Do you know how green your child’s school is? It might seem like a dream, but there is a way to help schools truly go green, beyond recycling and teaching the basics of eco-education. Mom and activist (among other notables) Jill Buck wrote the basis for her Go Green Initiative (GGI) at her kitchen table in 2002. Since then, GGI has grown to be the largest environmental education program in the world, with 1500 schools, 1.5 million students and over 113,000 teachers in all 50 states (as well as thirteen countries outside the US) participating!

So, how can GGI help your school go green? The very best way - by allowing parents, teachers, administrators and kids to develop a green plan themselves. When your school signs up with the Go Green Initiative (which is FREE), the school’s “Go Green Team” has access to GGI’s wealth of resources, including the five ways GGI can help your school form productive ways to have a successful plan. The GGI Planning Guide outlines the concepts of composting; recycling; environmental education; evaluating the environmental impact of activities (including such topics as indoor air quality and buying school supplies); and adopting a plan of responsible paper consumption. GGI is tailored to the needs of your school, and helps schools find a way for budgeting and implementation. GGI focuses on a thorough process of environmental stewardship. It also helps schools track their success, and has been a major testament to GGI’s own successes. In a recent announcement, GGI announced it has kept over SEVEN MILLION POUNDS of recyclables out of landfills in the last three years, as well as significantly reduced energy, water waste, and greenhouse gas emissions in schools around the world.

So, do not pass “GO” without “going green”! Read GGI’s “Why Go Green” section, and see how you can begin to help your child’s school - and children, and community, and on and on - go green!

Jill Buck is taking GGI to the internet airwaves, starting this Friday, June 27th! Her “Go Green Radio” show premieres at 9am PST/Noon EST on Voice America radio. I’m so thrilled that Jill has asked me to be one of her guests on her very first show, as we discuss Go Green for Kids! I hope you can join us and keep an ear to the radio Friday morning!

Now that the summer is almost upon us, I thought I’d restart my “Weekend Outing” posts on Thursday. Who doesn’t need ideas about how to keep busy during the steamy, lazy days of summer? This week, let’s head over to the awfully steamy city of Houston, where the Children’s Museum is hosting a special exhibit called “My Home Planet Earth“.

My Home Planet Earth tells the story of Riff and Rosie, squirrels on a mission to find out who and what is polluting their home! Kids act as sleuths uncovering environmental issues through hands-on science. Activities include -

Rosie’s Tree House - Kids learn about allergies and indoor air quality; explore lung functions; and see dust mites under microscopes.

Marigold Marsh - Play games to learn how animals are affected by water pollution; “fish” for pollution clues; and gather samples from the water to determine what’s polluting Riff and Rosie’s habitat.

There are over 25 hands-on activities in the “My Home Planet Earth” exhibit, as well as ton of wonderful other ways to entertain your kids for at least part of an afternoon. The museum’s EcoStation, an outdoor, activities-based exhibit with puppet shows and crafts, will reopen in June. There’s also free admission on Thursdays from 5-8pm, and weekend hours will be expanded for the summer!

I have to admit, I’m having a bit of green burnout these past couple of weeks (if you couldn’t already tell from my lack of postings). Aside from my internet being down right smack in the middle of Earth Week, I’ve just felt my topics to be a bit repetitive lately. Also, all of a sudden every PR firm from NY to LA is sending me emails about this green product and that green event, whether it pertains to kids or not. So, needless to say, it’s been a bit hectic. When I finally started to get out from under the mass emails, I opened one with the subject “something a bit different”. As a skeptic, I skimmed it. Then I read it again. And, voila, here I am writing about it. What is it, you’re wondering? What could have possibly gotten my tired fingers typing again?

See this very tall, very in-shape woman? Her name is Colleen Smith - she’s a six foot six inch, professional volleyball player who has taken the initiative to help kids learn about climate change and going green. I love what Colleen is doing for two reasons - one, she’s using her celebrity to promote green initiatives; but she’s also inspiring kids to be active and get their bodies moving. She uses her height for education by wearing a temporary tattoo of a wave at her one meter mark (right at her bathing suit), to start a conversation with kids about rising sea levels due to global warming, and engages them about being proactive about helping the Earth. And what kid wouldn’t want to talk to someone who is probably the tallest person they’ve ever met? Colleen is also working on making changes at volleyball tournaments, such as sponsoring recycling bins and replacing paper cups for players with more responsible ones.

