4th of July 2024

Happy Birthday America!

4th of July, our country's birthday, is definitely one of our biggest national holidays in the US. 

Parades, picnics, barbecues, flags, festivities, and fireworks all are part of this national celebration.  

Were there to be a red, white, and blue birthday cake, we'd be placing 248 candles on the cake for the country that was "born" on July 4, 1776.

Every 4th I like to post a little something about the holiday:

• ways to celebrate in an eco-friendly way; 
• ways to add a little environmental green to your red, white, & blue routine;
• ways to honor our country by getting outdoors, etc. 

To check out my thoughts on all those topics and what I've written in the past, you can easily go back into the archives for 4th of July. May they serve as inspiration to tie together patriotism and environmental stewardship.

In thinking about what to write this year, I started thinking about the symbolism of our nation's colors, thinking about how they can tie in to both environmentalism as well as the meaning of the holiday. It led me to become a bit philosophical and even include a little play on words:

♥️ Red

The color word "red" is a homophone for the past tense of the verb "to read." As Americans, we definitely should be well-read! My challenge for you is that during this week of our nation's independence, make time and take time to read. Read it all: history, biographies, environmental stewardship, social justice issues, the news, non-fiction, and more. With it being an election year, being informed, well-read citizens is the best present we can give our country!

🤍 White

The color white can symbolize a lot of ideas: purity, honesty, innocence, cleanliness, equality. It even is the color of those racing, chasing arrows on our recycle symbol. All good food for thought. The white daisy photo above reminds me of the adage "stop and smell the flowers." Which of course is synonymous to "live in the moment." This is something that holidays often tend to help us with because they are rare and precious, and we tend to NOT take them for granted, not in the same way we often do during our "regular days." Smell the flowers this 4th of July. Appreciate your holiday. Treasure the gifts of your nation, your friends, your family. 

💙 Blue

Being both the color of the sky and of water, blue is the perfect symbol for "being outside." Take time this holiday weekend to soak up some sun, get some Vitamin N (Nature), and romp around outside. Ground yourself in nature. Unplug. Counter your tech time by spending some time in the great outdoors. Breathe in the beauty that surrounds in the world outside our walls! 

May this Independence Day be filled with many remarkable moments

and memories in the making!

♥️🤍💙      

Images created at Canva.com.

Fun With Fonts @ Google Labs GenType

I'm a bit of a font fanatic. I love the ability to jazz things up with the digital creation of some tweaked typography.

Perhaps then it's no wonder why I'm so delighted with the discovery of Google Labs GenType.

Here's a little about it, from its creators:

The font above I created with the following prompt, which showcases the resulting alphabet:

There's so much fun to play with here. You can individually tweak the letters you don't like, then download the files to use in the future. 

I did a little playing with palm fronds too:

Creative juices are flowing! Bulletin boards and digital communication may just have gotten fancier! 

How will you have fun with your fonts and GenType from Google Labs? 

(*Side note: I did notice that I had to use my own google email for login versus my school one as our school administration had that element of Google turned off in our Google For Education applications. So if you are wanting to do this with students, you may need to talk to your IT people.)

Video from https://youtu.be/gKj1FEnN7pk?si=bHd9EWHwmBQk-n-t, Images screenshot from https://labs.google/gentype

Happy Father's Day: June 16

I always like to pay tribute here at GTG to seasonal holidays--both traditional and environmental ones. Mother's and Father's Day in particular have been important ones to me and frequent past posts.

In fact, here are my 2 favorite Father's Day posts of all-time that I have written:

• The Hallmarks of a Good Father's Day (2016)
  
• When Father's Day, Civil War, & the Environment All Intersect (2021)
  

This year, I'm not going to lie: I was feeling a bit less inspired for creative genius. Maybe it's an end of the school year/brain-fry thing. Very possibly could be. Does it mean I love the Dads in my life any less. Not at all. But my juices weren't working to get it right and to say it with proper meaning.

So I decided to see what ChatGPT had to say by putting in the following prompt, purposely with the eco-twist and assigning a role for the AI generator to adopt.

