Folks, there's so much great stuff in this newsletter from the North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) that I'm forwarding it in its entirety. Please take a minute to review...cool stuff!
Grants, Awards, Contests
National Events
Resources for Teachers and Students
About EE-News
NAAEE Announcements
Reminder: Poster Sessions Accepted Until May 31st
back to top
Professional Development Study Tour
Sustainability in the Himalayan Foothills
November 30 - December 4, 2007
Registration Deadline: August 1, 2007
India's Himalayan region is world-renowned for its spectacular natural beauty and vibrant inhabitants. Threats to the area's natural resources and colorful way of life are many: population, land abuse, and impacts of global warming. This study tour will engage inquisitive environmental educators in exploring sustainability issues from a village-up perspective.
The tour is being offered by NAAEE in connection with the Tbilisi+30 conference "Environmental Education Towards a Sustainable Future" in Ahmedabad, India, on November 26-28.
Read More >>
back to top
Elevate the Value of Your Programs
Demonstrate your commitment to excellence in EE by submitting your materials for an independent peer review. Then educators will easily find your reviewed resources in NAAEE's National EE Directory, flagged with the symbol
that shows your role in developing a "culture of quality" in the EE field.
http://www.naaee.org/programs-and-initiatives/resource-review
Grants, Awards, Contests
2007 Brower Youth Awards
Deadline: May 15, 2007
A program of the Earth Island Institute, the annual Brower Youth Award recognizes six young people (ages of 13-22) for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy. Each of six recipients will be awarded a $3000 cash prize, a trip to California for the award ceremony and camping trip, and ongoing access to resources and opportunities to further their work at Earth Island.
http://www.broweryouthawards.org/article.php?list=type&type=12
back to top
New NEEF Environmental Education Award
Nomination Deadline: June 30, 2007
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) announces the creation of the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award to honor an outstanding educator who has successfully integrated environmental education into his or her daily education programs. The winner will be awarded $5,000 for his or her continued work in environmental education.
http://www.neefusa.org/bartlett/index.htm
back to top
ABetterEarth 2007 Essay Contest
Deadline: May 11, 2007
Should governments mandate biofuels? Contest is open to all full-time students and anyone under 26 years old. Submit an essay of 600 to 2,500 words, addressing the potential unintended consequences, and based on research - argue for or against the proposition that government should decide.
http://www.abetterearth.org/About/pageID.1175/default.asp
back to top
2008 Volvo Adventure Awards
Deadline: January 31, 2008
In collaboration with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Volvo Adventure Award rewards young people creating their own environmental projects. There are two competitions for the 2008 awards:
- The Adventure Award is for youth, ages 13-16, working in groups of two to five. Winners are invited to the final competition in Göteborg, Sweden, where the best will be awarded cash prizes to support their projects.
- The second competition is the Great Big Bob the Bunny Cartoon contest for youth under the age of 13, to create a cartoon picture using Bob the bunny. Winning cartoons will be included in a book, and the winners will be invited to a UNEP Children's conference in Stavanger, Norway, in 2008.
Register online to receive the start-up package with instructions >>
back to top
Intergenerational Contest Honoring Rachel Carson
Deadline: June 15, 2007
Entries for this photo, essay, and poetry contest in honor of Rachel Carson must be a joint project involving a person under age 18 and a person age 50 or older. Sponsored by the EPA Aging Initiative, Generations United, and the Rachel Carson Council, Inc.
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm
back to top
Nature of Learning Grants
Application Deadline: June 15, 2007
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation gives grants for organizations seeking to start or expand the Nature of Learning program in their communities. Grants awarded support start-up expenses associated with new programs and provide continued support to existing Nature of Learning programs.
