News for Teachers
Resources There's a new Hinterland Who's WhoTube webiosode called "Living with Wild Neighbours!" This and other webiosodes can be found at the Hinterland Who's Who website. > http://tv.hww.ca/ 2008 is the Year of the Frog Start preparing for September by integrating amphibian content into your science, social studies and environmental ethics programs. As many as a third to 50% of the world's frogs and other amphibians are endangered, as rates of extinctions have increased exponentially in the past 15 years. International scientists predict a mass die-off unparalleled since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Threatening factors include habitat destruction, pollution, over collection, invasive species, climate change, human overpopulation, and the Chytrid fungus, imported to the west for human pregnancy detection research in the 1930's. See how the Amphibian Ark is addressing this problem in a race against the clock. > http://www.amphibianark.org How will we solve the problems we've created? Watch the moving five minute documentary with David Attenborough on the almost extinct Golden Frog of Panama - the "waving frog" that puts an amphibian face on amphibian issues. > http://www.amphibianark.org/frog_gallery.htmlJul 30, 2008
Jul 29, 2008
From the EE-in-Alberta E-newsletter
News for Teachers
Resources Free Environment Canada Posters! Catch the irony of these 1950's block-cut style posters that highlight contemporary environmental issues, while presenting them in a style reminiscent of the art produced during the Industrial Revolution - a time when idealism and the philosophy of unlimited expansion proliferated, now proving anachronistic in light of current environmental issues. > http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/docs/pdf/wetlandsposter04-e.pdf > http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/docs/pdf/wetlandsposter05-e.pdf Spread the Word: 350 Parts Per Million! The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth. Let's do something about this! This beautiful little animated short encapsulates the process of "spreading the word" about this very important number - something teachers can do every day! Watch the film on youtube and visit www.350.org today. > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kg1oOq9tY Manitoba Education for Sustainable Development "Choose the Future" Conference : November 26-28, 2008. > http://www.mesdwg.ca/events_hom.htmlView this and previous newsletters at http://abcee.org/ee-in-alberta
Ecotourism conference
Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism conference in Vancouver this October. One of the four tracks is Parks and Protected Areas. The other tracks are Climate Change & Tourism, Indigenous People and Local Communities and Green Operations & Technologies. Each track contains an Education and Interpretation theme, as well as marketing & media, policies & guidelines, conservation and financing. Looks like a good one for Yukon managers or operators to attend.
http://www.ecotourismconference.org/ESTC2008/conferenceinfo/conference-tracks/
Sara
Sara Nielsen
Jul 22, 2008
Misc resources
Resources for Students and Educators
22. Arctic Community Curriculum
From the Will Steger Foundation’s Global Warming 101 initiative, Arctic Community Curriculum focuses on community, solutions, and positive messages of hope and action in response to the challenge of climate change. Based on the idea that we are all members of the community of Planet Earth, the curriculum looks in detail at a specific area, namely the Arctic, to help us appreciate the meaning of community. The Arctic Community Curriculum is free of charge and compliments the other educational resources available through the Web site.
http://globalwarming101.com/23. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags)
The Dangers of Plastic Bags report reinforces the need to change how we take home our groceries. BYOB!
http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/FYN/FYNPubs/TheDangersofPl...24. Earth Science Week Toolkit
Earth Science Week is October 12-18 and Earth Science Week Toolkits will be released starting this month. The Toolkit includes a ‘Journey to Center of Earth 3D’ Educator Guide, posters, activity calendar, 3D postcard, Earth Observations CD from NASA, field notebook, and much more.
http://www.earthsciweek.org/materials/index.html25. New Issue of Sea Stories Now Online
Explore the world's oceans - from Far Rockaway and the Jersey Shore to Baja California, Hawai'i, and Palau - in the latest issue of Sea Stories, an online journal of creative writing and art by ocean-lovers from all backgrounds and walks of life: writers, artists, educators, students, scientists, fishers, conservationists, explorers, and just regular people. Educators are invited to use Sea Stories in the classroom or as a publishing opportunity for yourself or your students. Join us in celebrating all things oceanic.
http://www.seastories.org26. Sustainable Farmer
As food and fuel prices rise, a new generation of farmers is looking to sustainable agriculture as a way to provide fresh local food to local consumers in ways that protect the planet. Sustainable Farmer is a new multimedia online magazine for people raising food and fiber with respect for the future of all living things.
http://www.sustainablefarmer.com
EECOM 2008 ConferenceSeptember 25-28, 2008 ~ Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland
EECOM 2008 Conference - Where Continents Collided and World Heritage Wonders are in Your Backyard!