Assume the role of an avid environmentalist. What are some thoughts or tie ins to Father's Day?

AI did not disappoint. Here is the verbatim response. Normally, I would not use AI in this way--as a direct quote. In fact, I really do not use it often. When I do use it, I use it as a springboard of inspiration. Then I "tweak the heck out of it" adding in my own thoughts and insights... definitely making it sound more like "me" as it has a blocky, formulaic sound to its writing

But I'm going be fully transparent here and simply quote ChatGPT's response & the 9 tenets it generated for my prompt. There are some solid succinct points here, and I'm going to let them stand, quoted directly as AI written. I'm not turning it in for a grade, nor am I turning it in as my own writing. I'm sharing it to present what it can do. 

Additionally, I used the texts per tenant to create AI generated art through Canva's "Magic Tools". 

In doing so, I hope it illustrates how AI can indeed be used for inspiration....and for wishing the Dads out there "Happy Father's Day." May your day be one of family, togetherness, and making memories!

* * *

As an avid environmentalist, Father's Day can be a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the importance of preserving the environment for future generations. 

Here are some thoughts and tie-ins:

1. Legacy of Nature
Father's Day is about celebrating the legacies our fathers and father figures leave behind. One of the greatest legacies we can pass on is a healthy and thriving planet. This day can be a reminder of our responsibility to protect natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystems for our children and grandchildren.

2. Connecting Generations
Fathers often teach their children about the world around them, including nature. Father's Day can be a perfect time to share outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, birdwatching, or gardening. These activities not only strengthen family bonds but also instill a love and respect for the environment in younger generations.

3. Sustainable Gifts
Choosing eco-friendly and sustainable gifts for Father's Day can promote environmental consciousness. Gifts like reusable water bottles, solar-powered gadgets, organic and locally sourced products, or even planting a tree together, can be meaningful and beneficial for the environment.

4. Educational Opportunities

Father's Day can be an opportunity to educate families about environmental issues. Fathers can share their knowledge about climate change, conservation, and sustainable living with their children, fostering a household culture that prioritizes environmental stewardship.

5. Green Traditions
Starting new family traditions that emphasize sustainability can make Father's Day even more special. Activities such as organizing a neighborhood clean-up, visiting a national park, or committing to reducing household waste are ways to honor fathers while contributing to environmental protection.

6. Advocacy and Action
Encouraging fathers to take an active role in environmental advocacy can amplify efforts to combat climate change and protect natural habitats. This can include participating in environmental campaigns, supporting green policies, or volunteering for conservation projects as a family.

7. Appreciation of Nature’s Beauty
Father's Day can be a day to appreciate the beauty of nature and the role it plays in our lives. Taking time to enjoy and respect the environment can be a powerful reminder of why it's crucial to protect it. Fathers can lead by example, showing their children the value of preserving our planet’s natural wonders.

8. Reflection on Future Generations
Father's Day is a time to think about the future we want for our children. Reflecting on how our current actions impact the environment can inspire us to make more sustainable choices. It’s about ensuring that future generations inherit a planet that is as vibrant and full of life as the one we enjoy today.

9. Encouraging Environmental Responsibility
Fathers have a unique role in teaching responsibility, including environmental responsibility. Using Father's Day as a platform to discuss and implement eco-friendly practices at home can create a lasting impact on children's attitudes towards the environment.

By integrating these thoughts and actions into Father's Day celebrations, we can honor our fathers and father figures while also committing to the protection and preservation of our planet for future generations.

As disclosed above, text from the ChatGPT prompt "Assume the role of an avid environmentalist. What are some thoughts or tie ins to Father's Day?" Images created using Canva's Magic Tools using the text above as prompts to generate the photos.

Graduation Season

School years are wrapping out and both teachers and students are getting out of school. One of my favorite times of the year as it is like sitting on the cusp, with the hopes, dreams, and promises of summer just ahead. It's whatever you want it to be.

Each school year end is like its own min-graduation. Along those lines and thinking of that, I think I'm at my own personal 32nd school year graduation. 

My personal reflection and celebratory photo is above.