For your other sports enthusiasts, here’s a great article about more sports celebs doing good for the planet. Thanks to Steve Crandall for your email about Colleen - and for getting me back to the keyboard!

On March 31st, 2007, Sydney, Australia went dark - on purpose. Earth Hour 2007 was a huge success in Sydney, and unified the city in the fight against global warming. Organizers estimated that 2.2 million people participated, as well as 2100 businesses including the landmark Sydney Opera House. Apparently “if the greenhouse reduction achieved during Earth Hour (2007) was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road every year”. Amazing stats - can you imagine what can happen as it goes global?

This year, the entire world is taking part. Earth Hour 2008 is March 29th from 8-9:00 PM local time, and cities around the globe are participating, as communities or individually. Sign up at Earth Hour and you’ll get emails highlighting which cities are taking part, ideas for what to do when the lights go out, and information about climate change. Check out the Earth Hour cities list to see if your city is participating, or simply turn your lights out, tell your neighbors, and party in the dark! I asked my older daughter how we can support Earth Hour at home. Since Earth Hour is during my girl’s bedtime, we decided to have a ‘flashlight’ storytime. Our new favorite book, Whoo’s There, is a perfect flashlight entertainment companion. I even relented and am allowing cookies and milk for the special occasion!

Image courtesy of sarabcanada.  Note: Earth Hour homepage takes a little time to load - be patient, it’s worth it!

This is my favorite time of year that only happens every four - primary time. The Florida primary is tomorrow, and while only the Republican candidates are being voted on, (don’t get me started about this whole DNC punishing the state about pushing up the primary date…) I’m still thrilled over all the excitement here. I love election years, and this year, I’m paying much more attention to environmental issues and the like.  However, just as tough as is it to truly figure out who to vote for, it can be even more daunting to find a website that will take you through the research process easily and without bias.

Enter Glassbooth. Like its name, Glassbooth gives you clear, unbiased access to the candidate’s stances on all of the major issues at hand. Of course, since you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering how Obama, Clinton, McCain, Romney, and the rest of the pack stand on the environment. Glassbooth breaks down the environmental issues further into subcategories including investing in alternative energy, fuel efficiency standards, endangered species programs, and public transportation, among others. Health care, the economy, education, and pretty much anything you might have on your mind (or what’s on their minds) is covered as well. Glassbooth provides candidate quotes, voting records, videos from interviews, links to interviews, and many other forms of information for each category.

Want to know which candidate is standing with you across the board? Glassbooth has a neat quiz you can take to compare where you stand on the issues with the candidates, issue for issue. Start with the point ratings on the homepage, and it will take you further to help you find your perfect candidate. It’s like matchmaking for the President! Your results will be in a unique URL you can send to others, or remind yourself where you stand. It’s a truly comprehensive resource you’ll need to share. And don’t forget to vote!

Thanks to MZS for the tip!

This is not a man-candy post, although the press photos from CNN’s upcoming two-part series Planet in Peril may leave you a little globally warmed. (Sorry, couldn’t resist). Seriously, I actually have been really looking forward to seeing Planet in Peril, and not only because we get CNN at home with no Spanish subtitles. From the press release:

“Offering first-hand accounts of environmental strife, Cooper, Corwin and Gupta traveled across the globe to explore these changes and reveal what they mean for each region and the world at large.” CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Animal Planet host and wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin will focus on four main issues that threaten the planet and its inhabitants today: climate change, deforestation, species loss and overpopulation. Filmed across four continents and 13 countries, Planet in Peril airs on CNN/U.S. on Tuesday, Oct. 23, and Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. (ET/PT) and globally on CNN International.

We’ve been seeing snippets of the show on CNN all week, and let me tell you, it’s pretty amazing. Aside from the stunning locations, the topics are both far-reaching and heartbreaking. From a family in the US who was tested for chemical exposures with frightening results, to tagging precious polar bears who are also losing the fight against global warming, this is sure to be an eye-opening experience. I warn you that it’s probably not best to watch with young children. If you’re reading this, you’re probably not sick of hearing about Earth’s issues, many of them which hit closer to home than you may think. Leave comments here after the show and let me know thoughts, feelings, and ok, even if you just want to say you think AC looks pretty good in that t-shirt…

All photos are credited to CNN Worldwide - All Rights Reserved 2007