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.

April 3rd: Jane Goodall Day

Jane Goodall has been a powerful influence on my environmental development since April 4th, 2008. It was a day after her 74th birthday, and she was visiting my new-to-me school: Gibson Island Country School. It was a Roots & Shoots Fair where she was the keynote speaker at this little school on the Chesapeake Bay, and I wasn't sure how I'd won this lottery. 

I was in awe of her level of serene powerhouse, especially when she made her iconic chimpanzee hoot for all to hear. 

Needless to say, I was quite saddened when she passed away last year on October 1, 2025. She's legendary, heroic, a woman ahead of her time, and was a non-stop agent of conservation and environmental stewardship.

To commemorate her lifetime of planetary achievements the Jane Goodall Institute has marked April 3rd as Jane Goodall Day as a global day of action. This year, she would have turned 92 on her birthday. Going forward, April 3rd will be an annual environmental day of celebration worldwide for this humanitarian and UN Messenger of Peace. A holder of hope, we need Jane Goodall's vision, enthusiasm, grit, and perseverance ... now more than ever!

In honor of Jane Goodall Day, you have two tasks today:

1. Learn more about Jane Goodall Day and Jane's legacy here at the Jane Goodall Institute. 

2. Go forth that day with a "Because of Jane, I will..." attitude of action. What can you do that would be "100% Jane Approved" for your neighborhood, community, world around you? Need some inspirational ideas, try one or more of these, and certainly come up with some of your own:

• Plant a tree, a pollinator plant, or some other local flora to support native wildlife.
• Go on a litter-pick up expedition somewhere in your community.
• Spend time outside taking in nature, sharpening your observation skills. 
• Reduce your plastic consumption by planning ahead with reusables.
• Write a letter/email to your local leaders/politicians to work for environmental protections.
• Learn about endangered species and spread the word.
• Donate to a wildlife conservation organization.
• Share the importance of Jane Goodall Day and her vision with friends and family to inspire others to take big or small actions.
• Spread kindness and patience so that ripple of empathy can move forward to others. We certainly need more of that!

Be inspired by Jane Goodall's spirit of hope and action. Because of Jane, what can you do to continue her legacy? What is one small, specific way you can live differently for this shared planet on April 3rd?

Image from https://www.greenteamgazette.com/2025/10/saying-goodbye-to-dr-jane-goodall.html with my photos taken from Jane Goodall's April 4th, 2008 visit to my school: Gibson Island Country School, which later became named Eagle Cove School; video from https://youtube.com/shorts/RguwGQGLyNY?si=Y0hTEAxdDpvHhUdh, quote image from https://blog.sleepingangel.com/jane-goodall-quote/

World Water Day: March 22, 2026

World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance that celebrates water, bringing to attention the global water crisis. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) #6 is to achieve safe water and sanitation for everyone by 2030. This year's theme is "Water & Gender: Where Water Flows, Equality Grows." It highlights how gender equality is tied to safe water and water acquisition... and what happens when they’re not. This also ties to SDG Goal #5 through gender equality. Through both of these, the message is clear: safe water and sanitation are rights, not privileges, for all people and all genders.

Unfortunately, women and girls are disproportionately affected by water problems because of many reasons: unsafe or distant water sources, poor sanitation, and the fact that women are often left out of the decisions about how water is managed. Additionally, women and girls in many countries are the ones fetching the water, walking for hours to access the water. This in turn prevents them from being able to attend school or working in a paid position. It also places them in multiple unsafe situations along the journey, leaving them exhausted and more prone to sickness. It also creates additional issues of sanitation during times when girls and women are menstruating.

Despite the fact that access to safe drinking water is a human right, billions of people worldwide still lack access and safe management of water and sanitation services. Globally unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are responsible for deaths of approximately 1,000 children aged 0-5 daily. 

When communities secure reliable, safe water, and sanitation close to home, you start to see:

• Girls who are able to spend more time in school and less time questing and walking for water.
• Women who are able to take part in paid work, community leadership, and decision-making.
• Health improvements overall--from individuals to families, which then spreads economically in their ability to work and then spreads to their communities. 

By ignoring women’s experiences and their knowledge when it comes to these factors, water systems fail the people who use them most. Women need to be at the table when it comes to these decisions. In doing so, it builds a more hopeful future, one drop of water and one decision at a time.

