The Noise of the New Normal

It's been a noisy week:

An inauguration (with debatable numbers of attendance and a newly invented term: "alternative facts." Thank you Kellyann Conway!")

A Women's March in DC and 600 or so other ones, big and small. I was there in DC. There was a lot of noise & positive energy! I think my favorite speech over all I'd seen (which was all online & nothing at the march as I was midst the throngs of people in the mall) was Kerry Washington in LA. Everyone should listen to it: men, women, republican, democratic.

The news was no quieter as Trump began changing up the White House website, writing proclamations and doctrines, declaring days of patriotic devotion, and starting to put things in motion.

But the roar continued on, leading to the noise of the National Parks, scientists, and my comedic favorite: the @AltNatParkSer Twitter and Facebook account, where facts are posted and can be found by rogue National Park Service employees after hours. (I shake my head--since when is science debatable or censored?!)

We've had a Trump and Pence supported March for Life (as opposed to last Saturday's Women's March--at least by tale of Trump's Twitter feed). State department top employees were unilaterally fired, losing a base of collective knowledge. And, Friday, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, Trump issued a refugee ban to some countries but not others (where he interestingly has holdings), and Christians will be the first to be allowed in.


Due to the growing rumble & grumble, some future proposed marches which seem to be growing in number by day:

• Tax Day March: April 15 to pressure Trump to share his taxes returns (ah, the falsity of the never ending audit)
• Scientist March: Earth Day, April 22
• People's Climate March: April 29
• Immigrant March: May 6
• March for Public Education: July 15

As if that's not enough noise....the biggest noise too comes from social media. A lot of "us, "them," & "gee, can't we all just be friends."

It's a highly turbulent time. Certainly the most in my children's life time, and perhaps one of the most in mine.

The silver lining is that perhaps it will galvanize people, calling us all out of our li'l cocoons and into an activist world. Perhaps this is our time to "break out and butterfly." Come out of the comfort, metamorphosize, and emerge stronger, more capable, greater than ever before. Maybe through the anger and the action, and in fighting for our beliefs that might be marginalized by this administration, we will indeed make America great again. Not in Trump's ways (which feel akin to the isolationism of "The Dark Side"), but through unity, compassion, understanding empathy, love, and light.

This week in my house, I found my daughter chanting in her own call and response (like most people hum a jolly li'l tune) the words from last Saturday:

"This is what Democracy looks like."

It's contagious and it's true.

This IS what democracy looks like. Sometimes messy and twisty-turned, difficult even dangerous, like a cacophony of noise....but worth working for.

Sounds a little bit like "love."


Video from https://www.facebook.com/thekerrywashington/videos/1377891075574482/; Other images from my camera from The Women's March

The Peril's of Packaging

Even though the holidays are past, online orders aren't, Given Amazon.com and the ease of ordering from your computer, packaging is a bulky problem! This video from Attn: is a good one for showing the pollution perils that come with the territory!

 

But luckily, there's a silver liner amidst all those boxes.

Amazon.com has partnered Goodwill to at least give the Amazon box itself new life.  Following 3 easy steps, you can repurpose your box as you donate items from home and send them along to the nearest Goodwill to you. Here are those 3 easy steps as quoted from Amazon's Sustainability page:

1. "Open Your Box: Unpack your merchandise from your Amazon shipping box."
2. "Pack Your Box: Fill the box with clothing, accessories and household goods you no longer need and print your free shipping label from GiveBackBox.com."
3. "Send Your Box: Let UPS or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliver your box of donations to Goodwill for you."

While it doesn't solve all the problems, it's a step in the right direction. Kudos to Amazon.com for raising its own bar in helping to keep items out of landfills.

Video from https://www.facebook.com/?sk=h_chr; image from https://www.amazon.com/p/feature/xde6cauvpfp66o2

#WhyIMarched: Marching Forward Toward Your Beliefs

We've had a full long-weekend here in America.  An inauguration of our 45th President on Friday, and a Women's March on Saturday. And of course, there were tweets and controversy on both and then numbers attending (adding in a joyful new phrase: "alternative facts.")

