With Carol Baxter
Tips for teachers, parents and kids on how to live "greener" everyday lives.
Hi! Thanks for stopping by. Every month, I will answer your questions on how to bring environmental studies into the classroom, how to deepen our environmental awareness and how to live more "green". I'll suggest seasonal activities that can help our children get closer to nature and give suggestions on how to encourage them to be loving caretakers of our great planet earth. I want to encourage our children (and ourselves) to fall in love with nature. When you love something, you will take care of it.
I look forward to hearing from teachers and parents about environmental projects that you've done that have been successful. E-mail me at teachgreen@aol.com and I'll share with others what you are doing.
Also, I want to hear from Kids! E-mail your poems and stories about nature, ecology and our great Planet Earth, to Teachgreen@aol.com and I will share your feelings with other kids in the Earth Patrol Kids section at the end of this site.
Q&A
Q: Our family is sooo busy with homework, music classes, sporting activities and playdates. How can I possibly add extra environmental activities into our schedule?
A: Raising a green family is easy. Once you acknowledge that we are a part of nature, not separate from it, life takes on a new focus. The ideal is to include nature activities in the "things to do" list of piano lessons, sports and entertainment. By doing this, you are making nature an integral part of your child's life.
If your schedule is full, then there are easy ways to include nature. Look out the window everyday and talk about the weather. Acknowledge the change of seasons. Make it a ritual to take a weekly family nature walk, a monthly trip to a nature center, or an annual trip to pick berries, apples or pumpkins at a farm. Join the local zoo, nature or science centers. Refer to their calendar of events when looking for something to do. In general, re-focus your attention to nature activities when scanning the newspaper for things to do. When you go to the library, help your children pick out books on nature and the environment. Shift away from commercial television and watch nature and science shows. Join an environmental organization and read it's magazine. When buying gifts, select a few nature or science oriented toys. When having a playdate, have the kids collect natural treasures and make an art project with what they've collected. When going on vacations, schedule trips that will connect you to the great outdoors.
Really integrate "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" into your every day life. It will not only save you money (living "green" always does!) but it will make you think about how thoughtlessly we buy and throw things away. Art materials are everywhere!
Q: I love nature and I try to keep up-to-date with ecological issues. How can I encourage my children's teachers to incorporate environmental studies in the classroom?
A: Be available to your children's teachers. Let them know that you have an interest in nature and the environment and have resource information available to them. Offer your services, whether it be to give a small presentation to one class or a larger presentation to an assembly of students. Organize the event for them. Many teachers are busy fulfilling the requirements of their curriculum and don't have time to add to their schedule any extra projects. For that reason, many teachers will welcome your help. Feel out your teachers response. If they are not receptive, then learn which teachers are eco-minded at your school. Let them know that you are willing to get involved. Perhaps you can help them organize an eco-club at school or an eco-festival. Keep your ideas simple. A complicated plan may appear to overwhelming for the teacher or the school.
Q: Do you know of any eco-clubs for children?
A: Across the country, environmentally-based kids clubs are sprouting up everywhere. Some begin in schools and others are begun by neighborhood children. What is exciting, is that a majority of these clubs are not only organized by children, but are run by them. Grown-ups are brought in as supervisors or advisors. These kids may be small, but they are doing incredible things.....and making a difference.
Here are a few groups that you can join and they have newsletters:
- Kids F.A.C.E. (For a clean earth), PO Box 158254, Nashville, TN 37215
- Kids for Saving Earth, PO Box 47247, Plymouth, MN 55447
- Kids Against Pollution (KAP), PO Box 775, Closter, NJ 07624
Q: I home school my children. How can I enrich their environmental studies?
A: You could begin by looking at the natural world around you as a classroom. Let nature be your guide, so to speak. If you use the change of seasons as your foundation, then you can structure all your required courses into this context.