 To learn more about World Water Day, check out the following resources:

• United Nations World Water Day: Where Water Flows Equality Grows Overview
• UN World Water Day Background Page
• UN World Water Day Fact Page
• UN World Water Day Activation Kit with activities for schools (listed by age ranges), communities, and other ways to actively engage and spread information about the importance of women, water, and safety.
• UN "Where Water Flows, Equality Grows" Posters
• UN Trello page of World Water Day resources 

To find all of these resources in another language, go to the section about 2026 Theme: Women & Gender.

Images from https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day-new/background-new and https://www.unwater.org/sites/default/files/2026-01/WWD2026_Posters_English.pdf and https://www.instagram.com/reels/CyL1C9IpH91/; Video from https://youtu.be/nFpcoji4gh0?si=e3eyf6aPMCaiZ2OF

Hurricane Melissa, Cat 6, Katherine Hayhoe, & What You Can Do

On Facebook, I follow Climate Scientist Katherine Hayhoe, and I have written about her many times before.*

I was particularly struck earlier this week when I saw this post from her on Sunday, October 26th. In it, she detailed the intensity of Hurricane Melissa as it was approaching Jamaica, and how this storm was one of great concern. I also appreciate the extent to which she included links to her "Global Weirding" video series. In her post, she had specific links to read for specific situations that many fit with her many critics and climate skeptics. The level of information is not only informative and detailed, but very easy to understand. It is a teaching tool. Given that, I screenshot the first part of Kathrine Hayhoe's post, and then I compiled a slide deck that includes one slide per thoughts/concern and embed the videos that correspond with each link.

Katherine Hayhoe this week has also had some interesting thoughts on if perhaps we have entered the era where we really need a "Category 6" on the Saffir-Simpson scale. This "Cat 6" would be for hurricanes with sustained winds over 192 miles per hour. It makes for good food for thought. Especially since we really have not needed that level before. However, warmer waters generate more intense storms... and hence where we are.

She also shared this graphic this week from Jeff Beradelli, WFLA-TV Tampa Bay's Chief meteorologist and climate specialist. It details the significant increase in Category 4 and 5 storms in the nearly 50 years. You cannot argue that hurricanes have intensified given this data.

At this point (on Halloween when I write this), the storm has battered Jamaica, making landfall on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 with winds of over 185 mph. The island nation was devastated by the power of Mother Nature in this record-breaking storm. The storm also tore through the Caribbean and wrecked havoc on Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Bahamas as well. According to this CNN article, 77% of the country was out of power at one point along with multiple deaths with all of the destruction.

If you are looking for ways to help or donate to the hurricane recovery in Jamaica, consider these resources:

• Global Empowerment Mission ​​
• Project HOPE
• All Hands & Hearts​
• GlobalGiving​
• Charity Navigator 

​

*Note: Posts I've written about Katherine Hayhoe in the past include:

• Earth Day 2025 Resources  (4-19-2025)
  
• Katherine Hayhoe's Inspirational Recommendations for Climate Content  (12-29-2023)
  
• The Six Americas  (2-16-2022)
  
• A Trio of Messengers of Hope  (2-9-2022)
  
• Eunice Foote: Foot at the Front Door of Climate Change  (3-31-2021)
  
• Climate Change, Coronavirus, & Katherine Hayhoe  (9-26-2020)
  
• Global Weirding  (7-26-2017)

Slideshow created from Katherine Hayhoe's Facebook post on 10-26-2025 and compiled her: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MAw5X3xVtDpR8argRz_kTOgsvftvav4_Diq7CK6uR40/edit?usp=sharing, Image from https://www.instagram.com/p/C6xbBNKM7cz/ and https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1361109002252601&set=a.233252805038232

Saying Goodbye to Dr. Jane Goodall

As a person who has curated their Facebook to have a plethora of environmental education sites, I feel like every other post I am seeing since Wednesday is paying tribute to the amazing Dr. Jane Goodall. A brilliant woman ahead of her time, a primatologist, conservationalist, environmentalist, and global advocate for the planet… Her loss hits hard.

I got the opportunity to meet her at my former “green school” school (Gibson Island Country School) in 2008 at the culmination of our Bay Week. How we managed to secure such an incredible speaker still is beyond me. As luck would have it, her visit was a day—one side or another—from her 74th birthday. 17 yrs ago. Jane Goodall and her sense of environmental hope have been a guiding light in my life. Upon news of her death on Wednesday almost all folks in my house (including my children) were like “noooooooo!” Jane Goodall most certainly is a global treasure whose expertise, guidance, and wisdom will be missed.  We thank you Dr. Goodall for your service.

Here are the 10 articles I have written about Jane Goodall here in GTG over the years, detailing her books, her philosophy, her grace, her wisdom, and her role as a leader. May we all be more like her in our pursuit for the betterment of our planet and society.