But then there are the bigger milestones. Kindergarten celebrations where the littles are decidedly "not-so-little" anymore. The 5th grade promotions to middle school. The 8th grade official moves to high school. The high school graduations into the world of adulthood. The college commencements celebrating additional studying and degrees to further your career.

This year I attended 4 graduation ceremonies. For some people, that would be a level of major overkill. I personally am rather fond of these milestone events. I enjoy these official transitions with their pomp and circumstance. During these events, I heard some really powerful graduations speeches this year, filled with a lot of powerful metaphors. Believe it or not, I was tickled when one speech tied growth the the interconnectedness and communication and biodiversity within forests (aptly named the "Wood Wide Web").

One of my favorites this year was a resurgence in my world by the viral speech from several years ago by Navy Seal Admiral McRaven. His "Make Your Bed" speech was the one he delivered at the 2014 University of Texas Commencement Address. We've probably all seen it a number of times over the past 10 years. It was referenced in some digital decision making curriculum I have for my 4th graders, so I shared this video overlay version with both them. I also shared it with our 5th graders, who were knee deep in writing their own promotion speeches for their moving up ceremony. All classes were riveted and gave it a spontaneous round of applause--for of course in their 10 years, they hadn't seen this 10 year old speech. 

Good words of reminder, and a graduation season is the best time for it! May it inspire your next season ahead, whatever that is for you!

Photos created with my own pictures in the Pic Edu app. Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBAqF00gBGk.

Watching Wildlife

As the weather is growing nicer in a lot of parts, here's some great advice from the National Park Service for anyone who may be out and about, exploring nature and doing some wildlife watching. 

Never forget--you are out in their natural habitat--THEIR zone... so leave them alone!

Video from https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=896DD4B2-2884-4A25-9EDF-DF574214BC22, title art created at Canva.com

World Environment Day: June 5th

Annually, June 5th is World Environment Day. Led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), this date is meant to unite people across the globe to heighten awareness for environmental action.

Eons ago, I submitted a blog post about World Environment Day to try to win a trip to Rwanda that UNEP was hosting in honor of World Environment Day. I didn't win. But it also shows how long this day has been a calendar date of awarenessfor GTG & me..

This year's theme is coined #GenerationRestoration, with the focus on land restoration, ending desertification, and working toward drought resilience.  According to UNEP, an estimated 3.2 billion people are hit hard by desertification. Additionally, droughts are anticipated to impact 3/4 of the world population by 2050. Yikes!

Some featured resources on their website include:

Musical playlists for #GenerationRestoration

A guidebook of solutions of things we can do to make a more resilient planet.

"Weird & Wonderful Fun Facts about Terrestrial Ecosystems" and their Key Messages about this year's theme.

Test yourself by taking the UNEP quiz "How Much Do You Know About Degraded Land, Deserts and Droughts?"

A list of UNEP World Environment Day events, including the mention of the 2020 documentary "Kiss the Ground," now currently a movie available on Netflix. Here's a trailer (narrated by Woody Harrelson):

Additionally, for my teacher friends out there, here are some more classroom resources:

• NASA Express' STEM Connection to World Environment Day
• TeachIt's World Environment Day 2024 Resource
• Larry Ferlazzo's World Environment Day Teaching & Learning Resources from 2021

video from https://youtu.be/Cfl9QVOnRgQ?si=P6WuN-8G4Ynvxc-R and https://youtu.be/K3-V1j-zMZw?si=hSGOqDoB6ghjag4m, logo from https://socenv.org.uk/global-theme-announced-for-world-environment-day-2024/

Marveling at Monarchs & Their Migration

As the days warm up, I'm definitely outside more. Sitting at my patio table or lounge chair: sipping a cool beverage, reading a book, listening to the sounds of nature, or maybe even typing my latest GTG post for here.

The birds always catch both my eyes and ears, as do the flutter-by butterflies that come this way. For years, we've had a little patch of milkweed that my husband tends--some years more fruitful in their crop of hatching monarchs than others. 

I ran across this video, from Atlas Obscurer, which is amazing... and probably does not do the beauty of the monarch's justice in a way a camera can never compare to real life. The video, from 2019, highlights Phil Torres at the El Rosario Butterfly Sancutuary in Mexico, one of the places where monarch's overwinter.

