NAAEE Announcements
1. 2009 NAAEE Awards ~ Call for Nominations
NEW DEADLINE: MAY 22, 2009
Help NAAEE recognize individuals and organizations that excel in EE by nominating them for one of our annual awards, including our highest honor—The Walter E. Jeske Award! And be sure to consider a young student for the 2nd annual Sierra Club-NAAEE Green Youth Leader Award.
The NAAEE Awards Committee and Diversity Committee are especially pleased to announce the creation of the Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Award for Outstanding Service, which recognizes an individual for leadership to educate about and promote action that addresses environmental justice concerns at the local, regional, or global levels. The award recognizes a person who demonstrates the values and inner strength of Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs.
The Call for Nominations is now open, and the Awards will be presented on October 10 at the 2009 NAAEE Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon. Nominations must be received by May 22, 2009. Please see the Web site for further information about all of the awards, as well as directions and access to online nomination forms.
http://www.naaee.org/programs-and-initiatives/awa...%3chttp:/www.naaee.org/programs-and-initiatives/awards/call-for-nominations>
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Awards, Grants, Contests
2. EPA Water Quality Video Contest
Contest Runs Until April 22, 2009
The purpose of the US EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (OWOW) video contest is to engage the public on water quality issues and to inspire stewardship for the nation’s waters. Videos are being accepted on a wide variety of topics and should convey easy, low-cost ways to improve and protect the nation’s waters. One winner will be chosen for a short, 30- or 60-second video that is usable as a public service announcement, and another will be chosen for a longer one- to three-minute video. Each winner will receive a $2,500 cash award, and their videos will be featured on EPA’s Web site.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/videocontest.html
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3. Rachel Carson Center Fellowships
Deadline: April 30, 2009
The Rachel Carson Center Fellowships will be awarded to scholars from around the globe and from a variety of disciplines. Research and writing of applicants should pertain to one or more of the topics that will be at the core of the Center’s 2009-2011 agenda.
http://www.rachelcarsoncenter.de/
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4. Student Essay Contest to Win a Hybrid School Bus
Deadline April 30, 2009
IC Bus, based in Warrenville, IL, is offering a free hybrid school bus to the winning school in a student essay contest on “green” practices at the student’s school. In addition, the winning student will receive a $5,000 scholarship and the faculty sponsor gets $3,000 for educational materials.
http://www.americasgreenestschool.com/
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5. TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program
Application Deadline: April 15, 2009
Applications for the second year of TogetherGreen, National Audubon Society’s newest conservation initiative, are being accepted. This program is one key part of a larger series to build conservation leadership, engage people in conservation action, and achieve lasting conservation results. The TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program is an opportunity for conservation leaders – both established and emerging – to receive $10,000 to support a conservation project, to find professional development and training opportunities, and to become part of a community of conservation fellows.
http://www.togethergreen.org/People/Default.aspx
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6. World of Children Awards Program
Nomination Deadline: April 17, 2009
The 2009 World of Children Awards Program recognizes individuals who make a difference in the lives of children across the globe. Grants will be given to nonprofits associated with the honorees.
· The Humanitarian Award will provide a grant of up to $50,000 in recognition of an individual who has made a significant life-time contribution to children in the areas of social services, education, or humanitarian services.
· The Health Award will provide a grant of up to $50,000 in recognition of an individual who has made a significant lifetime contribution to children in the fields of health, medicine, or the sciences.
· The Founder's Youth Award will provide a grant of up to $25,000 in recognition of a young person under the age of 21 who is making extraordinary contributions to the lives of other children.
http://www.worldofchildren.org/Awards.htm
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International Events, Announcements, Resources
7. Field Study in Peru: The Andes to the Amazon
August 3-13, 2009 (Pre-departure Workshop: August 1-2)
Deposit Deadline: May 1, 2009
Immerse yourself in a study of Peru’s lowland tropical rainforest and its Andean sub-tropical cloud forest. Focus will be on transforming our relationship with the planet and translating the adventure into meaningful learning experiences for others. Credit available through West Chester University. Optional Machu Picchu Extension August 12th-15th. Itinerary and registration forms on the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER) Web site:
http://www.wcupa.edu/aceer/
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National Events, Training, Announcements
8. 2009 EEAI Conference: Fading Your Carbon Footprint ~ Indiana
November 6-8, 2009 ~ Milford, Indiana
The 2009 conference of the Environmental Education Association of Indiana (EEAI) theme is "Fading Your Carbon Footprint: Living Sustainably in a Modern World." Teachers of all grade levels, including universities, as well as nonformal educators will have the opportunity to network and learn about EE from professionals. Keynote speakers include: Dr. Kevin Gurney, Interim Director of the Purdue Climate Change Center, and Co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and Luke Gascho, Merry Lea Environmental Center Executive Director, and winner of the 2008 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for Rieth Village at Merry Lea Environmental Center.
