How+to+be+more+Green

=How to teach our kids to be more "Green"=

What we buy, what we do or do not recycle, what we “throw away” has an impact on an evermore interconnected planet. If we want to maintain the standard of living we currently enjoy, we need an all-hands effort to preserve the foundation of that standard of living – clean air, water and soil.
 * The "[|Story of Stuff]" is a great 20 minute video which talks about how stuff is created, used and disposed.
 * The "[|Go Green Initiative]" is a grassroots program promoting the very best character traits in children and adults: caring for yourself and caring for others.
 * "[|Freecycle]" is a great set of Yahoo Groups where people advertise "stuff" that they want to get rid of and others can obtain for free.
 * The "[|Nature Consortium]" teaches environmental lessons through the creative arts. They offer youth a variety of free hands-on art classes taught by professional artists.
 * [|The Earth Day Groceries Project] began here at Arbor Heights in 1994. Now in its 15th year, run entirely online, it is one of the oldest, and definitely the largest, educational activities on the Internet.

Information on these "Green" programs are below.



=Go Green Initiative=

The Go Green Initiative is a comprehensive environmental program that teaches earth-friendly behaviors and helps us evaluate the environmental impact of every activity.

The "Go Green Initiative" is the beginning of an important new shift in the way we treat our world. This grassroots program promotes the very best character traits in children and adults: caring for yourself and caring for others. Through simple, responsible behavior shifts, together we can protect human health through environmental stewardship.

We Believe:   http://gogreeninitiative.org/
 * People care about protecting children's health and safety through environmental stewardship.
 * People will do the right thing when given trustworthy information, expert training and simple tools.
 * People appreciate a program like the Go Green Initiative, which provides a framework for success, many options and the freedom to choose the options that work best for them.
 * People want a panoramic, three-dimensional approach to environmental education, which will equip young people with the skills necessary to manage the environmental impact inherent in all activities.



What is the Story of Stuff?
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. **The Story of Stuff** is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. **The Story of Stuff** exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

http://storyofstuff.org/

Learn more about how each of us can promote sustainability at the individual, community, city and State level. http://storyofstuff.org/pdfs/annie_leonard_taking_action.pdf

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=How can Freecycle help our school?= <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Educate our children on the importance of recycling.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Teachers who join can request supplies they need for their classrooms plus offer items they are no longer using in their classrooms.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Schools benefit from the assistance of the community donating items, they can request items the school needs, and offer items no longer needed.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Parents who join can show their children the value of giving unused items to others without expecting anything in return AND they may request items they need for work, school or home!

What is Freecycle™?
<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> Freecycle is a nonprofit internet-based group, which was founded in March 2003 The Freecycle Network’s Mission Statement is: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">//"Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."// <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> The goal of Freecycle is to help reduce “unwanted” items from ending up in our landfills and into the hands of someone who could use the item. There are now over 1 Million members worldwide! <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">To find your local Freecycle group, go to the Freecycle Home page at [|http://freecycle.org]. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Freecycle™ is Totally Free To ALL Members <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">And is Running 24 Hours a Day, Year Round!! <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> Join Now To: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">To join the Seattle group: [|http://www.freecycleseattle.org]
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">To join the Bellevue/Kirkland group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleCentralKingCountyWA/
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Declutter Your Home or Office!
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Keep Things Out of Landfills!
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Find things for YOUR Home or Office!



...teaching environmental lessons through the creative arts and hands-on conservation projects…

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">[|www.naturec.org]

And don't forget [|The Earth Day Groceries Project]. It began right here at Arbor Heights in 1994. Now in its 15th year, run entirely online, it is one of the oldest, and definitely the largest, educational activity on the Internet. Arbor Heights will be decorating bags for our local Safeway, so be sure to shop at Safeway on Earth Day, April 22, and get a beautiful bag decorated by kids at Arbor Heights - trying to spread positive environmental messages all over our community.

[|The Earth Day Groceries Project] is now a 501c3 organization, run by Arbor Heights teacher Mark Ahlness. If you know of an organization interested in sponsoring the Project for 2008, contact Mark via email.