8450c0ffc0 and http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/lego-renewable-energy-green-wind-farm-burbo-bank-extension-offshore-irish-sea-climate-change-a7746696.html

Is That a Wind Farm in Heartland?

We have arrived! With Pizza!

Every summer I take a trek to my hometown, where I grew up in Central Illinois. It's always a little bit of a "Jack Kerouac meets Chevy Chase's Vacation" in that it's typically myself as the solo driver (12-13 hours, all in one day) with two kids in tow.  I think this year marked the 10th year that we've done this trip. Given that, it's easier these days with a preteen and a not-yet-driving teenager and all the electronics we pack, but we still get a little campy and fidgety by the end, definitely ready to arrive!

But grandparent time for a week and change is worth it!

This year upon our travels (after about 775 miles, 2-dozen podcasts, 4 thermos' of green tea, and a bag of carrots in my system to help maintain an awake, car-moving stance), we noticed something different as we neared our final destination. The horizon and landscape looked a little different. A little more progressive. A little more #eco. It warmed my heart to see, yes indeed, a wind farm in the backdrop, behind the typical corn and soybeans of Central Illinois. Of course, it wasn't the only wind farm among our travels, and more and more have "cropping" up over our years of travel. But the Radford Run Wind Farm of Maroa, Illinois was certainly the closest one to home.

Construction on Radford Run started the end of August 2016, about a month after last year's trek home. 139 wind turbines are destined to cover 24,000 acres of land and call Radford Run "home." E.ON Climate & Renewables North America, the Chicago-based company that put the project into motion, counts this as their 3rd Illinois-based wind farm (of their many nation-wide wind farms). In addition to wind energy, E.ON also has several solar projects in the works Arizona and California.

Good things come all around when a wind farm goes in--more than just clean, renewable power. Road upgrades took place in my local area to accommodate the construction process. Jobs are created during the construction. Farmers and other land owners get an additional source of income. The stretch reaches out even more as it generates tax revenue which ultimately serves to improve schools and other public services.

Of course, it doesn't come without controversy!

Here is a striking map from E.On's website showing the wind power capacity of the US in Megawatts (MW). One megawatt can power approximately 250-300 homes.

Radford Run is slated to be a 278 MW farm, leading E.ON's Illinois farms to generate a total of 578 MW, powering over 180,000 homes! Proud to see that Central Illinois will be 48% of that total! Makes for a lovely drive in the countryside!


Images from my camera & map from http://www.eoncrna.com/#,

Al Gore's At It Again: The Inconvenient Sequel

On July 28th in selected theaters and August 4th for a wider selection of theaters, amidst a tumultuous and political 2017, the sequel to Al Gore's 2007 movie "An Inconvenient Truth" came out in movie theaters. It's been 10 years since the first movie came out, and we're still here, in need of this movie.

Here's the trailer for "An Inconvenient Sequel:"



I saw this movie last week. My first thought on the subject was that it was actually exciting to see an environmental movie out at the big, "real" theaters (not just a Netflix near you). Additionally, I was very happy to see that it was out for longer than a one-week release. I will say, there weren't many in my theater (as its been out a few weeks and it probably speaks to a very specific crowd), but the theater wasn't empty. It made me smile to sit there solo, but amidst a tribe of like-minded individuals.

Of course, it left behind a myriad of other thoughts:

• I felt like this movie came at the right time. All Americans--all global citizens--should see this movie. It will say, it is striking given that some of the environmental policies are changing under the current administration and their admonishment of science and climate facts... especially striking after seeing the movie and the extent of which everyone should listening!

• A poignant point: "To fix the environmental crisis, we need to fix the democratic crisis." I think we've seen a number of times in the last 4+ decades that the political stance of the presidential administration is what drives the money, the connections, the decision making. We saw it when President Reagan took off the White House Solar panels that President Carter put on. We saw it when President Bush canceled the DSCOVR (see below). We see it on our nightly news now, with Donald Trump & Scott Pruitt attacking the EPA.