September 25-28, 2008 ~ Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland
Keynote speakers include Bob McDonald, host of CBC's Quirks & Quarks, Sarah Harmer, co-founder of PERL (Protecting Escarpment Rural Land), and Father John McCarthy, recipient of the 2002 Canadian Environment Awards Gold Medal. Bob, Sarah, Father John and environmental practitioners, learners, teachers and students from across the country will gather in Gros Morne National Park this fall! We’ve got a great line-up of traditional musicians that will keep you dancing ‘til all hours’, pre and post conference activities that’ll take you on journeys to the heart and soul of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, aboriginal storytellers to share their stories of place and maybe a Viking or two to keep things in order!
Space is limited and popular workshop sessions are filling up quickly – register today to avoid disappointment! www.eecom2008.com
WOW! – Workshop on Wheels (aka., the EECOM “Research Symposium”) Wednesday the 24th of September http://www.eecom2008.com/en/33
Special seats sales available with Westjet! $99 from Toronto to Deer Lake!! http://www.westjet.com/
EECOM08 – Lorsque les continents se rejoignent, une merveille du patrimoine mondial est dans votre cour!
Parc national de Gros Morne ~ 25-28 septembre 2008
Bob MacDonald, Sarah Harmer, Father John praticiens de l’environnement, les apprenants, des enseignants et des élèves de partout au pays se réuniront au Parc national de Gros Morne cet automne! Ce sera un grand rassemblement! Nous avons plusieurs musiciens traditionnels qui vous feront danser jusqu’aux petites heures, des activités avant et après la conférence qui vous feront voyager au coeur de ce patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO, une découverte en action tout en se déplaçant parfois en autobus; des conteurs aborigènes partageront leurs histoires et peut-être un ou deux Vikings pour garder le momentum. Au mois de septembre c’est l’automne à Terre-Neuve, n’oubliez pas votre chandail!
Enregistrement - la conférence d’EECOM 2008!
Venez nous visiter au www.eecom2008.com pour tous les détails.
WOW! – "Workshop on Wheels" (aka. “Research Symposium”) le 24 septembre http://www.eecom2008.com/en/33
WestJet 50% de réduction. L’automne en solde. http://www.westjet.com/
Jul 21, 2008
5th World Environmental Education Congress
[Message en français plus bas / Mensaje en español abajo]
Re.: 5th World Environmental Education Congress
Dear colleagues,
Environmental education is an essential process in learning how to
live on Earth, our common home. From this perspective, the 5th
World Environmental Education Congress invites participants from
all continents to attend and to share their views and experiences.
The event will be held at the Palais des Congrès in
The Co-Presidents,
Bob Jickling and Lucie Sauvé
Secretariat of the 5th World Environmental Education Congress - JPdL
www.5weec.uqam.ca
5weec@jpdl.com
Telephone: +1 514-287-1070
Fax: + 1 514-287-1248
1555 Peel Street, Suite 500
Montreal, Quebec H3A 3L8
CANADA
-----------------------------------------------------
Sujet: 5e Congrès mondial d'éducation relative à l'environnement
Cher collègues,
Chères collègues,
L'éducation relative à l'environnement est une clé essentielle pour
apprendre à mieux Vivre ensemble, sur Terre. C'est dans cette
perspective que le 5e Congrès mondial d'éducation relative à
l'environnement invite les participants de tous les continents à
venir échanger leurs réflexions et expériences. L'événement aura
lieu au Palais de Congrès de Montréal, du 10 au 14 mai 2009.
Un immense merci de transmettre aux membres de vos réseaux
l'information relative au congrès qui vous parviendra sous peu.
Nous acheminerons très bientôt un « Appel de communications » et
un Bulletin de nouvelles. Nul doute qu'ensemble, nous ferons de
cet important rassemblement l'un des événements les plus marquants
de l'éducation relative à l'environnement à l'échelle
internationale, permettant de donner plus d'élan encore à vos
initiatives.