As a companion piece, there is a video by Joe Hanson for his series, "It's Okay to Be Smart" which goes a bit more into the science of why monarchs do what they do. It's seriously fascinating!

If these 2 videos had you hankering for more and you are feeling the need to read up on morehere's a list of top 10 "must read monarch" books from SaveOurMonarchs.org.

Here's hoping our milkweed patch this summer has a good monarch harvest and can be part of this whole migratory cycle!

Video from https://youtu.be/mXc1ZeRlOe0?si=SuBrhyYi_EsxLeaj and https://youtu.be/fBakLuH6kDY?si=1J9VlLN-4CPJXmoL, Image created at canva.com

Simple Ways to Make Your Memorial Day More Sustainable

As mentioned in my last post, he semi-official start to summer is Memorial Day weekend. Fun in the sun for everyone. With both summer and the summer holidays of Memorial Day and 4th of July ahead, use these ideas as a way to bring some sustainability into your summer celebrations. (Pssst...these also work for low key summer days too!)

Additionally, for an interesting article about the intersectionality between Memorial Day, social justice issues, and environmentalism, check out EarthDay.org's 2022 post: The Tie Between Environmentalism and Memorial Day

Ideas combined from the two articles: https://www.earthday.org/the-tie-between-environmentalism-and-memorial-day/ and https://kab.org/how-to-celebrate-memorial-day-while-respecting-the-environment/ to create the graphic from Canva.com

The Carbon Footprint of Your Cookout

Summer's a-coming and that means so is barbecue and cook out season. A little al fresco, picnic style eating--what's not to love in these glorious days of late spring and summer?

As we all know: everything comes at a cost. Even when it comes to the environmental costs of carbon footprints. 

I ran across this detailed infographic from Kids Discover. Definitely gives you food for thought next time you go flip your burgers!

The Cheeseburger Footprint from Margaret Sanchez on Vimeo.

Infographic from https://online.kidsdiscover.com/infographic/carbon-footprint-of-a-chesseburger?utm_campaign=New+Infographic%3A+Carbon+Footprint+of+a+Cheeseburger+%28w%2Fo+ABS%29&utm_content=New+Infographic%3A+Carbon+Footprint+of+a+Cheeseburger&utm_medium=email_action&utm_source=customer.io; Video from https://resources4rethinking.ca/en/resource/my-cheeseburger-footprint#:~:text=This%20video%20effectively%20tracks%20the,go%20into%20creating%20the%20burger.

Happy Mother's Day

"Maycember" is a fairly new term (thank you social media) referring to the crazy busy time of May....relating in some ways to the crazy mayhem of the Christmas/December holiday season.

May gets truly nutty when it comes to the end of the school year, end of sports seasons, Teacher Appreciation Week, Nurses Appreciation Week, graduations, Mother's Day and more! My calendar is certainly an explosive example over-activity.

It's been a bit of a Maycember for me too. (And probably some Aprilcember too!)

During this mid-Maycember season, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day. Whether you are one, you are celebrating one, you are an animal one, or give care in any other way, may your day be a wonderful one. Maybe even spending it out and about in Mother Nature.

Image created at canva.com and https://www.growchristians.org/2023/04/30/maycember-is-upon-us/

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week 2024

The first full week of May is always Teacher Appreciation Week. 

For all of you teachers out there.... I know how hard you work, especially since it is my day job. 

Teachers show up in a dozen different ways: for their students, their colleagues, their students' parents, their administrators. Teachers plan lessons, learn on a daily basis, share parts of themselves, listen to our students, serve as recess moderators, encourage creativity, sharpen critical thinking, guide, facilitate, nurture, hug, build character, treat wounds, build future leaders, write emails, have difficult phone calls, encourage different perspectives, individualize for unique student needs, write report cards, grade papers and tests, provide parental support and coaching, create global citizens who look beyond their vantage point, embrace student wins, mourn student losses, bolster them back up again, and help them strive to be their very best...and so much more. No day or week or year is the same. The job is both small and big, and ultimately huge. The demands are ever-growing, and the rate of teacher burnout is high. 