I took part in one, not the other. Rumor on the DC street was that the two had much different feels from each other--much different energies.

The experience, with my daughter & her friends, was memorable.

Living so close to DC affords one with certain opportunities. Marching in The Woman's March in DC was one of them.






The positive energy and masses of people were incredible. Such a crowded house, yet all so kind, compassionate, and generous as we squished and snaked through the crowds. Not easy for a team of nine in a possible half million people!! Bit of a bummer we couldn't see or hear the rally or Jumbotrons, though in awe of the turnout! Too many to march on the assigned route. Remarkable! ❤☮️\People may think it was a day of hatred toward our new president. I completely disagree. Yes, some people in the mix were angry in that crowd either due to Trump's history of poor behavior (to women & minority groups) over the past or due to the fact that their candidate didn't win...but even given that, they were all powerful yet peaceful.

The crowd today was full of women, men, & children... all of whom were supportive to each other and openly newfound friends. The majority of people there today were concerned for their rights. For themselves and their children. The biggest takeaway was that there are people concerned that they won't be heard going forward because they weren't heard over the 18 months of election. Additionally, they feel as though they haven't been heard since then.

They feel that Trump hasn't invited them conversations to the table since being elected. Rather, many feel dismissed or prejudiced against.

We saw and met people who traveled from dozens of faraway states, from ocean to ocean: Alaskan people standing outside the Native American Museum, Hawaiians who were there, environmentalists, LGBT friends and supporters, people fearful about their healthcare and filled with concerned because their beliefs aren't the same as those of the WASP men on Trump's cabinet. For the first time in multiple decades, there's no Latinos on Trump's cabinet--people want to see themselves represented. Women are disgruntled about the normalization of sexist comments and bodily grabbing that now has become a locker room joke. People are concerned by the questions that have cropped up about our now-President's odd relationship with Russian president Putin who was a former KGB.

People are concerned and want to be heard, not silenced or bullied. People yesterday (in their presence, their posters, and their conversations) showed me they are afraid of that.

Yet they also showed me patience, gratitude, empathy, kindness, caring, and concern.

And that's exactly what we showed to the police officers we encountered, as well as the National Guard and the metro employees.

I am so proud that my daughter and I could share in this moment in history with half a million other marchers in DC and 3.1 million globally on 7 continents. It's something bigger than ourselves, something that showcases exactly what democracy is all about❣  Over 600 marches nationwide! #LoveArmy

 

Images:  Most from my camera, my quote one from using canva.com.

Ecovillages: A New Kind of Community

As we are entering an era where it has been outwardly stated (both in words, tweets, and cabinet pics) that our next President is about as far from the environment as you can be, picturing a positive utopia of Ecovillages seemed like the best, most positive place to rest my brain space.

What is an ecovillage?

Along with "intentional living" as a foundation of their philosophy, common features also include:

• a return to the nature through community gardens & shared agriculture
• bartering as a form of economy
• off-grid energy sources 
• energy conservation & eco-friendly transportation
• co-operatives (including homeschooling) & a community of sharing
• diminishing consumption and maximizing conservation of resources

No, we're not talking communes! But rather, a community based on sustainability.

To learn more about Ecovillages, check out these resources:

• Earth 911's Article "American Ecovillages? They Exist & Here's 5 Exciting Examples"
• Ecovillages: 1001 Ways to Heal the Planet book
• The Global Ecovillage Network (including the global interactive map of locations)

As an aside while thinking about a wonderful world of sustainability (a dystopian contrast of what President Trump might envision for America), I do praise President Obama for setting up two new National Parks (Bears Ears National Monument & Gold Butte National Monument)  and making environmental strides in the last month of his presidency.  Some items can be undone, but it will make the de-eco-ing a little bit harder for incoming President Trump. (Insert environmentalist chuckling here.)

May we all have our picture perfect environmental spaces and places, and may we all be environmental activists when needed here in the next 4 years ahead.


Definition image from https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ecovillages, Ecovillage map from http://www.worldwatch.org/eco-neighborghood-catalyst, Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WYDp8evnuI

Zero Percent: Attacking Food Waste & Hunger

The new year always brings about new plans, new goals, new resolutions, and new game plans.