• I will admit: I  felt a mix of  both being down, yet also hopeful. I was saddened by the numerous roadblocks along the way (in both the Bush and now Trump administrations). I was struck by the story of NASA's DSCOVR [which stands for "Deep Space Climate Observatory"]. It was ready to get off the ground in 2000, around the Bush-Gore election. Due to dangling chads and a Supreme Court decision, George W. Bush took office, and DSCOVR was dismantled of all climate instruments--renamed, reprogrammed, and left only equipped with solar storm equipment to send into space. Watching the details and history on that was disheartening. But in the category of time, persistence, and "all good things come to those who wait," DSCOVR, under President Obama's administration, was finally fully equipped and successfully launched on February 11, 2015.

• Once again... The people of the world who always have the biggest negative effects (given any issue) are the poorest. Climate change related issues are no different. From that stand point, climate change then becomes a social justice issue. Case and point: Syria had faced a huge drought from 2006--2009, right before their political issues. The drought, no doubt, did not help anyone's demeanor prior to the civil unrest! Just one example (of many out there) that there is a link between peace and climate change.

• Solar, wind, and other renewable energies are doable, profitable, and bottom-line far more healthy than the fossil fuels we are using now.100% renewable energy cities are cropping up: Even Georgetown, Texas, a highly conservative community, was featured in the movie for their near 100% renewable energy goal. As Republican Mayor Dale Ross (who was proud to be the first in Texas to achieve this goal) said: "It's just common sense that cleaner air is healthier, and we're leaving the planet better." For a list of other cities striving for (& achieving)100%, go to Go 100% Renewable Energy's website.

I could go on and on.

I do think my biggest "ah ha" moment was the fact that I saw this film just days after the controversial racial rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which led to the unnecessary death Heather Heyer. Near the end of the movie, Al Gore spoke of his concern (and sometimes dismay) over his mult-decade quest, and how it was disheartening at times. That was exactly how I had been feeling after Charlottesville. It broke my heart that there was still so much racism in our country, and it was so blatant. Yet, I also saw hope in the way people on both sides of the political spectrum were standing up against white supremacy. 

This especially hit me at the end of the movie as Al Gore went on to compare the climate fight to that of the Civil Rights movement and every other major moral movement to keep progressing human rights forward. All movements at times feel that heavy resistance and push back, battling the moral difference between right and wrong. Change and progress are not easy. Yet, it's also not dependent on a president. If ours refuses to lead environmentally, the it is up to the American people to lead. So whether it's in the form of a movie like this, or marches like the Climate or Earth Day or other marches we've seen in 2017 (or even a little blog like mine), we will lead.

And hopefully we will keep making breakthroughs which lead to greater and more sustainable change!

For more information about "The Inconvenient Sequel," check out the links below:

Links from the movie website to encourage you to "Use Your Choice; Use Your Voice; and Use Your Vote:"

• Take the Education Challenge
• For Educators: Watch Kit & Lesson Plans
• Sign up for upcoming lesson plans
• #BeInconvenient:  10 Days of Action

Links from the Climate Reality Project related to the movie:

• An Inconvenient Truth Then & Now: What's Changed for Our Climate Since 2006?
• 4 Ways "An Inconvenient Truth" Changed Lives
• 4 Ways the Climate Crisis Is Impacting Colorado

To look into getting training and work with Al Gore, to become a Climate Reality Leader, click here. Application deadline is September 12, 2017 for the October 17-19, 2017 training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The image below shows how many climate leaders have been trained in the Climate Reality Leadership Corp since 2006.