http://www.goshen.edu/eeai/conference2009/2009flye...%3chttp:/www.goshen.edu/eeai/conference2009/2009flyer2.pdf>
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9. A Creative Convergence: Art, Stewardship, and Sustainability ~ Maine
July 12-15, 2009 ~ Unity, Maine
Registration Deadline: June 26, 2009
This Unity College conference brings together the creative inventiveness of the art community with the urgency of the science community in a response to escalating environmental issues. Art is a powerful means to illuminate issues like stewardship and sustainability for the public and to engage them in provocative and enticing ways. Participants from a variety of professional fields will work with accomplished environmental artists and scientists exploring the use of expressive venues like dance, music, 2D and 3D art for experimental arts-based environmental awareness. Art instruction available. Graduate credit available for an cost. CEUs available.
http://www.unity.edu/Visitors/SummerPrograms/Orion...%3chttp:/www.unity.edu/Visitors/SummerPrograms/Orion/Welcome.aspx>
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10. Celebrate Endangered Species Day
May 15, 2009
Celebrate the fourth annual national Endangered Species Day on May 15, 2009. The purpose of Endangered Species Day (first approved by the US Senate in 2006) is to emphasize the importance of protecting threatened/endangered plant/animal species and to highlight success stories of species recovery. Visit the Web site for activity ideas for in and out of the classroom, including discussions about endangered species, guest speakers, essay and art lessons, poster activity (with some students' art to be displayed later), and field trips. Resource materials, including sample curricula, are also available.
http://www.endangeredspeciesday.org/
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11. Host a No Child Left Inside Day in April 2009
Join in this national effort to highlight the importance of environmental education.
1. Create an NCLI Days event to showcase the importance of connecting students with nature.
2. Get the NCLI Days Action Packet.
3. Invite your members of Congress and local media to your event.
4. Share your event with your community and with the National NCLI Coalition by posting your event on the Web site
5. Send photos and success stories to Lucas Johnson (mailto:ljohnson@cbf.org%3cmailto:ljohnson@cbf.org>)
Get ‘Em Ouside!
http://www.nclicoalition.org/nclidays
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12. National Sustainable Design Expo ~ Washington, DC
April 18-20, 2009 ~ Washington, DC
Hosted by the US EPA, the National Sustainable Design Expo will provide the opportunity to explore ideas for a sustainable planet, meet university student teams competing for EPA’s P3 (People, Prosperity and the Planet) Award, see technology demonstrations, and talk to nonprofit and government exhibitors. The event is free and open to the public.
http://www.epa.gov/P3
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Research and Publishing Opportunities
13. Comparative Education Review ~ Call for Manuscripts
Special 2010 Issue of the Comparative Education Review, "Educators and the Environment: World Lessons for a Sustainable World."
Seeking assessments of existing programs and policy initiatives in environmental education and education for sustainable development at the school, local community, national, and international levels. Submissions from diverse perspectives, including political theory, law, environmental sociology, and green school architecture and planning are welcome. Please contact co-editor Heidi Ross (mailto:haross@indiana.edu%3cmailto:haross@indiana.edu>) for a complete description of this special issue.
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14. Free Lancers Wanted To Write Popular EE Articles
Proposals for writing one or more articles will be accepted through April 24, 2009.
The Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) is seeking free lance writers with environmental education experience to write magazine-style articles for publication on its Web site. Each article will highlight an important area of EETAP’s work and extend the storyline to similar efforts by other programs. The intent of the articles is to inform about trends in environmental education and their significance for the field and its practitioners. The audiences for the articles are formal and nonformal educators who are working to improve learning and increase the environmental literacy of their students and program participants. It’s anticipated that contracts will be signed in May 2009 with work to be completed within three-months of the signing date. For additional information please request a complete description from Sharon Courtney:
Sharon.Courtney@uwsp.edu
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15. Seeking Contacts From Schools Using EE to Participate in Research
Do you know K-12 school principals/administrators who support the use of EE within their schools? They will be invited to participate in a research study investigating factors associated with administrator support for EE. Participation in this first phase of the study will involve a 15-minute online questionnaire. If you know of, or work with school administrators who support EE, please forward their names and contact info (email address preferred) to Julie Athman Ernst (jernst at d.umn.edu) by April 20th.
