by Sarah Lane
It is ironic, or perhaps more accurately just plain wrong, that the movements to green up our workplaces and schools are so far ahead of the efforts to make day cares eco-friendly. Not to say that no one is doing anything about it. But the large-scale successful national eco-school programs such as the Green Schools Initiative, the Earth Day Network’s Green Schools Project, and the National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools program and international efforts like Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots and the Green Schools Alliance focus on elementary and …

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be
judged by the way its animals are treated.”
—Mahatma Gandhi
by Sarah Lane
Now that school’s out and we’re heading down the front steps of summer, our children will rekindle their complicated relationships with insects and arachnids, frequently picking up and trapping, occasionally screaming at and running away from, and too often stomping and squishing them. But there are many good reasons to model a different way of interacting, helping our kids observe closely, admire and appreciate, and tread lightly when in …

by Sarah Lane
During these two weeks of the Climate Conference in Copenhagen, I think it is time to reach across the great divide between those who believe in climate change and those who don’t and link arms. So whether or not you think climate change is happening, whether you believe it is human made or caused by an angry God, little elves, or bad luck, whether you work for a coal plant or a bicycle messenger service, shed your need to be right and join in the broad movement to …

by Sarah Lane
The Natural Defenses Resource Council, in its article “Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype,” reports that more than half of all Americans drink bottled water and about one-third of the population drinks it regularly. So Americans are thirsty. Why is this a problem?
1. What’s in the Bottles
One problem has to do with what’s in the bottles themselves. The Earth Policy Institute reports that 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, which is enough to fuel 100,000 cars for that same year, are required to satisfy …

by Sarah Lane
Giving a seasonal gift, whether for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, might appropriately be intended for various reasons:

to express love,
to spread joy, and
to share abundance with those in need.

It is often, however, done for the following reasons:

to fulfill an obligation,
to meet an expectation, and
to fill a void.

In a world teeming with excess and yet, at the same time, bursting with want and need, in a world choking on plastic and suffocating from carbon emissions, we need to work toward eliminating those last three reasons and grope our way …

What follows are resources to help you provide a healthier (toxin-free), zero-waste lunch for your child. If you’re just beginning this process, don’t get discouraged. Even by changing a few things you do, you are taking worthwhile steps. As Voltaire says, don’t allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good!

Specifically, you want to avoid the following:

1. Toxins
For the health of your family

Lead. Lead affects the brain and behavior and is especially dangerous to young children still in early developmental stages. Read about lead in children’s …

by Sarah Lane
Both President Obama and his former opponent John McCain endorsed “clean coal” as an important element of their energy plans. But “clean coal” is a fairy tale with a very bad ending, as in the Big Bad Wolf eats and digests Little Red Riding Hood and belches out a black cloud afterward.
The Fairy Tale
Once upon a time (February 2002) George W. Bush promised the people all over the land that he would invest $2 billion dollars over ten years to advance “clean coal” technology. The people said, “What …

by Pat Leonard and Christianne White, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
What kind of wild animal do you see nearly every day of your life? Birds. They are living right near you, in your neighborhood, leading busy lives, building nests, laying eggs, and raising young. They are independent from us yet also dependent on us because we have such a big impact on the places they live—especially in cities.
Fascinating Pigeons

One of the most common city birds is the pigeon. But don’t think that common means “uninteresting.”

The Rock Pigeon can fly 50 miles …

Blue Planet Run Foundation’s The Race to Provide Safe Drinking Water to the World tells the story of our planet’s interdependent relationship with water in 250 stunning images. Download the book now for free (look for the free download box on the Amazon.com page) and read it. Then choose an image that you respond to the most. And then tell us in the comments box below

the image you chose,
the page number it’s on, and
the connection you feel to the image (in 50 words or less).

We’ll choose the best response, and …

by the Staff at Blue Planet Run
Consider these facts about water:

One out of 6 people on the planet lack access to safe drinking water.
Each year 1.8 million children die from waterborne diseases (1 every 15 seconds).
Women and children walk on average 6K, almost 4 miles, to collect water each day.
One quart of wastewater can pollute 8 quarts of fresh water.
Half of the world’s 500 major rivers are seriously depleted or polluted.
Four quarts of oil discarded can contaminate 1 million gallons of water.
Poor sanitation …