But every year come fall, many of us do it over and over again. 

Teachers are change-makers. Molding and shaping and guiding learners--both young and old, striving to make a difference in attitudes, working toward a calling to grow their students....and ultimately society. Sometimes teachers get a bad wrap or negative news, when most every teacher I have ever known is just trying to share that love of learning forward. We're not striking it financially rich in education, but we are gaining a richness in so many other ways.

For those of us who are teachers--this week, let's go forward and build each other up. We all know how hard each other are working and the special demands that are unique to teaching versus other jobs. We need to celebrate each other!

For those of you aren't teachers, take time to thank one who has been a vital part in your own growth and development, or one who was instrumental in making your child(red) shine. I can tell you just how much of themselves teachers are giving you and your children!

Along those lines, watch and listen to Azul Terronez in his TEDx Talk: "What Makes a Good Teacher Great?" Celebrate all the greatness out there that comes from a teacher's heart.

Video from https://youtu.be/vrU6YJle6Q4?si=sFFTa2Lxcw9ShpwG; Images from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/31/2a/b3/312ab319fce92b9f74531b5af6e38145.jpg and https://twitter.com/QuoteILoveU/status/880985804545372160/photo/1 and https://tsd401.org/we-appreciate-our-teachers/snip-of-happy-teacher-appreciation-week/

Earth Day: A Week Later

It's a week after Earth Day, and I'm still thinking about it. Really, at this point in the venture, it shouldn't be just Earth DAY...or even Earth WEEK....we should be dedicating some thought and action to it daily.

A friend and former colleague Tim Decker wrote this piece, for 13 Creeks, a local, online publication . I wanted to share it forward here. Based on our past experience, we are fans of *at the least* Earth Month...and you'll see that in his writing. But always good food for thought. 

In it, you get a bit of history, a bit of science, and a bit of philosophy.

My favorite quote:

"How can you celebrate Earth Month, and Earth Day in particular? Enjoy an outdoor activity. Participate in an organized clean-up event, or just pick up trash in your neighborhood or at a local park. Plant a tree or some local plants that attract pollinators. Pledge to limit your use of plastics and fossil fuels whenever possible. Eat local. Shop local. Reduce. Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle."

For more articles on Environmental Stewardship, check out these articles:

• Advocating for Environmental Education By Robyn A. Hill, Ph. D. (April 19, 2024)
  
• Slip Sliding Away by Tim Decker (January 2024)

Image from Music Mound, Ohio. Photo by I. Oliyarnik as posted on https://www.13creeks.com/post/from-earth-day-to-earth-month?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3MiM3HFO3iCnFtFwCRWpGfJySvjNn8kmXoVcaCKii5YeWaemmSOq49xHs_aem_AZu0kX9-r07zb6BkGd-qN-wmf5ZTjOmNESkx6BbhU_juPNHEaxhwRdoZeMpQws8R9_3y0ZchXzB1bjrL0HsrGwi8

Eight Ways To Celebrate Earth Day

Happy Earth Day 2024

If you are still looking for ways to celebrate your Earth Day, here are 8. Take care of Mother Nature today in order to feel your personal impact on the planet!

Erase Plastics in your life! With the 2024 Earth Day theme "Planet vs. Plastics," what can you do to eliminate your own plastics. How long can you go without plastics? A day? A few days? A week? A month? More? 

Also, check out the "End Plastic Pollution Earth Day Calculator" to see just how much you use...and what you can do to eradicate it.

Announce, applaud, admire, accept, and adopt a mindset that kindness, social justice, anti-racism, a sense of community, equality, fair treatment, and the betterment of society are all environmental justice issues. So often, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) populations and lower income/poverty level communities tend to get the negative effects of climate change, pollution, and more.. NIMBY ("Not In My Backyard") is an attitude of influence, prejudice, privilege and entitlement when it comes to polluting factories or landfills "should be over THERE" (aka: not here, in my backyard, where I have to see it and live with it.). Don't be that guy (or gal)! Abandon your prejudices and biases and argue in favor of equality!