• Happy 91st Birthday, Dr. Jane Goodall  (Apr. 5, 2025)
  
• Presidential Medals of Freedom  (Jan. 15, 2025)
• Jane Goodall's 90th Birthday--Environmental Champion  (Apr. 24, 2024)
  
• A Trio of Messengers of Hope  (Feb. 9, 2022)
  
• Women's History Month, Environmental Style  (Mar. 24, 2021)
  
• 60 Seconds with Jane Goodall  (May 16, 2020)
  
• 3 Decades of Time, On Either Side  (Oct. 9, 2019)
  
• Jimmy & Jane (Fallon & Goodall, That is!)  (Sept. 23, 2017)
  
• The Love of Books... And Jane Goodall  (Aug. 29, 2015)
• Happy 80th Bday Jane Goodall!!  (Apr. 2, 2014)
  

Jane Goodall duo pic from https://deadline.com/2025/10/jane-goodall-dead-1236567674/; Collage created using Pic Collage and my photos.

Happy 91st Birthday, Dr. Jane Goodall

This past Thursday was Dr. Jane Goodall's 91st birthday. Born April 3, 1934, she is still going strong, living a long, remarkable life! Thinking about her timeline, imagine all that she has lived through in terms of innovation & inventions, world events, social changes, and more. Then, there's her own amazing career as a primatologist, author, speaker, and planetary giver-of-hope. She is an extraordinary woman. I feel lucky to have seen her speak in person. (April 4th, 2008, in fact--the day after her 74th birthday.)

I've written about Jane Goodall several times here at GTG (check out the list below). Given that, it should be no surprise my level of reverence to her as an eco-rockstar. Celebrating her birthday and accomplishments seems like the perfect way to start off the month we celebrate Earth Day! We need to honor and thank champions, and Dr. Jane Goodall is a great place to start! I hope she's having an amazing birthday weekend!

• 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
• Jane Goodall's 90th Birthday--Environmental Champion, April 17, 2024

Images from : https://bayweekly.com/old-site/year08/issuexvi15/burtonxvi15.html and Eco With Em's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ecowithem/posts/pfbid02xs9W9DuKusEFd69iFbg4jppm66FZGzHKRK3RiXziypR42Z8qns2Jbu4Vt2dH3Rbdl

Hour of Code 2023: December 4-10

In January of 2013, Hadi & Ali Partovi (two Iranian-American brothers) started Code.org with the intention of making computer programming more accessible to people of all ages. They launched the first Hour of Code in sync with Computer Science Education Week that December 2013--5 years after Computer Science Education's first week, which was December 6-12, 2009.

Computer Science Education Week takes place during the full week that encompasses Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper's birthday. Grace Hopper was born December 9, 1906. She was a woman ahead of her time: a Vassar graduate, a naval officer, a mathematician with her PhD from Yale in that and mathematical physics, a World War II veteran, a computer programmer, a software developer, and one of the developers of the programming language COBOL. She's credited with literally "debugging" the first computer infiltrated by a moth, coining a term we still use today. She was the first individual woman to receive our country's highest technology award: the National Medal of Technology in 1991 and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by President Obama.

Code.org's Hour of Code is December 4th through 10th this year--making this the 11th year of highlighting that anyone can learn to code. Now a global movement across 180 countries, Hour of Code inspires people of all ages to take on some coding activities for at least an hour. In my K-5th grade tech classes, we'll all be coding this week!

Looking for some ways to host your own Hour of Code, check out these activities:

• Hour of Code's Library of Activities -- You can filter by activity, device, age, and more.

• Create & Learn's Hour of Code Free Activities  -- Curriculum is designed by Google, Stanford, MIT and more.

• Promotional resources and videos from Hour of Code

• Tie it in with your librarian using Shannon McClintock Miller's idea of linking library books about coding from her blog The Library Voice. I was fortunate enough to take a FETC workshop from Shannon years ago. She's a phenomenal edtech educator, leader, and author and I love this tie in between classes.

Image from  http://twofifthsfudge.blogspot.com/2012/12/amazing-grace.html (posted December 9, 2012), https://hourofcode.com/us/learn, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2014/12/22/honoring-grace-hopper#:~:text=Grace%20Hopper%20was%20born%20in,a%20woman%20during%20that%20era), and https://goglobalways.com/blog/benefits-online-coding-classes-kids-2021/; videos from https://youtu.be/Fg82iV-L8ZY?si=aJn97UyePKWMEn0T and https://youtu.be/ybBUd9-0ZJQ?si=doqsuS-veK8v1NYd

Barbie Movie & Girls In STEM

If you follow any Hollywood news or social media, you may have heard of a little movie called Barbie, which (at this writing) has made over $1.03 billion in the three weeks since it's July 21st released. For anyone who is unsure--that's a solid win and record breaking indeed.