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Resources for Students and Educators
16. Butterfly Gardening for Your School ~ Texas
May 2, 2009 ~ Dallas, Texas
Teachers earn 6 CPE credits at this Texas Discovery Garden Workshop. Learn about native butterflies, the nectar and host plants needed for native butterflies lifecycles, resources for developing schoolyard butterfly habitats, TEKS and TAKS connections, plus other outdoor classroom activities. Get your butterfly garden started with a tray of free plants for your certified butterfly habitat.
http://www.texasdiscoverygardens.org/upcoming_even...%3chttp:/www.texasdiscoverygardens.org/upcoming_events.shtml#Public%20Workshops>
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17. Celebrate Spring with Project BudBurst
Join thousands of others in gathering valuable environmental information with Project BudBurst. Project BudBurst is a national field campaign for educators, students, families, and other volunteers designed to engages the public in making careful observations of the phenophases such as first leafing, first flower, and first fruit ripening of a diversity of trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses in their local area. Participants contribute to a better understanding of how changing climates impact plant species. For the 2009 field campaign, a number of new features have been added to the Web site.
http://www.budburst.org/
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18. Getting There Greener
Union of Concerned Scientists guide Getting There Greener helps people find ways to go on a low-carbon vacation. The report analyzes the various methods of travel, the destinations, and the number of people on the trip.
http://ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/solutions/cleaner...%3chttp:/ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/solutions/cleaner_cars_pickups_and_suvs/greentravel/getting-there-greener.html>
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19. How Mother Nature Flowered the Fields
[http://www.naaee.org/photos/news-images/howmothernature.jpg/image_thumb] This new book, How Mother Nature Flowered the Fields, by Tom Schwartz, is acclaimed by the Superintendent of schools in Brevard County, Florida, and highly recommended by the Midwest Book Review for its important message to our youth about the preservation of humans and their environment, originality, entertainment value, and informational content. Through the format of a fairytale style presentation, young readers are provided with some very "real world" information about environmental issues and Earth's interdependent ecosystems. Ideal for family, preschool, and community library collections.
http://www.reagentpress.com/tomschwartz.htm
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20. Learning Science in Informal Environments
The newly released National Research Council (NRC) report, Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits, notes that “tens of millions of Americans, young and old, choose to learn about science in informal ways." The report stresses the need for professional development among educators in the field in light of the range of science learning in informal settings.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12190
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21. Nature Words Removed From Children's Dictionary
In order to make room for modern words like MP3 player, chatroom, and database, the latest edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary removed many nature-related words as a result of the changing landscape. So BlackBerry takes the place of blackberry, and so on. Read more in this Next Nature article Children's dictionary dumps 'nature' words:
http://www.nextnature.net/?p=3110
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22. Pennies for the Planet
Just in time for Earth Day – get involved with Pennies for the Planet. Pennies for the Planet is an opportunity for kids to get involved in conservation locally, to learn more about threatened species and habitat, and to raise money to support three critical national conservation programs: Project Puffin and the Seabird Restoration Project off the Maine coast, Four Holes Swamp/Francis Beidler Forest in South Carolina, and Wyoming’s sagebrush "sea". This year’s Pennies for the Planet campaign is made possible by support from TogetherGreen, an Audubon initiative in alliance with Toyota. Visit the Web site or email mailto:pennies@togethergreen.org%3cmailto:pennies@togethergreen.org> for more information.
http://www.penniesfortheplanet.org/
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23. Restorative Commons: Creating Health and Well-being through Urban Landscapes
Edited by Lindsay Campbell and Anne Wiesen
Foreword by Oliver Sacks, MD
Published by the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station, this book is a collection of 18 articles inspired by the Meristem 2007 Forum "Restorative Commons for Community Health." The volume explores the multifaceted relationship between human health and the urban environment, drawing attention to sites and programs that feature creative design, foster civic stewardship of natural resources, and promote sustainability. It includes academic writing of researchers in the fields of medical history, evolutionary biology, and urban planning. And it couples this writing with practitioners’ experiential knowledge presented as case studies, thought pieces, and interviews. The book is suited for use in graduate and undergraduate education in a variety of disciplines including public health, urban planning, architecture, design, environmental studies and ecology. 278 pages, full color with 100 photographs and 12 illustrations. Also available for download as PDF.
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/8810
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24. Riffle Fish - An Evolving Webumentary
Riffle Fish is an online evolving documentary that includes video clips about the insects, mollusks, fish, and amphibians that live in the riffles of rivers and streams. Produced by Ravenswood Media, the Web site includes a growing database of interviews about the science of riffle ecology and the conservation efforts to preserve their biodiversity.
http://www.rifflefish.com/
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25. Save the Rainforest Campaign on Climate Change Agreement
The nations of the world are negotiating a new climate change agreement this year that could include compensating developing countries for protecting their forests---which sequester up to 400 tons of carbon per hectare. If this happens, developing countries could receive between $600-$8000 from the international carbon trading market for every hectare of standing forest they preserve. Such an incentive would trigger strict protection of forests throughout the tropics. To find out how teachers and students can help shape the outcome of the climate change negotiations visit Save The Rainforest’s Web site.
http://www.saverfn.org/
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