In the category of "innovation will save our environmental and social issues," technology, apps, and smart phones are once again making a difference.  This time, it's in the category of food waste. Timely here, mid-winter, when it seems to have the greatest impact, especially on the homeless.

Yes, once again, there's an app for that!

Zero Percent is an app that was created in 2013 by Rajesh Karmani in Chicago to help connect businesses with excess food with the people who locally need them. Since then, the concept and reach has extended far beyond just one city.

Their motto:  "Zero waste, zero hunger!" Watch this video to see their vision and mission in action.


 

Environmental stats about our food footprint (or "foodprint") from their website include:

• 40% of food ends up in landfill that is not scrap or rotten, just excess.
• Rotting food contributes to methane, which is "21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide."
• 16% of Americans ar considered "food insecure." This means they do not know from meal to meal where the next one is coming.

When I was investigating Zero Percent, 356,000+ pounds of food had been donated. Way to go.

For ways to get involved with Zero Percent, check out their website. Businesses, join in here.




video from https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy/videos/1530401040334082/, image https://app.zeropercent.us/

Litterati: The Digital Landfill

We've all heard the catch phrase: "There's an app for that."

The same can be said for the world of windblown trash & litterbugs.

on Earth Day 2016, a new app was launched by social entrepreneur Jeff Kirschner called Litterati. Inspired by his daughter and an initial 2013 Instagram picture of trash, first a hashtag (#litterati) then a crowdsourced digital landfill was born.

Think of it as a pollution-free version of Pokemon-Go!

By having the iPhone app, people can submit data photographically to be collected in Litterati's database. Additionally, people can track their own personal impact and see both where (internationally) and what physical types of trash is abundantly out there. Or shall I say, "was" out there...because half of the beauty of the app is the inspiration to pick up the litter and make the world a better place.

I've always said that innovation was the key to our environmental success.  Here's yet another shining example of how that is true.

To learn more about Litterati and Jeff Kirschner's brainchild, watch the video here. 

Litterati app photo and screenshot from http://www.litterati.org/; digital landfill gallery from http://www.sagemagazine.org/litterati-a-21st-century-solution-to-litter/; video from https://www.facebook.com/thelitterati/posts/876452159130663

The Common Denominator: Disposable Plastic

As we're still getting used to writing "2017" on our checks and correspondences, we probably still have strong memories of our holiday & New Year's parties.  Good times, good times!

In thinking about that, think about how many of the following you also saw (or used) at these during holiday festivities, along with your good buddies, pals, and family members:

• Plastic water bottles
• Grocery store baggies
• Plastic forks & spoons
• Zipper food storage bags 
• Shrink wrap or plastic wrap
• Plastic or styrofoam plates
• Take out containers
• Plastic cups and straws
• Chip or pretzel bags

And let's not even mention the packaging of food, toys, and probably half the gifts under your tree or beside your menorah.

The common denominator in the list above is plastic. Most of it, merely single-use waste and destined for (hopefully) a recycling center, though probably a landfill (if not "escaping" out in nature, much to the chagrin of the wildlife that "welcomes" it).

As I've stated before, environmentally, plastic is NOT fantastic!  This video details it...sometimes in ways that are far from pretty.

With the new year upon us, maybe it's time to take notice and really reflect upon what we are doing...and what we can do to help!

2017 glasses image from my house, plastic cutlary image from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/how-you-can-stop-single-use-plastic-waste/comment-page-4/, Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK7CM-Y

Down With Denim? Up With Insulation!

In the spirit of giving, here's another way to "go green" this holiday season... in a way that's actually blue!

In these days after the holidays, I'm picturing a house--perhaps your house. Perhaps it has a bounty of gifts under the Christmas tree, around the Hanukkah menorah, or next to the Kwanzaa kinara. Or maybe, instead of a pleathora of presents, maybe your household just took advantage of some of the mega winter sales. No matter what your seasonal situation, there will come a time when you are rotating your closet, doing away with the old, and shuffling in the new.

