Step outside—what do you see all around you? What do you feel? Now, take a deep breath. Ah! Air. Does it smell clean? The cleaner the air we breathe, the healthier we are. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works to ensure that our air is free of harmful pollutants. It monitors air quality, sets standards […]
Happy Birthday Earth! In this month’s challenge, we are stepping back in time to the 1970s to discover the origins of Earth Day. What are its roots and how have they grown in 30 years? What is our role in this birthday celebration? Let’s find out as we trace the history of Earth Day from […]
Water is essential for life. We drink it, we bathe in it, and we play in it. Communities, cities, businesses, and even countries have been built around water. Whether it is the surge of ocean tides, or the flow from our faucets, life would be impossible without water. And, water is just not a local […]
Filled with groceries, stuffed under cabinets, tumbling down city streets, drifting with the breeze, floating across the ocean. Plastic bags are everywhere, including many places they should not be. To environmentalists, plastic bags have become the symbol of waste. Lawmakers in California aim to eliminate plastic bags by passing a state-wide ban. The proposed law, […]
There is much to enjoy about summer–sunny, no-school days with self-selected to-do lists bursting with ‘chores’ such as taste-test donuts, tie-dye tshirts, or perhaps something more ambitious like learn to sew or train for a half marathon. But, summertime also has its downside. Summer breezes blow in all sorts of unpleasant weather. High winds and […]
Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated each year on April 22. Â Founded by United States Senator Gaylor Nelson, what began as a teach-in focused on environmental issues has become an international celebration of the beauty and fragility of Earth, a call to protect Earth’s diverse microcosms, an examination of our individual and collective impact […]
A string of warm days, blooming daffodils and crocuses, honey bees buzzing through the air—these are the first signs of spring. This year you may have noticed something amiss in these early signs of spring. This year there are fewer honey bees. It is not a new phenomenon. In 2006, farmers and beekeepers noticed honey […]
Energy is not a new invention. It dates all the way back to the Stone Age when it was used to provide light and heat. Today, energy is the driving force at the center of almost everything. Students arrive home each day and flip switches to satisfy whatever need or desire they hold dear at […]
The town of Concord, Massachusetts, this week banned…can you guess? Not handguns, oxycontin, or texting while driving. They banned the sale of water in plastic bottles one liter (34 ounces) or less. The law states:Â “It shall be unlawful to sell non-sparkling, unflavored drinking water in single-serving polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles of 1 liter (34 ounces) […]
Massive drought. Hurricanes hundreds of miles inland. Drowned polar bears. It does not take a scientist to notice that our environment needs rescuing, but it does take a teacher to empower kids to provide that help. We will look at how to introduce two big environmental topics – water conservation and energy use – in […]