Art for the earth

I just learned about a great annual event called The International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment. The competition, which has been held since 1991, is organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation. It has had 180,000 entries from children in over 100 countries. This year's theme was Climate Change, and the 1st Prize Global Winner is above.

Click here for more information on how to enter the competition. What a great way to take action and be heard! Also, if you are feeling inspired to create your own art on the environment, you can send it to me and I will display it on this website.

EcoPhones...Recycle and raise money

Here's a great idea that I wish I had come up with: raising money for your school or community organization by collecting and recycling electronics. Instead of walking around your block selling magazines and other junk to your neighbors that they don't want (but buy out of guilt), do them a favor and take their junk off their hands. They will be forever greatful.

75% of old electronics sit in closets and basements all over the country because people don't know how to properly dispose of them. Popularly known as e-waste, old cell phones, dvd players, tv's, computers, dvd's, cameras, etc., are dangerous to the environment because they leak hazardous materials such as cadmium, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium or chromium VI and brominated flame retardants into the ground and air. To make matters worse, electronics are made using valuable resources such as precious metals, engineered plastics, glass, and other materials that require energy to manufacture. When electronics are thrown in a landfill, these precious materials are lost and more energy will be required to produce new products from virgin resources.

EcoPhones is an company that has helped 22,000 schools and organizations raise funds by recycling electronics. They pay up $300 per item! For more information visit their website.

Walk, bike, rollerskate or skateboard to school...saving the environment one step at a time

It's that time of year again. The first day of school. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will soon! Are you a little scared? Or really excited? I used to love the walk to school with my friends the first day back. We would leave really early to leave lots of time to discuss all the critical things: who we hoped was in our class, who we dreaded being in our class, and where exactly we would meet on the playground at recess to update eachother on the these topics. It was our way of easing into the long year ahead of us.

There are about 242,000,000 cars driving around the United States. Cars and trucks run on fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In fact, cars are responsible for 30% of greenhouses gas emissions. Although you may not be old enough to drive, you are old enough to make choices about how you get around. Instead of having mom or dad drive you to school or to practice, walk or ride your bike. Start a club of kids from your neighborhood to walk or bike to school with you. Encourage each other to join in the group everyday. Walking or riding to school is a great chance to hang out with your friends and is much more fun than sitting in a car! So whiz past all the traffic and arrive at school or practice energized and ready to go. For every mile you walk or bike, you will save 1 pound of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere.

To help you with this activity:

–Set a goal with your friends for a certain number of days of walking or biking instead of riding in a car. When you reach your goal, celebrate! Have a party or treat yourselves to your favorite treat.
–Turn this into a classroom activity. Have teachers keep track of car–free days, and compete with other classrooms in your school.
–If you live too far from school to walk or ride a bike, ask your parents or bus driver to drop you off a 1/2 mile from school or home and walk the rest of the way.
–Extra Bonus: Walking and bike riding are great for your health and will help you feel great too!
-Click here for safty tips for riding your bike.

Cool Facts:

-Bicyclists get 2,500 miles per gallon (this takes into consideration the extra kilocalories of food you will eat to give you the energy to pedal that bike.)
-Sidewalks and bike paths require a fraction of land compared to roads.
-According to the Department of Transportation, cars in the US are driven an average of 10,000 miles annually—which means that Americans drive more than a trillion miles every year!