Should that be your situation and you have some jeans to offload, don't just let them make it to the "circular file" which will ultimately become the landfill. Some people might want to take their old jeans to their local Good Will Store or Salvation Army to make a donation, but sometimes there's one too many holes in those jeans, and they really should never be worn again.

In that case, you get an opportunity to make a difference.

Blue Jeans Go Green is just the organization to help you do

that...and help you make UltraTouch Denim Insulation. Americans "throw out 25 billion pounds of textiles per year." To keep your denim from landing in the landfill and to learn more about the process, check out their website. It'll make you think twice before you decide to just throw away your old jeans.

To learn where to take your denim, or if you are interested in starting your own denim drive, click here.

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Frd0OFBfo; Image from http://heatherahudson.blogspot.com/2006/11/christmas-jeans.html, http://www.thegreenproductscompany.com/thermal_products/ultra-touch-cotton-insulation.htm, and http://celebritiesdogood.com/2015/06/annasophia-robb-sheryl-crow-blue-jeans-go-green-new-orleans/

Happy New Year 2017

Closing out the year always brings reflection.

Ending 2016 may be an emotionally-charged closure for many. It was a year of a lot of events (both nationally and globally), more election drama than any one person needed, and many tragic & iconic passings of people near and dear to our collective hearts.

But another year awaits, right around the corner. A fresh start. A hope and a promise of potential ahead.

What will your year bring you?  More importantly, what will you bring to the new year?

As you get ready to celebrate "out with the old, in with the new," may these serve as inspiration for your year ahead, resolution-making or not:

• One Word:  What's Yours?  Based on the book One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon. My words for the past few years (which I've both focused on & forgotten with varying degrees during those different times) were "Change," "Make," and "Up." I think this year it will be "Notice." The "My One Word" Facebook page might also serve up some inspiration.

• For some excellent New Year motivational & visual quotes to set you off to an inspirational beginning this 2017, check out HappyNewYear.Net.

• For some outdoor adventures to speak to your soul, check out ThermaRest's list of ways to get you out in nature.

• If you want to look for ways to give back to your community in the year ahead, here's a wonderfully comprehensive list of 35+ service activities from Kid World Citizen for you and your family to get involved with. 

• For poetry and some motivational prose, check out Wow4U's New Year page.

Images from http://ihappynewyear.net/happy-new-year-2017-celebration-quotes/, http://purelytwins.com/2013/12/31/testing-a-persons-will/, my "Notice" image created using the app Ripl

Helping the Homeless Rest Easier

During the holidays as we are thinking of our loved ones, we often also think of those in need.  The homeless population who have to battle the elements of wind, weather, snow, and chilly temperatures come to mind. I've written about ways to help the homeless hardships many times before.

News stories have been popping up over the last 2 years of different women and groups engaging in a new kind of quilting bee.  Turning plastic bags into "plarn" (or "plastic yarn"), the "bag ladies" are making a difference--making plastic bags into beds. 3' x 6' bed mats, which then in turn recycles like a champ given each bed takes 600--700 bags out of landfills and turns them into something useful, helpful, and important!

For directions about how to make it, check out one of these three links to websites that will show you how to put your old plastic bags to good use!

• The Savvy Age
• One Million Women
• Sustainablog

Image from http://thesavvyage.com/turn-your-plastic-bags-into-sleeping-mats/, http://sustainablog.org/2015/05/diy-plarn-mats-for-the-homeless-a-great-use-for-plastic-shopping-bags/; video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o_NVuMXcZU

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, & Joyous Kwanzaa for All

In the aftermath of #Election2016, even the words "Happy Holidays," "Merry Christmas," & "Season's Greetings" have a resounding resonance of political correctness (or not). Yet I find it fascinating how the "holiday planets" are "aligning" this year:

• Winter Solstice is December 21st
• Christmas is December 25th
• Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 24 and goes until January 1st
• Kwanzaa's 7 nights begins December 26th to January 1st
• New Year's Eve/New Year's is December 31st/January 1st

For me, Christmas (which is the holiday my family and I celebrate) is a season, a frame of mind, an optimism... not a definitive day. It's about who you are with, and the love in your heart. Let's make the holidays more about that, and less about politics!

