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When Sarah Cooper first handed me Sheri Holman’s novel, The Mammoth Cheese, I was skeptical to say the least. The cover, adorned with a faded American flag and bolded title and author, was bleak and looked unappealing. Explaining she had found the novel in a box left by the side of the road led me to believe it would not be worth the week or two it would take me to read its 440 pages. Despite all of this, I figured I’d give it a shot; and boy I am glad I did!

Set in Three Chimneys, Virginia, The Mammoth Cheese tells of Margaret Pickett, inheritrice of a family dairy farm in danger of foreclosure, as she campaigns tooth and nail for presidential candidate Adams Brooke. Adams Brooke’s most notable campaign promise and the reason for Margaret’s undying support is to aide family farms with a one time debt forgiveness. This underlying story is built upon by many other characters’ struggles to find themselves and the eventual creation of the Mammoth Cheese.

Although the story revolves around issues that farmers face everyday, many people would argue that this novel has no true environmental implications; I disagree. Margaret’s fight to save her farm reminds us that the most important things in life are not always, and usually are never, the easiest. Advocating for environmental issues, in the hopes to spur policy change, can often be a long, drawn-out process. Keeping your sights set on the goal, whether it be saving a farm or planning Earth Day, is important but once achieved, realizing how amazing the journey has been can often be the most rewarding element.

Content contributed by Ryan Trachtenberg, Intern

What is the State of Birds today? Not good. “For well over a century, migratory birds have faced stresses such as commercial hunting, loss of forests,  the use of DDT and other pesticides, a loss of wetlands and other key habitat, the introduction of invasive species, and other impacts of human development,” states Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, the report also features significant evidence of how human caused global warming has threatened habitats of several endangered species.

Because they are dependent on several habitats, migratory bird species are especially vulnerable to Climate Change and other environmental stressors. Earth Day Network Partner Audubon and other conservation groups were tapped for their expertise and field presence to contribute to the recently released government report- the U.S. State of the Birds Report.

Glenn Olsen, National Audubon Society’s Donal O’Brien Chair for Bird Conservation remarked: ”The 2010 U.S. State of the Birds Report is a powerful wake up call. It says we must all tackle the threats of a changing climate, not just for the birds but for our own good as well.”

source:http://www.stateofthebirds.org/newsroom/2010-news-release

Can you believe it’s March?! With Earth Day 2010 in close sight, students are preparing their initiatives and becoming active in the global movement. We are excited to share excerpts of an article by Sangam Malani, a student from Bangkok, Thailand, who is actively involved in creating awareness in his community.

Contributed by Green Cleaning Ideas

“A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment and, in     particular, climate change. And statistics show that the making of plastic bags is responsible for     15% of a person’s carbon footprint. Reading this I realized that a     reduction of plastic bags would     not only help preserve the integrity of our ecosystems, but would also reduce the burden on     landfills, cut back on litter and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

For these reasons I, Sangam Malani, and the rest of the Environmental Committee at KIS     International School Bangkok, decided to sell cloth bags and reusable water bottles, as well as     recycled plastics at our fun-fair. With great enthusiasm we set up our booth! 100 Baht from     whatever we sold was given to the organization, “Bring the Elephant Home” which plants     trees to     restore the natural habitat for the elephants and thus also helps comb at global warming.     We     were selling the bags smartly, however as the day wore on, the customers began to ignore     us. I realized that many of our customers didn’t understand what we meant when we talked     about CARBON FOOTPRINT. And at the end of the day when I found out that we failed to     break-even, I noted that next time we would use simpler phrases to get our message across.

However, our effort to make a small difference by recycling plastics was successful. We placed     recycle bins around the campus and the environment group members made the recycling as     efficient as possible. Despite [setbacks]…what [we] did was that we made an effort to recycle.”

-Sangam Malani
KIS International School, Bangkok, Thailand.

Inspired?!! As Sangam has shown, anyone can make a difference, no matter how big or small. Be a part of this global movement; register your event for Earth Day 2010!

