Green Teens on Planet Earth
By Jenna Kirkman
Filed Under Arts & Culture, The Big Picture | 1 Comment
Too often, teenagers are seen in an ageist light as the lazy, self-centered, and irresponsible future of our world. It should be exactly the opposite.
A recent survey conducted by Greenpeace and the online teen hangout, Habbo questioned nearly 50,000 teens from 18 different countries on their environmental opinon. Less than 50 percent said their parents express a general concern for the environment, yet, 74 percent agreed that they consider global warming to be a serious problem. Sixty-four percent also said they believe the climate crisis can be solved by people working together; and these green-minded teens are ready to do something about it.
The teenage environmental movement is inspired by celebrities like Miley Cyrus, who sings the eco-pop tune Wake Up America, as well as the cast of The Secret Life of an American Teenager, who promote environmentalist views and film on a set made from recycled wood and materials. And this year the Teen Choice Awards used recycled bottles to make a “blue carpet” that is planed to be reused each year.
Teens aren’t just following their favorite superstars, though. They are joining, and founding environmental groups and demonstrating the leadership skills that will prove crucial to the future of our world.
Do Something emphasizes respect, trust, and belief in the power of teen activism. The online community features inspirational videos from celebrities like the Jonas Brothers and Rihanna, and encourages teens to share, read, and learn about human rights, poverty, animal welfare, teen sexuality and violence, and much, much more.
Do Something is also a helpful way to jump-start teen entrepreneurs and their ideas, like the recent group of eco-teens: Team K4A (made up of Kaitlyn, Keegan, Katherine, Kimber, and the lonely “A”, Albert). These five gathered information about hybrid cars, CO2 emissions, and other ways to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle in their Washington community and then used Do Something to help spread the word about their website.
Founded by Jane Goodall and 16 inspired students in 1991, Roots and Shoots connects thousands of international kids, teens, and college students who want to make a positive difference for people, animals, and the environment. The organization helps empower youth by promoting local campaigns, programs, and volunteer work in areas that focus on each member’s individual strengths.
One of the most impressive is 13-year-old Peter A.’s group: the Green Eagles, from Silver Spring, Maryland. The Eagles have not only implemented sustainable gardening and composting projects within their community, but they have also raised over one thousand dollars in donations for the Jane Goodall Institute. This school year, Peter’s plans include lobbying for healthier school lunches and selling energy-efficient light bulbs at fund-raising events.
Founded as early as 1982 by environmentalist, Shimon Schwarzschild, Action for Nature focuses on “encouraging young people to take personal action to nurture and protect a healthy environment on which all life depends”. In addition to tips and resources, the website holds the annual International Young Eco-Hero Awards which highlights impactful youths from across the globe.
The 2008 winners include 14-year-old Alexander Lin of the United States, who set up a program to help end e-waste exports from America to developing countries; 16-year-old Linus Wafula of Kenya, who created the Mazingara Safi Campaign in his poor, heavily polluted Nairobi community to help gather and properly dispose of toxic waste and trash; and 16-year-old Vania Santosa of Indonesia, the “dirtiest country in the world”, who implemented a system of recycling, composting, and publicly educating her East Java community about environmental harm.
Other organizations and teen info sources include the Global Youth Action Network (GYAN), Teens for Planet Earth, the Student Conservation Association (SCA), the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC), and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Your Environment, Your Choice teen website and High School Environmental Center.
With encouragement and support, our global youth can take responsibility as leaders for a healthy, sustainable future. We need to educate the global community about what these young people are doing for the Earth and learn how to view the potential they hold as an invaluable resource.
Posted on September 22, 2008 |
The Dark Side Of The Internet
By Greg Berry
Filed Under The Big Picture | 6 Comments
There was a day, back in the good ‘ol dot com era (and before, when computers were still new and offered unlimited promise) when we used to talk about the paperless office, and ultimately, a paperless life. One of the big promises of this paperless life was how many trees would be spared. And we felt good. Later we realized computers and the Internet enabled us to print many more pages than we ever could before, when it was just us creating our own documents. Good thing the Canadian Boreal Forests are so close. (Joking.)
Fast forward 15 years, now more things run on the Internet than ever. Facebook, Salesforce, iTunes, YouTube, Maps, xBox, Skype. And on and on and on. Since most of us don’t immediately equate the bits and bytes with moving electrons, and moving electrons with burning coal, it’s easy to feel that this web-based lifestyle is pretty green. It turns out it’s actually not. Each and every move we make, the windows we keep open, the programs we run simultaneously-they add up…to a whole lot of electricity and hence, CO2 emissions. Continue reading The Dark Side Of The Internet…
Posted on June 26, 2008 |
Air On The Side Of Caution: Formaldehyde
By Pippa Sorley
Filed Under Green Living | 2 Comments
Approximately 75,000 chemicals are injected into our homes and buildings, furniture and toys. And, Americans are spending more time indoors than ever. These days, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is garnering a lot of attention in health and science news, and LEED certifications are now taking into account the health hazards associated with a range of indoor pollutants, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) derived from toxic paints, formaldehyde offgassing from compressed wood supplies, and the release of asbestos from insulation. According to a recent survey, people in the U.S. spend 90% of their time indoors! That’s a lot of potentially polluted air time, so stay tuned to learn more from our Air On The Side Of Caution series. We’ll keep you informed on what to look out for, as well as the safe alternatives.
FORMALDEHYDE
Although formaldehyde is an important and useful building material, overexposure to this noxious chemical can cause an array of symptoms, ranging from eye, nose and throat irritation to skin rashes, headaches, nausea and vomiting. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen, however, the risk of cancer risk associated with exposure to formaldehyde in homes is equal or less than 1 chance in a million of developing cancer. Even though you have as much chance of developing formaldehyde-related cancer as you do winning the lottery, it is important to be aware of where formaldehyde is found. In homes, the most significant sources are pressed wood products such as particle board, hardwood plywood paneling and fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and furniture tops) made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. ![lilipad studio kids furniture](http://www.econsciousmarket.com/eco-times/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/2s-brsided72dpi-500-277x300.jpg "Click here to check out the Lilipad Studio \")
To reduce your exposure to formaldehyde, buyers of building materials, cabinetry, and furniture, should ask about the formaldehyde content of these products. Look for non-pressed wood furniture, keep your home humidity levels low, and increase ventilation, particularly after bringing new sources of formaldehyde into your home.
Posted on April 25, 2008 |
Zaproot: Hypermile Your Car And Google Map Pollution
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under eCo TV | 1 Comment
Fast talking Kiwi Jessica Williamson hosts Zaproot, the flagship show of the green network Viropop. This extremely humorous episode teaches you about “hypermiling,” “clean” coal marketing ploys, mapping pollution on Google, and…you also get to see someone half naked dancing provocatively in their car to a Daft Punk track. Hey, it’s all in the name of healing our planet, right?
Posted on April 21, 2008 |
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