Math can be found everywhere. Let's look at a field trip to an apple orchard. For younger children, for example, discoveries such as "When my bag is empty, it is light", "When my bag is full of apples, it is heavy" lead the way to endless math discussions. How many apples does it take to fill up the bag? Half of the bag? Children can sort apples by their size, shape, color or type. When you cut apples, you can teach concepts of half, quarter, eighths, etc.
When finding the little seeds in the center of the apple, one can speak about the power inside the apple (science), which can then be related to discussions about how people, also, have power within, (self-esteem).
Reading and English can be incorporated by reading stories about apples, fiction and non- fiction. New spelling words can be introduced and children can write stories in their journals about their experience. Reading can be found in hands-on projects, such as cooking and baking (reading recipes).
Art projects and music activities can, also, be inspired by picking apples. In general, start your day by talking about the weather and learn how weather works (science). Use natural objects and recycled materials for teaching tools and art projects. Refer to science and nature books for educational projects. Libraries and bookstores have wonderful books available on the philosophy of exploring nature with children.
Q: Environmental groups are always asking me to boycott products, sign petitions and send letters of complaints to corporations and legislative representatives. When I write these letters, I get form letters in response. Do my letters really make a difference?
A: Yes, Yes, Yes. You are you are letting the corporate no-gooders know exactly how you feel about their actions and are letting them know that you will not buy their products until they change their behavior. You are also letting your government representatives know what issues you want them to support. They all know that your lone letter represents the feelings of hundreds of others. En mass boycotting and letter writing campaigns are designed to bring about intense attention to a particular issue.
Letter writing tips: Keep your letter short and to the point. Send a copy of your letter to your legislative representatives and to the organization that requested it. Also, send a copy to your friends who feel the way you do and have them send their version of your letter.
Here is an exciting example and proof that one letter (added to others) can make a difference. Since 1990, Congress mandated that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) set up a National Organic Program (NOP) that would set Federal Standards for organic food production and processing. The Secretary of Agriculture was required to create a National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), made up of professionals in the organic field, which would advise and recommend to the USDA what criteria a food labeled "organic" must comply. After 7 years, on December 16, 1997, the USDA released their proposed Federal Standards.
Across the country, consumers, scientists, and food safety, environmental and agricultural organizations were outraged by this proposed guideline, which contained 94 inconsistencies to the NOSB recommendations. But the most shocking was the possible consideration of labeling a food "organic" that had been genetically engineered, irradiated or grown using municipal sewage sludge as fertilizer.
Comment people did. One by one, by letter, fax and e-mail, 280,000 comments poured in. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced that the three most controversial practices would be dropped from the rule. Thanks to the public voicing their outrage, food that was genetically engineered, irradiated or produced using sewage sludge would never be allowed to be labeled organic in the final draft of the national standards for organic foods.
Action Alert:
Since May, the USDA has been redrafting their proposed rule. On October 27, the USDA posted in the Federal Registry, the first in a series of "issue papers", whose purpose is to generate public comment. Presently, the USDA is looking at three other controversial issues; animal confinement, animal medications and procedures for termination of producer's certifications.
For those that want to protect the integrity of organic foods, how do we to respond to the USDA? Betsy Lydon, NOSB Consumer Representative and Program Director of the Manhattan based Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet was in Washington at the NOSB meeting October 27-29. "Unfortunately, the way that the issue papers are presented, it is very difficult for the average person to understand the depth of the issues," states Lydon. "There is not enough background information given and the presentation is very thin. The animal confinement and animal medication issues are extremely complicated." Lydon encourages that people write to the USDA and request that the USDA "uphold the livestock confinement and medication recommendations stated by the NOSB in the March 1998 clarifications, passed at the meeting in Ontario, CA." With regard to point number three, she recommends that people request that "private certifiers should be able to terminate a certification of a producer who is not upholding the law." Lydon continues, "It is important for people to make their opinions heard."