I have not seen the Barbie movie yet (though we finally made it to Oppenheimer--fantastic!) As for the Barbie movie, I definitely have plans to see it at least once with a friend (who loved it), and hopefully too with my family. My 20-something daughter, who's been pretty anti-pink her entire life, even liked it, so that's strong reviews indeed.

As a product of the '8os, I played Barbies a lot. I had a wooden built Barbie house that friends of the family made (which was way cooler than the more plastic, more expensive variety), and I also had the camper and the corvette. [Also, as a product of the '80s, I also have yet to see Indiana Jones...which is a travesty given the first part of the sentence, but that is indeed another story.]

Given being a Barbie fan growing up, and a female and an elementary tech teacher, I was really drawn to Shannon Buckle's recent blog post on her DT with Mrs. B entitled "Girls Can Code - Barbie Says So!" She too is a an edtech teacher, though she is in New Zealand. She highlighted a lot of her adoration with the movie, and also the importance of needing more women in both coding and technology. I like her lens of looking at the movie with this vantage point, and am eager to do so myself when watching.

It also got me wondering about the tech statistics. I landed at Exploding Topics & Jessica Hubbert's April 25, 2023 post entitled "70+ Women In Tech Statistics (2023)." A very good read, but these highlights stood out:

With 47.7% women in the global work force (which is higher in the US at 57.4%--though even that number is lower than the US high of 60% in 1999), only 26.7% of women are in tech-related fields/jobs. Yes, women are under-represented. And no surprise, women in software engineering still report unequal pay. (Although, I was surprised by how close it was at 93 cents for every dollar men make.) 

So how do you get -- and then keep --girls and women in STEM fields? Here are two good reads with a lot of great answers:

• Education Week's The Key to Getting Girls Interested in STEM Could Be Their Teacher by Lauraine Langreo on August 17, 2022. Spoiler alert, these 4 pieces are key.
• Having early and positive tech-influences in their lives,
• Having a passion for how things work, innovation, computers, technology,
• Having multiple and meaningful opportunities in the field,
• Having supportive communities.
• EduMed.org's Women in STEM: Options, Opportunities, and Resources
  

In the meantime, looks like I've got two jobs:

1. Go see the Barbie movie.

2. Serve as a positive role model for the gals in my tech classes, encourage their interest, and provide them with a lot of opportunities to innovate and love it!

Images from https://noguiltlife.com/quotes-from-barbie-movie-2023/ and https://www.facebook.com/Finerton/photos/a.2080793535473288/2864858487066785/?type=3

World Water Day Is On the Way: March 22, 2023

I've said it before (and I'm not the only one): water makes the world go round. We all need it, in a variety of ways to maintain our health and wellness!

That is the basis for World Water Day. Since 1993, the United Nations has centered on March 22nd as World Water Day as a day to raise awareness to the global water and sanitation issues that challenge our planet. Not only a day for learning, but a day for inspiring action, World Water Day highlights that all are not equal when it comes to clean water. In fact, here are some sobering facts taken straight from their website: 

• "1.4 million people die annually and 74 million will have their lives shortened by diseases related to poor water, sanitation and hygiene. (WHO 2022)"
• "Today, 1 in 4 people – 2 billion people worldwide – lack safe drinking water. (WHO/UNICEF 2021)"
• "Almost half of the global population – 3.6 billion people – lack safe sanitation. (WHO/UNICEF 2021)"
• "Globally, 44 per cent of household wastewater is not safely treated. (UN-Water 2021)"
• "Global water demand (in water withdrawals) is projected to increase by 55 per cent by 2050. (OECD 2012)"

Additionally, from charity: water (an organization I have monthly contributed to for several years), there are these statistics: 

• "Diseases from dirty water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.43% of those deaths are children under five years old. Access to clean water and basic sanitation can save around 16,000 lives every week"
• "Women are responsible for 72% of the water collected in Sub-Saharan Africa."
• "Each day, women in Sub-Saharan Africa spend a total of 16 million hours collecting water."
• "Clean water helps keep kids in school, especially girls. Less time collecting water means more time in class. Clean water and proper toilets at school means teenage girls don’t have to stay home for a week out of every month."