Here's wishing you an amazing holiday, no matter what holiday you and your family celebrate.




Shared video from https://www.facebook.com/sharedofficial1/videos/1408176689255185/; My video of photos from our holiday house using Adobe Spark https://spark.adobe.com/video/TcubfuNTOjEAp, image from http://touringitaly.org/happy-holidays/

Wishing You A Wonderful Winter Solstice 2016

Today's the day... Winter Solstice.
The shortest day of daylight per year.

A myriad of winter holidays happen during this time period, with many centered around Winter Solstice particularly. (Perhaps the ones that aren't specifically came to be to give us a little bright light in the darkest of winter nights.)

Here are two videos to brighten your day of limited light. One an overview of Winter Solstice that I created at Biteable.com, & the other a time lapse of the solstice from Fairbanks, Alaska, upwards toward the Arctic Circle. May these visual images help you enter the season ahead, looking for the brightness where you can find it as our daylight swings upwards, a litte bit with each passing sunrise & sunset.

Image from: http://earthsky.org/earth/everything-you-need-to-know-december-solstice, http://www.vox.com/2016/12/20/14027402/winter-solstice-2016 

Tinker Crate to Create & Innovate!

Here we are....T-minus-one week to Christmas. Hanukkah and Kwanzaa too, as they fall almost right on top of each other this year. Visions of sugar plums are dancing in people's heads. Especially the younger set, as schools start letting out for break, and anticipation is at all time high.

With a week to go, where are you with your holiday shopping?
Still need some ideas?

If that's the case, the Kiwi Crate family might be the place to investigate.

The Kiwi Crate Company (and it's five thematic family members of hands-on kits for kids) help build imagination through STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. "Our goal is to inspire kids to see themselves as scientists, artists, creators, and makers."

Their kits can be ordered monthly, in 3-month blocks, 6-month blocks, or a whole year subscription to keep the creativity come every month for a year. For the crafty, experimenter, innovative kid...this could be the perfect gift you are looking for.

Their brands & kits are all hands-on, developmentally-appropriate activities for each age, with STEAM in mind.  Likewise, they can grow with your kids and their interests, always bringing mystery and invention to your mailbox!

• Tinker Crate--for ages 9-16, for those who thrive on science & engineering

• Doodle Crate--for ages 9-16, for those who lean toward art & design

• Kiwi Crate--for ages 5-8, for the art, science, & engineering kids who like to tinker

• Koala Crate--for ages 3-4, geared to inspire kids to play and learn through stories and games

• Cricket Crate--for newborns ages 0-2 to build a foundation for a love of learning

All images from http://www.kiwicrate.com/

#BeforeTheFlood

Nothing says Friday night like an #eco documentary.  That was me a few weeks ago watching Before The Flood" Leonardo deCaprio's & Fisher Steven's eye-opening 2016 documentary on climate change.

I'd like to invite President Elect Trump to watch it, especially as he is considering drawing America out of the Paris Climate and has positioned a climate skeptic to be the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.  I am glad to hear that he met recently with both Leonardo and Al Gore.  I'm sure they both were more persuasive than I could be in getting Donald Trump to watch the film. I hope Trump watches, listens, and soaks in the facts.



By November 17th (which takes us post election), 60 million people had viewed "Beyond the Flood" either on National Geographic Channel (during the week of Oct. 30--Nov. 7 when it was offered for free) or On Demand (where people had to rent it, which is how I watched it).

When in doubt, he can always check these 13 pictures attached to the Upworthy article: "13 Devastating Photos to Show Your Friend Who Doesn't Believe in Climate Change."

Here's the short list of startling facts that I jotted down while watching the National Geographic
movie:

• 97% of climate scientists believe in it.

• "We Don't Have the liberty of time to combat climate change."

• Given Florida's location, it's ironic that both Governor Rick Scott and State Senator (and former presidential candidate) Mark Rubio both oppose the idea. There was an indepth conversation with Miami's Mayor about how they are putting in a major investment on the city's infrastructure to raise the roads. Unfortunately, this will only buy us 40-50 years.