Nous vous invitons à visiter et diffuser le site du Congrès :
www.5weec.uqam.ca
Les coprésidents,
Lucie Sauvé et Bob Jickling
Secrétariat du 5e Congrès mondial d'éducation relative à
l'environnement - JPdL
www.5weec.uqam.ca
5weec@jpdl.com
Téléphone : +1 514-287-1070
Télécopieur : + 1 514-287-1248
1555 rue Peel, bureau 500
Montréal (Québec) H3A 3L8
CANADA
-----------------------------------------------------
Tema: 5° Congreso mundial de educación ambiental
Estimados colegas,
La educación ambiental es una clave esencial para aprender a
vivir mejor en La Tierra, hogar de todos. Desde esta perspectiva,
el 5° Congreso mundial de educación ambiental invita a participantes
de todos los continentes a venir a intercambiar sus reflexiones y
experiencias. El evento tendrá lugar en el Palacio de Congresos de
Montreal, del 10 al 14 de mayo de 2009.
Mucho les agradeceremos que transmitan a los miembros de sus redes
la información sobre el congreso que le enviaremos en el futuro :
la Convocatoria a ponencias y nuestro Boletín de noticias. Juntos
haremos de este importante encuentro uno de los eventos más
importantes en educación ambiental a nivel internacional,
permitiendo dar así un nuevo impulso a sus propias iniciativas.
Los invitamos a visitar y difundir el sitio web del Congreso:
www.5weec.uqam.ca
Los copresidentes,
Lucie Sauvé y Bob Jickling
Secretariado del 5° Congreso mundial de educación ambiental - JPdL
www.5weec.uqam.ca
5weec@jpdl.com
Teléfono: +1 514-287-1070
Fax: +1 514-287-1248
1555 rue Peel, bureau 500,
Montréal (Québec)
CANADÁ H3A 3L8
Jul 17, 2008
THE EIGHTEENTH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S PAINTING COMPETITION ON THE ENVIRONMENT
UNEP has launched the 18th International children's painting competition. The Competition is organized annually by the UNEP and the Japan-based Foundation for Global
Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation. It has been held since 1991 and has more than 190,000 entries from children in over 100 countries.
This year’s Competition will focus on Climate Change. Our Challenge
The selection process will be in two stages; the regional selection which will be done by UNEP Regional Offices and their partners, and the global selection which will be done by UNEP and its partners, Foundation for Global peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation.
For more details on the Competition please visit http://www.unep.org/tunza/children/inner.asp?ct=competitions&comp=int_comp
Please find below the brochure which has entry details on the Competition .
(See attached file: Painting Comp. 2008.doc)
For more information, please contact
____________________________________________________
Joyce Sang
Programme Assistant - Outreach Unit
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Division of Communications and Public Information (DCPI)
web: http://www.unep.org
Phone: +254-20-7625066
Fax: +254-20-7623692
E-mail: joyce.sang@unep.org
Request For Proposals Environmental Stewardship Project - Departments - Government of Yukon
Request For Proposals Environmental Stewardship Project - Departments - Government of Yukon:
Request For Proposals Environmental Stewardship Project
Project Description: To facilitate the planning of the Department of Education’s environmental stewardship project, including research of best practices, assessment of current departmental operations, development of strategic improvement plan, identification of resources and communication with partners.
Proposals clearly marked “with the above project title”, will be received up to 4:00 pm local time, Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at Contract Services.
Terms of Reference may be obtained from Contract Services, (867) 667-5385, Department of Highways and Public Works, Second Floor - 9010 Quartz Road, P.O. Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2C6. Technical questions may be directed to Gordon deBruyn at (867) 667-3741."
Jul 15, 2008
Canada's enviro-leaders?
Where are the leaders? Around the corner, in the mirror
When it comes to pursuing a better quality of life on a healthier planet, most Canadians are ready to act. Or nearly ready — and there lies the challenge. Most of us want to take action, but we are waiting for someone to lead us. The problem is we are looking in the wrong places.
A national study conducted in 2006, corroborated by recent polls, found that over 80 percent of us believe we need to live more sustainably — to consume resources less voraciously, to waste less and pollute less, and to protect and rebuild what remains of our ecosystem – our life-support system. Four out of five of your neighbors and mine understand this and want to make it a national priority.
But, and this is a really big but, only 15 percent are actively working to adopt sustainable lifestyles, while another 67 percent, though receptive, is still only dabbling,
Excuses are varied but there is a common theme: leadership. We want somebody else to go first, we want somebody to show us how, we want to be inspired and reassured. We want a leader with vision and passion to rally behind, to be our team coach or captain, but we are not finding it.