This year's World Water Day theme is "Accelerating Change." Eight years ago, in 2015, the UN Sustainable Development Goals were established as ways to address 17 major global issues by 2030. Goal number 6: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all." Given that 2030 is a mere 7 years away, we are behind given the statistics above. What started as a theme of "Be the Change" shifted to "Accelerating Change." We all need to take part given we all consume water. How we manage the water we use can make a difference. For this reason, it's not a government issue, it is a global and individual issue.

Purposely overlapping World Water Day is the UN 2023 Water Conference, taking place March 22-24, 2023 in New York City. It is slated as the first event of its kind in almost 50 years. Individuals are inspired and encouraged to make personal commitments, which will then be added to those of nations, companies, organizations, and other collectives. The combined commitments will build the Water Action Agenda and serve as their main outcome.

In this 2 minute, animated video, you can get an overview of World Water Day 2023 and its theme of "Accelerating Change."

World Water Day--What Can You Do? What will you do?

On an individual level:

• Download the Activation Kit to promote World Water Day digitally or in print.
• Check out The Lazy Person's Guide to Saving Water.
• Create your own social media image tied to Sustainable Development Goal 6.
• Follow the following on Social Media: #WorldWaterDay
• Download the Be The Change Tool Kit.
• Check out the World Water Day website.
• Donate to charity:water to help buy back 70 minutes of time for women who spend time walking each day to get clean water. 

On a class or organization level:

• Create an origami "bouquet" of hummingbirds then send a photo and your World Water Day commitments to the United Nations
• Play the Test Your Water Knowledge Kahoot or check out other resources from the UN Department for Economic & Social Affairs.

video from https://youtu.be/pUkj3uwCPSE, Logo from https://www.worldwaterday.org/, water & globe image from https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2023, infographic from https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2023/about

CNN Heroes 2022

This past Sunday, Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa hosted the now-annual "CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute." This year marks the 16th year that everyday heroes have been honored for their humanitarian achievements for making the world a better place. 

In a world filled with too-often every-day-bad news, having a program dedicating 2 hours to sharing good news, triumphs, and movement to better the world, warms the heart. It goes to show that everyday people ARE indeed our heroes and the change makers we need. It is the everyday inspiration that we need, and the holiday season is the perfect time for this to air. 

The alphabetical list below is the top 10 CNN Heroes from 2022 and their innovative ideas, from CNN's Press Room site.

💛 Carie Broecker, Peace of Mind Dog Rescue  [from Pacific Grove, CA] -- Creating volunteer services for elderly dog and their owners who are struggling to care for their pets with dignity by helping them in their own homes, or finding the pets new long-lasting homes.

💛 Richard Casper, CreatiVets  [from Nashville, TN] -- Offering combat veterans emotional support and therapy through creative art, music, songwriting, storytelling, and healing through his own experience as a former Marine in Iraq. 

💛 Nelly Cheboi, TechLit Africa  [from Mogotio, Kenya & Shabbona, IL] -- Stemming from her Kenyan, poverty experience, she pairs her passion of computer science to provide tech skills on upccycled computers to slice the cycle of poverty for others through education. 

💛 Nora El-Khouri Spencer, Hope Renovations  [from Carrboro, NC] -- Breaking gender boundaries by providing training in the construction field for women, non-binary, and gender-queer individuals, and using those skills to help modify homes to make them more safe for seniors.

💛 Tyrique Glasgow, Young Chances Foundation  [from Philadelphia, PA] -- Growing from his own 5 year incarceration from drugs and building his community by creating a center to prove safe opportunities for his neighborhood. Through education, resources, youth programs, and support, he builds and lifts his community up. 

💛 Teresa Gray, Mobile Medics International  [from Anchorage, AK] -- Working as a paramedic and nurse to get volunteer medics where they are needed for care and support for those encountering natural disasters and humanitarian situations.

💛 Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, The Tiyya Foundation  [from Santa Ana, CA] -- Supporting refugees and asylum seekers to help them transition to American life, sharing their culture and their food through her LA restaurant "Flavors from Afar."

💛 Aidan Reilly, The Farmlink Project  [from Santa Ana, CA] -- Created a nationwide web of volunteers to address food waste and insecurity, redirecting excess food from farms to people in need.

💛 Debra Vines, The Answer Inc  [from Maywood, IL] -- Provides underserved minority families of children and adults on the autism spectrum with assistive services and education.

💛 Bobby Wilson, Metro Atlanta Urban Farm  [from Atlanta, GA] -- Educating, feeding, and healing his community in ways to grow and prepare their own healthy food.

While all 10 of these individuals were recognized as the top ten CNN heroes, overall CNN Hero of the year this year went to Nelly Cheboi based on viewer voting. 