• "The Ocean is not republican or democratic...yet it is rising all the same."

• This link takes you to the Worldwide Air Quality Map--a geographic database that updates hourly monitoring the pollution data from factories. The map of China is particularly shocking, especially given it has recently surpassed the United States as the #1 global polluter.

• "We all have a responsibility to set the example and help the developing world transition before it is too late....Facts are crystal clear: ice is melting, earth is warming, sea levels are rising."

• "We are losing our status of forefront on innovation and problem solving as we have people, leaders, future-elected leaders burying their heads in the sand, not seeing the undenyable future in front of us."

Be sure to check out the "Beyond the Flood" website, or watch it at any of these places:

The more we watch, learn, and know about this, the more we all can fight (should President-Elect start to counter all the gains that President Obama has made over the last 8 years).  Given the fact that large populations live near oceans, it's not just an environmental issue.  It's a national security issue. It's a global issue, and certainly a human issue. Let's hope that sanity reigns and helps guide our leaders.  To take action, the "Before the Flood" website can help you with that too!

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UGsRcxaSAI; documentary image from https://www.desmogblog.com/2016/11/04/watch-dicaprio-before-the-flood-climate-film-free, climate change image from http://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/climate-change, Google search image shows where you can find the movie.

Why Only 1 Week? Computer Science Education Week EVERY Week

We are wrapping up Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek), which was December 5th through the 11th. This is an annually dedicated week to intrigue and inspire all students, kindergarten to 12th graders) to take the mystery out of computer science, coding, and other STEM-centered activities.


Initially, it fell to this week to honor computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who was born on December 9, 1906, a woman ahead of her time, and one of the first computer programmers in 1944

Since its beginnings in 2009, CSEdWeek has grown over time and in its own magnitute.  Code.org is an affiliate dedicated to furthering this education, feeling it should be part of core curriculums in all schools.  As we become a global community where technology advances are exponential, computing is certainly a core of many industries.

Of course, it begs the question--why only a week?!

Whether you missed it, want to relive it or extend it, or try your hand at the "Hour of Code" (or more), there's no reason that you should stop at only a week.  Here are some great resources to stretch your own awareness and build your coding and computer science curriculum--both in your school and in your own homes.  Who knows, you might find a resource or two along the way that might make a great Christmas present.

Articles & Information:

• CSEdWeek maps and stats comparing computer jobs to computer science graduates in a clickable map. The numbers for both my home state of Illinois and my current state of Maryland were staggering and differed by a factor of 10-20! The overall overwhelming stat: "There are currently 517,393 open computing jobs nationwide. Last year, only 42,969 computer science students graduated into the workforce.

• Ways to inspire students from CSEdWeek

• Eductopia article: Teach Your Kids to Code: 6 Beginner's Resources for Parents

Resources for Educators:

• Educator Resources from both Code.Org  and other 3rd party resources

• Free worksops from Code.org

• EdWeb.net Coding Webinars 

• Teachercast Podcast: How Can We Infuse Coding into Every Curriculum? 

• Teachercast Podcast: #HourofCode: What Can Your Students Accomplish with @Scratch & @Neprisapp

• Scratch Jr Curriculum

• ScratchED: Online community for Scratch users and teachers

• Kids Get Coding: Find both children's books about coding as well as online exercises from blue{shift}, a West London coding school.

Reviews from Common Sense Media:

• Coding Product Reviews for Elementary Student

• Best Coding Tools for Middle School

• Best Coding Tools for High School   

ScratchJr Website Video from Mitchel Resnick on Vimeo.

Images: STEM image from http://pixelkin.org/2015/08/07/coding-for-kids-4-ways-to-introduce-kids-to-coding/; Sylvia Duckworth photo from http://brianaspinall.com/10-reasons-to-teach-coding-sketchnote-by-sylviaduckworth/, Mark Zuckerberg https://csedweek.org/resource_kit/posters

Videos:  Hour of Code Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsOIlDT145A; ScratchJr Video from https://vimeo.com/101760650; Code.Org "Push Yourself. Anyone Can Code" video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJyEBMU1xVP2be1-AoGS1BA