Really go all in with all the R's...Repair something or reuse it versus replacing it. Reduce your waste. Refuse to trash something or buy it to begin with. Remove the need to keep up with the Joneses, buying what you don't need. Think responsibly. Act rationally, radically, and rally together, sharing ideas. Remind others of all they can do to help your local and global and planetary community!

Take an online quiz via Gapminder.org. Gapminder is an independent educational non-profit fighting global misconceptions, with their mantra "Upgrade your world view." Use their non-partisan, fact-based tools and teaching materials to get a true handle on what life is like in the world.

Some good Gapminder quizzes to start with include: Global Warming, Plastics in Ocean, Threatened Species, Electricity Access, Water at Home, and many more.

Help out by a nearby park, neighborhood, schoolyard, or stream by going by and staging your own environmental clean up. Remove trash and litter to help create a happier habitat for the plants and animals that live there!

Downgrade your transportation needs for the day. Can you find a better way to get from Point A to Point B? Consider carpooling, biking, walking, or taking public transportation as a cleaner way to get around today, this week, or this month. Downsize your commute and your environmental impact by working from home if you can.

Abandon a wasteful mentality. Turn off the lights when leaving the room. Stop the faucet flow when brushing your teeth. Buy only what you plan on eating so you don't have to worry about cleaning the refrigerator or throwing away old food. Do you need 14 or the same shirt or with one or two suffice. Bring your reusable shopping bags so you don't need single use plastic or paper grocery sacks. Use a real fork or plate versus a consumable or plastic one. Going out to eat? Take your own reusable containers for your leftovers you want to eat at lunch tomorrow.  Argue against that idea that you need extras when you have enough!

Yearn to learn....never stop. "Yomp" as you go and explore nature and the natural world (aka; move quickly and energetically toward your goal with "determination and resilience"). Yield to new ideas that embrace a global perspective, a vision of human connection, and an attitude of environmental stewardship.

Happy 54th Earth Day, everyone! 

Would love to hear what YOU did 

to take care of our planet!

Earth Day sign and letters created with letter frames and pictures on Canva.com.

Jane Goodall's 90th Birthday--Environmental Champion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 60 Seconds with Jane Goodall, May 16, 2020

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

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

Earth Day 2024: Planet Vs. Plastics

Earth Day is on its way, swiftly approaching on April 22nd. Since its first one in 1970, Earth Day has been a day dedicated to the betterment of our planet.

The 2024 Theme: Planet vs. Plastics

The goal: to remove 60% of the plastics by 2040...with the true goal to aim for a plastic-free planet. 

When you think of plastics, it's everywhere--and sometimes it's necessary. Think about its role in the medical field. However, the overuse of single use plastic has got to go. Not only is it a waste of a valuable, non-renewable resource (petroleum), but it is an endocrine disruptor and toxic hazard which can cause cancer. It's everywhere--in our food, in our fast fashion, in our air and water. And it's not recycled like we all wishfully think it is--only 5% is recycled globally. 

For a bounty of ideas, check out the Earth Day Action Toolkit 2024 from EarthDay.org. You can find many of their other Earth Day and beyond toolkits here.

Additionally, here are more resources:

• Maine's Department of Education Earth Day 2024 website of Educator Resources (There's a wealth in here!! Way to go, Maine!)

• EarthDay.org's Plastic Pollution Fact Sheets

• EarthDay.org's "End Plastics" online quizzes (and more!)

• Pedagogue's Earth Day 2024 Teaching Resources--with 8 online resources of what websites specifically to visit.

• Scholastic's Celebrate Earth Day activities

• Teach Starter's Earth Day 2024 Teaching Resources

• Planetpal's Earth Day page of resources

What will you do for Earth Day this year?

HERE

Earth Day PSA video: https://youtu.be/xP-iIilHQsU?si=OMGF2Ja2tIbfY_fr, image from https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/plastic-vs-planet.html and https://www.earthday.org/planet-vs-plastics/, Earth Month Calendar from https://subjecttoclimate.org/blog/2024-earth-day-activity-guide-for-6-8#Lesson%20Plans

Visualizing the Ripple Effect of Climate Disasters

I ran across this amazing data visualization graphic on FutureEarth's Instagram page. 