Suburu backed the voting and donations to each cause. If any of these inspire you, you too may donate to any of these individuals and their causes. To learn more, check out the CNN Hero Website, where you can also nominate heroes for 2023. It is worth checking out your television provider to see if you can catch the December 11th, 2022 program On Demand.

Image from https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2022/11/03/top-10-cnn-heroes-of-2022-announced-2/; video from https://youtu.be/AnME9LEok0c

The Intersectionality of Women’s Rights

I’m not going to say much, other than I’m highly disappointed with the ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that turned upside down women’s rights in America. As with many social justice issues, there’s an intersection which relates to socio-economics, race, location, and more. Personal matters are always harder for those with less access and resources. 

I believe that the late Supreme Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said it best in this graphic I have seen multiple times in the last 24 hours on social media (original source unknown). Clearly taking action, peaceful protesting, and voting are the best ways to address this miscarriage of justice.

A Wealth of Women's History this Month

As we march the past halfway point of March, there's so much to take note of this Women's History Month. Resources abound in all directions: STEM, innovation, history, inspiration, and more.

One of my favorite discoveries is what is happening at the Smithsonian. Being a hop and a skip from DC, it's killing me that I may not be able to make it down there to see what is on display around the many Smithsonian Museums around the National Mall. The "IfThenSheCan" Exhibit is displaying 120 statues of women of famous contemporary female scientists. The catch: their distinctive orange 3D printed, life size nature makes them a highly visible stop and the largest ever collection in a single location of women statures. The exhibit hopes to promote the power and importance of women in STEM to inspire girls to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math. Currently, only 27% of the STEM field is women. The exhibit is on display March 5-27th, 2022. I can only imagine how powerful it would be to walk amongst these women! You can learn more about the featured women and take a virtual tour on the exhibit website.

Here are some other resources and points of interest this month: 

For 21 facts and a historical trek teaching you about some of the dates and stats surrounding Women's History month, visit this Woman's Day article. 

I subscribe to writer and history teacher's newsletter The Clever Teacher. In her latest post, she details 5 Women's History Videos for Kids. All 5 are great finds and I highly recommend them.

Back at the Smithsonian, the National Museum of National History has an exhibit called Girlhood [It's Complicated]. It investigates what it means to grow up female in America. If you can't get to DC, you can learn more at the link above or at the exhibition website.

A number of virtual events are happening this month through the Library of Congress. Additionally they have a research guide about Women's History

Learn about the 2022 Women's History Month Theme "Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope" at the National Women's History Alliance.

Google Arts & Culture has a variety collection of resources too.

• In Experiments in Google, Surfacing Women in Smithsonian History uses machine learning tools to discover and analyze a lot of the women in history who were major players in science.

• Google Arts & Culture has a wealth! Go there and search "women's history" to get 146 stories including:

• Breaking In: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
• Inventive Women: American Women in Innovation and Invention
• The Women of NASA
• Celebrating Women's History
• A Brief History of Women in Gaming: The 1980s
• It's Time To Remember the Forgotten Women Scientists of History

• For more, go to Google Arts & Culture and search "women and environment" for 20 more including:

• Climate Change: Discover 10 Women Who are Leading the Fight Against Climate Change
• Women for Global Action
• A Green New Deal for Gender Equality
• Women, Power and Entrepreneurship in the Climate Change Age
• Poster Women Archives: Environment

Lots of resources abound. Be sure to check them out!!

Image from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-of-natural-history/2022/03/08/120-3d-printed-statues-of-women-redefine-what-scientists-look-like/ Courtesy of IFTHEN® Collection, by Hannele Lahti

Environmental Good News

There's a lot going on in the world right now. Especially as we are approaching the 2 year mark of major global impact from the pandemic, (along with climate crisis, racial injustice, and polarized politics). The current events in the Ukraine feel extraordinarily heavy and hard. [In fact, if you and your children are having trouble with that, please check out this article at Very Well Family.]

Given the harshness of the 2020s so far, sounds like we need a heavy dose of "insert good news here."

IPS Positive News Stories does just that. The Inner Picture Stories (IPS) Project was created by Jellis Vaes. The purpose of IPS is to share forward stories connected to the beauty of life, opportunities that surround us, and ways of getting a better handle on healthy mental health. Sharing the good stuff!

In their December 24, 2021 podcast, they bring to light "5 Positive Changes in the Environment." It can be easy to be stuck in the doom and gloom especially when it comes to the environment. So here, they focus on these 5 stories, showcasing a short video for each on their website highlighting more about each one.