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huX1bmfdkyA; Video Image created at Buncee.com https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/8d85e52b79f54deab7d09a261da5dccb; 
"Inconvenient Sequel" Movie Poster from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6322922/; Climate Reality Leadership Corp pic from https://www.climaterealityproject.org/leadership-corps; movie image from https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/7/28/16035852/an-inconvenient-sequel-review-post-truth and https://communityimpact.com/austin/city-county/2016/08/15/al-gore-visits-georgetown-praises-citys-renewable-energy-plans/; Gandhi quote from https://blog.charityrepublic.com/2015/09/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see-in-the-world/

Global Weirding

Katharine Hayhoe is a climate scientist at Texas Tech. 2017 has proven to be a rough year for climate scientists. The turnout at the People's Climate March in DC in April this year definitely illustrated that!

Katharine Hayhoe is also the creator of a 12 episode video series called "Global Weirding." I told my husband, that the series title speaks to me. Of course, he always teases me for being weird with my #eco & #edtech obsessions, so this didn't surprise him at all. 😊 

The series, produced in coordination with her local PBS station & as part of the PBS Digital Studios, first aired Sept. 28, 2016. They are released every-other-Wednesday. Checking out Katharine's bio, you'll see that she's quite involved with a lot of projects and committees! You can also follow her blog on her website too.

It was on her Facebook page where I learned of the "Global Weirding" episode that she shares with those she knows who are "anti-climate change." She shares that the facts & science alone won't serve your goal since those people counter the idea view it as an innate part of "who they are." Hmmm... I'd guess that serves for other political beliefs as well, which also sounds a little bit like dogmatic American politics this year!

Need even more climate science to feed your soul? Here's Katharine Hayhoe's TEDx Talk from 2015. Of course, it was 2 years ago... and the warming data over the last 2 years has indicated that 2016 was the warmest year on record. And 2017 is tracking the same way. So it is still very relevant. In it, she details the fact that climate scientists have found 26,500 indicators around the world of planetary warming. Additionally, Texas has "enough solar potential to power the entire world two times over." Just think of what we all could do!

 

To check out or subscribe to Global Weirding, go to globalweirdingseries.com which will take you to her YouTube channel. She's working away on Season 2 of Global Weirding, so stay tuned for new episodes to air every-other-Wednesday starting this September.


Global Weirding episode from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkMIjbDtdo0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvr8WJwKcIA; TEDx Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtrYNGs9oRM; Global Weirding logo from http://www.rewire.org/pbs/not-sure-global-warming-try-global-weirding/

From Williams to William: The Maker Movement in Malawi

With the planned visit from author Karen L Williams, I was inspired to do a little reading over my spring break, now a surprisingly 2+ months ago.  The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by Daniel Kamkwamba seemed like a logical choice for a multitude of reasons: I could learn a little about Malawi—one of the central locations in Mrs. Williams’ books; I could see the innovation of the maker movement in action. I could see the integration of innovation and environmentalism through the wind power; and lastly, my daughter had read it last year, so it was safely nestled in my Kindle.

So it was here I met 14 year old William Kamkwamba. I got to step foot in Malawi and see the sense of community, as well as the the plight of poverty. Life was not always easy. Water was not always clean nor easy to find. Diarrhea and cholera were sometimes the aftermath due to polluted water and poorly-constructed latrines. Money and food could be thin at times. Deforestation was at play, intertwining with the other issues. But despite the environmental issues, spirit was strong. William led a life of curiosity, stamina, perseverance, and strength.

There were a lot of parallels between William and Karen Williams’ Kondi from Galimoto. Some of our modern day 5-11 year old students found it difficult to make a seemingly-simple galimoto out of pipe cleaner, pencils, & wire (link). Karen Williams’ Kondi’s galimoto was far more complicated than our humble vehicular creations. Some of our cherubs needed nudging and encouragement to keep going, keep trying, and keep being creative risk takers. Not to mention, our students didn’t even have to go a-hunting for the scrap materials to make these toys. All materials were provided.

Yet, then there was William, whose was determined to discover how things worked. He went much further than making toys. Tearing apart radios (much to his father’s chagrin) helped him discover how they worked. This, in turn, led to a greater investigation and an inevitable pursuit for power—legitimate “energy power,” since only about 8% of those living in Malawi have electricity. He also was on a dogged quest for knowledge, since secondary school was too expensive during difficult times. He learned physics and engineering through reading books as well as trial and error. He ultimately invented a windmill out of scraps to produce “electric wind,” making the energy to generate electricity and running water. All without the Internet (or even knowing of its existence).