Program Overview and Application >>
back to top
Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship
back to top
Apprentice Ecologist Initiative™
The goal of the Apprentice Ecologist InitiativeT is to elevate young people (including disadvantaged and at-risk youth) into leadership roles by engaging them in environmental stewardship projects. A $500 scholarship will be awarded annually to the author of the top Apprentice Ecologist essay.
http://www.wildernessproject.org/volunteer_apprentice_ecologist
National Events
May 18th is Endangered Species Day
back to top
National Public Lands Day
September 29, 2007
National Public Lands Day (NPLD) provides an opportunity for volunteers across the nation to work together in improving our public lands.
http://www.publiclandsday.org/
back to top
EETAP Online Courses - Scholarships Available
Applied EE Program Evaluation ~ Online
September 10 - December 7, 2007
11-week online course designed to assist environmental educators and natural resource professionals in evaluating their education programs.
Fundamentals of EE ~ Online
September 10 - November 23, 2007
11-week online course about the fundamentals of environmental education that provides educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate quality environmental education into their instruction.
Scholarships are now available to state and community EE leaders interested in enrolling in these EETAP online Environmental Education courses, offered through the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point in fall 2007.
For scholarship applications, contact: Rainey Kreis rkreis@uwsp.edu
To register for a course, contact: Angela Lemar Angela.Lemar@uwsp.edu
http://www.uwsp.edu/natres/rwilke/eetap/
back to top
Institute for Climate Change Education ~ Minnesota
August 13-15, 2007 ~ St. Paul, Minnesota
Join experienced educators from around the world in the Will Steger Foundation Institute for Climate Change Education, an interactive, cross-disciplinary workshop on global warming. Visual evidence of global warming will be presented from his Arctic and Antarctic expeditions and educators will be invited to join the 2008 Global Warming 101 Expeditions to the ends of the Earth.
http://www.globalwarming101.com
back to top
New Sustainability Course for Higher Education ~ Online
back to top
Resources for Teachers and Students
NPR Climate Connections
National Public Radio (NPR) and National Geographic host the Climate Connections Web site full of news items, interesting facts, practical ideas, and a daily podcast. An interactive map allows visitors to follow NPR reporting on areas of the world impacted by global warming, and the Wild Chronicles offers videos on a variety of wildlife and global warming issues.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9657621
Cure Recycling
Recycle ink cartridges and cell phones to benefit the environment and help pediatric cancer research. Excellent fundraiser for schools. Free recycling materials and shipping provided.
http://www.earthtonesolutions.com
Earth Portal
Looking for environmental news, science-based information, and debate? Earth Portal is a new expert-driven Web site with three main components: Encyclopedia of Earth, EarthForum, and EarthNews.
http://earthportal.org
Earth & Sky
The Web site of the internationally syndicated
Earth & Sky radio series, with hosts Deborah Byrd and Joel Block. Interviews with scientists, commentary, video picks, photo galleries, and night sky charts.
http://www.earthsky.org/
Arctic Environmental Atlas
Interactive map view over the Arctic environment, showing the North Pole and the countries of the Arctic. Browse the map layers, including land cover, topography, population density, and wilderness and make your own map.
http://maps.grida.no/arctic
Earth Explore Adventures
Environmental field science experiences for teachers and students in grades 5-8. Inquiry based experiential learning format. Academic credit opportunities.
http://www.earthexplore.com
New EPA Tool Provides Local Air Quality Info
AirCompare uses the EPA air quality databases to provide information about local air pollutants. Use this tool to get information about air quality in a specific area, based on a particular health issue to plan trips, help in relocation decisions, and learn more about local counties.
http://epa.gov/aircompare/
Communications Tactics Guide
back to top
Evangelical About the Environment
May 2, 2007, Sioux City Journal.com article, "Evangelical Christians taking up the cause of environment" highlights youth ministries and evangelical churches are increasingly "preaching the gospel of 'green' by pointing out that people of faith are called to care for the Earth, too."
Full text of article >>
Learn what one youth minister is doing >>
back to top
How is the Environment Where You Live?
The Earth Day Network updated
Urban Environment Report rates the environmental performance of 72 American cities, with a focus on populations that are more sensitive or susceptible to environmental, health, and social problems.
http://www.earthday.net/UER/report/
Planetpals Friends Earth Forum
back to top