1. Search Engine Ecosia, where you can plant trees through clicks. They just planted their 100-millionth tree.

2. Nzambi Matee started her company Gjenge Makers to create bricks from recycled plastic. In addition to being lightweight and low cost, they are 5 to 7 times stronger than concrete.

3. In Oslo, Norway, they launched the Yara Birkeland, the first electric, self-propelled container ship. This cuts 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide.

4. A study from The Society of Conservation Biology has shown that conservation programs have aided in preventing 48+ animal extinctions during the 27 years between 1993-2020.

5. In Liguria, Italy the Ocean Reef Group launched Nemo's Garden, a first in the area of underwater vegetable gardening.

Image created at canva.com

Women in Innovation

The Smithsonian is known for its exceptional level of education--whether the museums in Washington, DC or their online counterparts. They know how to take learning to the next level.

One of the many ways it is doing that is by bringing the education to you in your homes and schools through their Poster Exhibitions. By going to their SITES Community website, you can order free print or digital content in their Poster Exhibitions to use as educational resources. They currently have an array of 13 different Poster Exhibitions to investigate.

The one I just ordered is their Picturing Women Inventors Poster Exhibition. It comes with 8 printed posters and educational material to go with it. Additionally, they have the posters available immediately with their digital download. I love that the inventors cross a variety of fields and showcase some amazing women. Women's History Month may be March, but these women are worth celebrating all year round!

Image acquired from https://www.sites.si.edu/s/topic/0TO1Q000000wz9hWAA/picturing-women-inventors-poster-exhibition 

Climate Change + Gender Equity = Global Solutions

More and more I'm running across items that directly showcase environmental concerns as social justice concerns. The interconnectedness is undeniable.

In this January 2019 TED Talk, Katherine Wilkinson, who worked on Project Drawdown to draw down atmospheric emissions, highlights the importance of gender equity at helping to make a significant difference with climate change. In her opening remarks, she said that two powerful things are on the rise: global warming and women and girls. Of course, in 2021, this feels dated given that this talk was just 2 months prior to major onset and shutdowns due to Covid. However, I believe very few things in her speech would change today, other than moving the number of global impacts up to 3 things in order to include the Covid. This pandemic has been another major impact on environmental injustice. 

In her talk "How Empowering Women and Girls Can Help Stop Global Warming," Katherine details just that. She showcases the power of a more equitable world and how it's benefits are far reaching. Let's be bold, as she suggests, and seize the opportunity to be in this together to achieve global solutions to our climate crisis. 

Video from https://youtu.be/vXlJEcrinwg, Image from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/why-women-cannot-be-spectators-in-the-climate-change-battle/

Diversity Surrounds

Keane State College in New Hampshire is a US Department of Education Green Ribbon School (2017), on the Princeton Review to 375 Green Colleges, and listed on Sierra Club's list of most eco-literate colleges. It's know wonder they know something about sustainability and biodiversity.

This became eminently more clear in Dr. Dottie Morris' fifteen minute TEDxKeene Talk on May 17th, 2017. Dr. Morris is the Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Keene State College. In this roll, she knows a bit about diversity. Her style is engaging as a story teller, and message is strong:

In nature, we adore diversity. The colors of the fall, the sparkling of light on the water, the variety of trees, flowers, animals across the planet.

Biodiversity makes for a healthy environment and a thriving habitat.

Yet, as people, we still fall short on that mark when it comes to diversity. 

Difference is not something we should fear. We need to learn from nature and the greatest takeaway is that diversity is essential. She makes a powerful point: division is NOT the answer--it's socially constructed. Made up. Gender. Race. Class. I love her quote: "We have been snookered, we have been bamboozled, we have been fooled." 

Think of our polar partisan politics. Think of our siloed social media feeds. Particularly in the US, now more than any point in my own personal 5 decades, we are more divided than ever before. Yet, as Dr. Morris points out--in order to be sustainable, we NEED diversity. Of thoughts. Of Beliefs. In our community. We are interrelated and part of each other. It is through creativity in ourself and our works collectively in the world. Innovation NEEDS our diversity of thought. As Dr. Morris points out: "Diversity is the mother of innovation." She goes on to say that we live in a highly complex world. Because of that, we need those different views and vantage points. There really is no room in a world of problem solving for narrowness of thoughts. We, as people, are the perfect picture of "together we can accomplish more."

Just as the natural world needs biodiversity to thrive, we too need diversity as a national and global community.

Video from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8leYAVPKaLA, photo of Dr. Dottie Morris from https://www.keene.edu/news/stories/detail/1592406971205/, quote image created at canva.com

Climate Rage is Sexy

'Tis the season, with Earth Day having just happened and while still being able to see it here on our April calendars, for heightened awareness on all things Mother Earth. 