Created by Federica Fragapane (whose entire gallery can be found here). A little bit more digging and I discovered that this visualization goes with Scientific American's February 1st, 20224 article "Visualizing Climate Disasters' Surprising Cascading Effects" by Lori Youmshajekian & Federica Fragapane.

Just like a stone thrown in the water creates a myriad of ripples that go out from the inner circle, this graphic shows the ripple effects that happen with climate change-related disasters. It becomes an extensive and interrelated dot-to-dot. Some of those outer rings of dots connect to surprising effects that one wouldn't suspect like allergies, food insecurity, skin infections, mental health issues, malnutrition and more. 

Everything is connected. Given that, we need to use our connections to make sure to live better. We need to use our human connections to collectively make our planet a better place, and help protect it from the climate hazards that could be ahead if our planet keeps heating up.

Image from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/visualizing-climate-disasters-surprising-cascading-effects/

Eclipse Fever 2024

The eclipse is coming...the eclipse is coming....

It's the 2024 version of "Chicken Little."

Everyone right now has Eclipse Fever.

If you have been living under a rock, start here. It's our first total solar eclipse in the US since 2017....and the next is approx 2 decades away, slated for August 23, 2044.

I have friends flying into Dallas to view the totality to soak it up in its entirety. To find where you are on the eclipse map, check it out here.

Even if you are directly on the path of darkness and totality, that darkness will only last 3.5-4 minutes. (I had to chuckle when I saw on social media today that the length of time of totality is a strikingly similar length of time to Bonnie Tyler's 1983 song "Total Eclipse of the Heart." 🤣😎

As a product of the '80's, I have it burned on my brain (versus my retina) that YOU DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT A SOLAR ECLIPSE FOR FEAR OF EYE DAMAGE. Therefore, I am a more of a fan of the pinhole camera for solar eclipse viewing. Gotta say: the solar glasses scare me. No matter which approach you take--be safe out there people, and protect your eyes!

For where I live, the height of the eclipse is approximately 3:21 pm (right during after school dismissal and high school sports--tell me, are high school kids going to play lacrosse or run track with solar glasses on?!?), with it's 2 hour, 28 minute span lasting 2:08 pm to about 4:33. 

Be safe out there people, since this is key after school prime time.

It's been all over the news these last few days, let alone few weeks, so I feel redundant sharing too much....except for this:

• NASA's website is phenomenal, and a super "go to" place if you still need eclipse information.

• BrainPop is ALWAYS for the win!

• If you have purchased/acquired solar glasses to safely view the eclipse...consider recycling them by paying it forward for others to use. There are eclipse glasses recycling programs where you can send forward your glasses for the Oct. 2nd, 2024 South American viewable eclipse. Glasses need to ship by August 1st. 

And these are just plain interesting and/or funny--things I landed upon in the wonderful world of social media:

Chicken image created using Canva.com's Magic Media, Eclipse path:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/10/17/total-solar-eclipse-2024-path-totality-locations/, videos from https://youtu.be/sAwSQHFRpp4? and https://youtu.be/DoD5ACZfzHU?si=oBWGC52rBdeR4Tr8si=HYD6th4pKuOYC_t-; Oreo eclipse found on social media.

"Bee" Kind to Bees 🐝

Someday we may be the proud owner of some bees and a bee box (or two). My husband's been looking into it with some county education classes--much to my son's chagrin. (My son will come around one day).

Bees are vital to many areas of our grocery story, yet bees are in decline. So doing what we can to help them is a good thing!

You don't have to join BeeKeepers of America to lend a helping hand to our flying little friends. It can be as simple as what you plant in your own yard. This illustration from Hannah Rosengren gives some great ideas on how to build a bee-friendly yard.

Video from https://youtu.be/r7EpQnzbwA8?si=v7G3zpkDhqKpSwjr and https://youtu.be/LmBUq103u-M?si=jXvIJAZyTSOVjfsW; image from https://www.hannahrosengren.com/help-save-bees