Comments can be sent to the USDA by mail to: Eileen S. Stommes, Deputy Administrator, USDA-AMS-TM-NOP, Room 4007-S, Ag stop 0275, PO Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456. Or by fax to Eileen S. Stommes, Deputy Administrator at 202- 690-4632 or by E-mail. To visit the NOP website go to www.ams.usda.gov/NOP and then go to it's "issue paper" page. Send copies to your Congressional delegates.
"GREEN" HOLIDAY GIFTING
I've heard it said before, "Help, we are drowning in toys at our house. Please no more toys!" Here are a few "non-gift" gift ideas, to replace the traditional over-packaged, plastic, battery-operated, commercial toys that excite for only a few weeks. Once you let your imagine go wild, you'll find the "non-gift" gift possibilities are endless.
- Subscribe to a children's nature magazine: The gift that continues throughout the year. The National Wildlife Federation publishes entertaining and educational magazines for children, that focus on nature. Published monthly, Your Big Backyard, for ages 3-5, is $14 and Ranger Rick, for ages 6-12, is $15. To order call, .
Or, World published by National Geographic for children 8 and up. You'll see the same superb quality photographs that expose children to far-away places, nature, and the environment. World takes your child on adventures around the globe. The Kids Did It! section features inspiring stories of children accomplishing in all areas. Twelve issues are $14.95.
- Adopt-an-animal: The Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY rescues animals from factory farms, slaughterhouses and stockyards. These abused or abandoned animals are loved and well cared for at the sanctuary. Monthly fees for adopting a variety of kinds of animals range from $6 for a chicken to $40 for a cow. Your child will receive a framed color photo of their animal, and a progress report. The farm is open to the public and offers guided tours and "visitation rights". For further information, 607-583-2225.
Or, Save the Manatee Club has an adoption program for these big, beautiful animals whose existence is threatened by human negligence. For $20 ($30 for a family membership) you can help protect the twenty-two manatees that regularly winter in Blue Spring State Park in Florida. Annual membership includes an adoption certificate, a photo, a biography of the manatee, and a quarterly newletter.
- Plant some trees: Trees for Life is a non-profit organization that plants fruit trees in developing countries to provide food for the hungry and green for the earth. For $15, your child will receive a certificate stating that ten fruit trees were planted in his or her name, a "Let There Be Trees" cotton tee-shirt, and a fun tree planting activity kit. To join, call, 316-263-7294.
- Gift certificates from gardening catalogs or a local nursery. The piece of paper they receive now will be greatly appreciated in the spring, and beloved year after year when in bloom.
- Local pleasures: Your area is rich with entertaining gift giving ideas for children. Tickets to the ballet, theater, or a symphony make memorable gifts. As do a series of classes or workshops which may inspire a lifetime passion. Join the zoo, botanical or nature center. Or, start a tradition by giving an annual set of tickets to the same event or activity. (For example: Tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet for the family followed by hot chocolate and dessert at a festive restaurant)
- If you must present a box.... (please wrap with recycled paper materials!!) Try to purchase natural toys. A few companies are listed in the EcoMall's Eco Kids and Babies sections.
HOLIDAY CRAFT HOLIDAY CRAFT
Make or bake your Holiday gifts this year. Here is fun family and/or classroom craft for all:
Making candles
You'll need: commercial beeswax or colored wax from craft store, candlewick, tin cans (one for each color), double boiler, pencil, newspaper, clothesline.Let's go!: Work on spread out newspaper. Have an adult warm the wax in double boiler, on the stove. When wax is completely liquified, it is ready. Pour wax into tin can. Cut the wick 3 inches longer than desired length of finished candle. Wrap one end of wick around pencil, then pull string straight. An adult will supervise as child dips the wick into the can. Hold it in the air for a minute before dipping it into the next color. Continue dipping until you reach the desired thickness of the candle. Hang the candles on the clothesline to dry.
EARTH PATROL KIDS
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