And, as often happens with inventors & innovators, William's neighbors thought he was a little nuts… until he made the seemingly impossible possible!

My spring was sponsored by the inspiration of one William to another Williams—capturing the mindset of the maker movement in Malawi!

Book image from https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Harnessed-Wind-Electricity/dp/0061730335/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491874352&sr=8-2&keywords=boy+who+harnessed+the+wind; video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QkNxt7MpWM; windmill pic from https://mannerofspeaking.org/2011/10/22/analysis-of-a-speech-by-william-kamkwamba/; quote from http://quoteaddicts.com/author/william-kamkwamba; quote from http://i.quoteaddicts.com/media/q2/33854.png; galimoto pic from http://www.karenlynnwilliams.com/galimoto.html; galimoto book pic from https://www.amazon.com/Galimoto-Reading-Rainbow-Karen-Williams/dp/0688109918; quote with visuals from https://www.pinterest.com/explore/william-kamkwamba/

Marching Toward Actvism

I've said it before: I'm not sure when I became an activist. But given it's my second political march of 2017 and I've become vocal on Twitter, clearly I have become one.

As with the Women's March in January, I was inspired by the solidarity of the assembled masses and the humor, wisdom, & sentiment of the signs. The community of people with common vision and values, coming together, and inspiring hope for our future... this weekend that lent me a grand reassurance that I'm not alone in my priorities.

Along with that, I feel everyone should take part in a mission-centric march that speaks to your passions at least once in their life. Regardless of whether or not your passions match mine. No matter what they are, take part. Do your part. Be a part.

As I was making my way through DC to get to the march, I saw "my peeps" with their signs at the metro. Eye-glances were changed and smiles were shared. Conversations were sometimes had. I happened upon like-minded individuals in their groups, listening to their speakers, yet inviting all passers-by to take part and take a listen. I took time to do just that, smelling the proverbial roses along the way. I enjoyed hearing their songs which was music to my ears and to my heart. I prayed their prayers with them.

Everyone on the planet should get the opportunity to have that experience to find their tribe.

In thinking specifically about the People's Climate March and my experience... As I was going through my pictures afterwards, at home on my couch, reflecting over my day and the discovery that there were over 200,000 people assembling together in DC and approximately 375 sister marches world wide tied with President Trump's 100th Day in office, I was also pondering the political implications. Simultaneously, beyond my window, I had a dozen high school freshmen sitting on my patio. Laughing, carrying on, having their "Friends" episode in my backyard.

This is why I marched. For them. For my preteen and his buddies & pals. For the students I teach and their friends. For my nieces and nephews. for my future grandkids one day. 

They deserve clean air and water. Healthy organic food choices (not necessarily the pizza and chips I served that night). Regulations that serve both our environment and our economy. A plastic-free ocean and a pollution-free landscape. National parks and forests and conservation, preserved land. Animals, like the eagle, that were endangered when I was a child but now have experienced a healthy resurgence. Clean energy like solar or wind. A government that believes in science. A collective agreement that climate change is real. They deserve a habitable planet.

That's my wish in the message of the People's Climate March and the 370+ sister marches of this past Saturday, April 29th. We all deserve this. 

And... if it makes activists out of us all, so be it. An activist, I shall be.

United we stand, divided we fall.

Video from https://www.facebook.com/cnn/videos/10156534873716509/; Aerial view photo of march from http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/29/us/climate-change-march/index.html?sr=fbCNN042917climate-change-march0800PMVODtopLink&linkId=37031620; collage from my camera of signs and scenes from 4-29-2017; "Friends" episode image from http://www.sidereel.com/tv-shows/friends; "unity" pic from http://www.polyvore.com/where_there_is_unity_always/thing?id=18413528