Green Options

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I am typically an optimistic, hopeful fella. But, a recent look at NRDC’s Bush Record, and a peek at Bush’s Orwellian “Clear Skies Act“, and this recent study on the environmental apathy of US citizens have turned my blue skies gray.

This bout with pessimism led to the poem and morbid cartoon after the break. But, let it be known that writing and art are outlets–we all need outlets or we’ll go MAD!–and I’m feeling optimistic again.

I have faith that Barack Obama will get elected. And that he’ll make a change for the better (it could hardly get worse). The biggest thing I like about Barack is the excitement he brings to our democracy–hopefully enough so that people will become an active part of the political process each day, as opposed to each election cycle. Afterall, that is the worst time to get a feel for what being a part of a democracy is all about. As Mark Twain once said:

“If we would learn what the human race really is at bottom, we need only observe it in election times.”

Note: The following poem and cartoon are a direct result of reading the “Clear Skies Act” and the NRDC Bush Record on air quality, and then wondering: “When will a change ever truly take place?”

Today is Arbor Day. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, National Arbor Day is celebrated to encourage tree planting and care. Here are five ideas for celebrating Arbor Day with your children:

Plant a Tree and Give it a Name

This is the classic Arbor Day activity. Whether you plant a native tree or an ornamental in your yard, children love to plant trees and monitor the tree’s growth in comparison to their own. In our family, we name our trees, such as Maggie the Magnolia. This little bit of personification causes children to become attached to the their tree and provide it with lots of loving care.

Make Your Own Field Guide

Take your children for a nature hike or just a walk around the neighborhood. Collect a few leaves from the trees you see, then take them home. Identify the trees, attach the leaves to pages, and create your own field guide. We did this my first year teaching for all of the different oaks that grow in our valley. If you don’t have a book that can help you identify the tree species, you can also look it up on the internet.

Light passing through the One Day Poem Pavilion’s perforations creates a poem that changes according to the solar calendar. During the summer solstice, the poem is about “new life”. During the winter solstice, the poem’s theme is the “reflection and the passing of time.” Each hour, a new line of the poem is revealed by the passage of the sun.

Via: Monster-Munch