I ran across a Substack post by Amy Westervelt entitled "Climate Rage is Sexy." Interesting timing given we just had Women's History month and I also recently finished the book Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger by Soraya Chemaly. Rage apparently is all the rage. With good reason! With our "sheltering in place" this last year due to Covid, it gave us grand opportunity to be captive audience to the heightened awareness on racial and social injustice over the past year. Add in a rather contentious election in 2020, a lot of "-isms" have been in the forefront of all our minds. Media and social media screamed all of the above this past year.

Even Mother Earth seems a tad pissed off when you look at our rising climate issues, the wild fires of the past 18 months, the pandemic, the melting of polar ice sheets, growing food waste and plastic pollution, biodiversity degradation....the list goes on. So, yes, Amy Westervelt is right, and the rage is on when it comes to climate change.

Here are some visuals, created from Amy's "Climate Rage is Sexy" text that I found at Future Earth's Facebook Page. Just like Saroya Chemaly wrote in the above-mentioned book, "When a girl or woman is angry she is saying 'What I'm feeling, thinking, and saying matters.'.... We are living in what feels like an age of pronounced rage and near-constant outrage." [Locations 188 & 208 in the Kindle version.]

I think it's time for us all to embrace our climate rage--for it is through doing so that we will take action. The time is now for doing so!

Images from https://www.facebook.com/futureearthcatalog/posts/921697871909203 and credited to Credit: “Climate Rage is Sexy” by @amywestervelt via Hot Take

Eunice Foote: Foot at the Front Door of Climate Change

Closing the door here on Women's History Month as we make our way to April, we're going to take a sneak peak at Eunice Foote, one of the first to actually have her foot in the door and finger on the pulse of climate change.

Eunice is a little known female environmentalist and women's rights activist, however surprisingly, she was one of the first to introduce the idea of global warming and climate change.

Born 202 years ago in 1819, Eunice Newton Foote (of Seneca Falls, New York) was a physicist, inventor, and women's rights advocate. Through experimentation over time, Eunice studied the sun's rays effects on different gases using an air pump, glass cylinders, and thermometers. From there, she wrote up her findings in a paper in 1856 entitled Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun's Rays. It was presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting by male scientist Joseph Henry rather than by Eunice Foote herself. The reason for this is not clear given she presented a different paper of her own the following year.

However, it was Irish physicist John Tyndall who is often credited for the discovery of the greenhouse effect (which is the foundation of global warming and climate change) in 1859--three years after Eunice's paper!

What is likely is that Eunice's work was probably unknown by Tyndall, due probably to the fact that women of that era were not revered in the science fields. Secondarily, the primary folks in the field at that time were Europeans, not Americans. Thirdly, Eunice held the status of amateur scientist, making it yet another reason why her name did not circle in all the right places. Additionally she did have some flaws in her study, yet despite that, she was the first to make the full connection. Given that recognition is due where it is due, Eunice was noted (posthumously)  to be the first to notice carbon dioxide and water vapor absorbed heat--linking to how our atmosphere would lead warming the planet with increased carbon dioxide.

To learn more and further tip your hat to Eunice Foot as the "Mother of Climate Change," read these articles and watch either of the animated video or short film below:

• NOAA's Climate.Gov's article written July 17, 2019 by Amara Huddleston "Happy 200th Birthday to Eunice Foote, Hidden Climate Science Pioneer"

• Comox Valley Record's "Science Matters: The Woman who Discovered Global Warming" written by Canadian broadcaster and environmental activist David Suzuki on March 11, 2020

• All That's Interesting's March 27, 2020 article by Natasha Ishak entitled "Meet Eunice Foote, The Mother Of Climate Science Whose Work Was Ignored Because Of Her Sex"

• The New York Times article "Overlooked No More: Eunice Foote, Climate Scientist Lost to History" by John Schwartz on April 21, 2020 (and I love that this article references Katherine Hayhoe on this topic--one of my favorite climate scientists!)

Photograph of Eunice Foote from https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/opinion/science-matters-the-woman-who-discovered-global-warming/, sketch & writing picture from https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/typing-woman-vs-footes-research-featured.png&imgrefurl=https://allthatsinteresting.com/eunice-foote&tbnid=95oF71LWBr2nHM&vet=1&docid=5qhn66NSg3KgYM&w=1100&h=585&source=sh/x/im, Videos from https://youtu.be/09yKxAB9IlM and https://youtu.be/WxgAOKzOcBU