It may surprise you to hear that we do have leaders, thousands of them. Millions even! Remember the 15 percent figure? Over a million Canadian adults are sustainable living leaders!
So where are they? Don’t look now, but there is one sitting next to you. Several just cycled past your door. A whole bunch are waiting for you, or with you, at the bus stop.
Millions of citizens are working each day to make their way of living more sustainable. They are making decisions, big and small, with some thought going to the “right thing” to do. They haven’t achieved perfection. But that’s just fine. They are on the path to living more lightly. And they are enjoying it. Enjoying the rewards of the pursuit and not just the results.
So why don’t we notice these leaders? Because only a few of them look like leaders, in the way we might expect: prominent, well-dressed, white teeth. The rest are just doing their thing. No preaching. No press conferences. No bumper stickers.
These are the people we might dismiss as bit players on the big stage. Which is unfortunate, and it has to change if we are to leap forward to a better future for all. To an attractive life of cleaner air, more jobs that are safer and more fulfilling, efficient mobility, increased energy autonomy, tastier and healthier food, and safer, more vibrant neighbourhoods.
Speaking of neighbourhoods, that’s where the leadership search starts. At least mine did when I set out to make a film about the people in our midst who are working to live more lightly, and about the challenges and rewards that go with it.
Just around the corner there is Randi Cherry and Robert D’Aoust. For decades they have been exploring and practicing dozens of new ideas, and old ones, with a new twist. Forming an organic food buying co-op before organic was hip, planting urban gardens, saving heritage seeds, teaching kids about composting, upgrading the energy efficiency of old houses, and much more.
A little north lives Denis Bouillon, a resident of the Terra Firma Co-Housing Community and an avid cyclist, in all weather. His neighbours cite him as an example of how we can be inspired by the action and determination of others. Denis cycles in blizzards because he likes it. If that makes him a useful role model, it’s icing on the cake.
Head west to meet Franklin Holtforster, a businessman with a mission. The construction industry consumes vast amounts of resources, and inefficient buildings are becoming increasingly expensive to operate. So Franklin is reshaping his company, MHPM Project Managers, to be at the “green building” forefront. His staff finds this approach exciting and rewarding, and many clients are seeing it as the way of the future.
There are many more stories to tell, because there som many leaders in our city. In every city. And town, and village.
Heroes and leaders are everywhere. But they are easier to identify when you reevaluate what makes a leader. Is it the richest or most powerful? Or is it somebody like Rebecca Aird, who teams up with neighbours to create a community garden on idle land, and to pursue a group purchase of solar domestic water heaters?
Who on your block is building community bonds, planting trees, starting a car-sharing club, offering insulation tips? If you use those criteria, you’ll find your leaders. Your local heroes.
But what about the corporations and the politicians?, Shouldn’t they be leading? Sure, elected officials should be offering vision and progressive policy direction, and a few are. CEOs should be demonstrating corporate social responsibility while providing safe, healthy, efficient products. A few are.
But, we can really only expect strong leadership from the top, if we consistently demand it. If we are ready and willing to use the power of our votes and our wallets.
It is too easy to expect somebody else to do the work for us, to pass laws that make us behave with common sense, to offer only green products, at any price. But that’s not the way the world works.
Real change happens because people demand it and support it.
So how will the big shift happen? When will the ranks of the sustainability “activists” leap from 15 percent to 82, and higher?
It will happen when we start looking for leadership in the right places: Next door, and in the mirror. Yes the mirror.
Ultimately real and lasting change will happen when we all take on the job of being a leader, of leading ourselves and, for some of us, of inspiring – quietly or loudly – the people with whom we interact.
Only we can choose to insulate our homes, to replace a car journey with a stroll, to buy a little more local produce, to finally put in those efficient bulbs and water-saving devices, to not buy something frivolous. Nobody decides for us. In this way we can vote every day.
The tree-hugging minority has evolved into a green-loving majority, and it is time to embrace our power and use it wisely, but quickly. It is time to act on what we feel is right. To share what we are learning. To step up and take a leadership role, alongside our community and business leaders. And to be ready if necessary, to step out in front of them.
If not now, when? If not me, who?
David Chernushenko
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