Contributed by Jessica Lin

One of the main objectives of Earth Day Network is to bring together organizations and individuals from around the world with a common interest in the environment. Earth Day Network’s new website, Earth Day 2010 will contain “country pages” that give a variety of information about each country Earth Day Network is working with. This information includes, but is not limited to, any events that will be going on in recognition of Earth Day 2010 and articles pertaining to environmental issues of that country. As an intern here at Earth Day Network, one of my jobs has been to find articles that can be featured on these country pages and write a short blurb summarizing them. As a result I have been amazed by some of the stories, news, and information I have found.

One of the most surprising things I have discovered is how much effort is being made in the Middle East to harness the power of the sun. In an area known globally for its oil production, countries such as Saudi Arabia are looking for cleaner energy sources such as solar to power their desalination plants.

Africa remains a place where action to protect animals and critical habitats happens everyday. Recently, four of the last eight remaining Northern White Rhinos were relocated from a Czech Republic zoo to Kenya in an effort to get the animals to breed in a more natural habitat.

jpwusn.org

In researching the Philippines I found this amazing slide show, put together by TreeHugger.com. Ever see or hear of Vulcan Point? How about an island-on-a-lake, island-on-a-lake-on-an-island? Check it out.

treehugger.com

It is amazing what people can do when they unite towards a common goal. The research I have done and the country pages on Earth Day Network’s website are a testament to that.

Content Contributed by Ryan Trachtenberg, Intern

My name is Lance Kramer and I’m very excited to join Earth Day Network as the new D.C. Outreach Associate. Over the next two months, I’ll be making lots of visits to schools across the region, brainstorming with teachers on how they can incorporate our 40^th Anniversary Curriculum and educational resources into their classroom. I’ll be helping students organize events in their schools on Earth Day and plan environmental projects in the weeks leading up to April 22. And I’ll be encouraging students to participate in the great Earth Day events planned on the National Mall.

By my last count on Friday afternoon, there are well over 600 public schools alone in Washington, DC, Montgomery County, MD, Arlington & Fairfax — so I’m sure it will be a busy two months!

That’s why I’ll certainly need your help. If you are already involved with organizing environmental clubs or projects in your school, or are interested in starting new efforts — please contact me and I’ll be happy to meet with you to discuss possible collaboration.

A little about me: before coming to Earth Day, I worked with the Environmental Education Media Project, organizing worldwide stakeholder screenings and discussions of a new documentary film on ecosystem restoration. I’m a DC-area native and graduate of Dartmouth College, where I studied Asian & Middle Eastern History, and film. After graduation, I taught English to children orphaned by HIV-AIDS in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with an Ethiopian NGO called Hope for Children. For several years, I worked as a journalist, covering local news, music, film, arts and culture in Portland, Oregon, for the alternative newsweekly, Willamette Week. In 2008, I worked as a staff field organizer for the Barack Obama presidential campaign and Virginia Democratic Party in Prince William County, Virginia. I’ve also published a children’s book on Chinese history and have traveled and volunteered throughout Honduras, Mexico, China, Japan, Spain, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Turkey.

Look forward to working with you!

With the Oscars set for this Sunday, many people, including myself, can’t help but notice the prominence of environmentally conscience films that have been nominated for the prestigious award. First and foremost, up for best picture along with seven other awards is Avatar, James Cameron’s self proclaimed “most successful environmental film of all-time.” Having seen this movie I can attest to this claim. Avatar was not only a cinematic adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat but it portrays what could happen if our greed for natural resources continues on the path we are currently on.

www.soundonsight.org/

Contrast this with The Cove, up for Best Documentary, which exposes the sad reality of the massive dolphin roundup and slaughter in Taiji, Japan. Using high tech video equipment, ex-dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry along with several activists enter an area known as “the cove,” surrounded by barbed wire and “keep out” signs in order to show the world the truth behind the dolphin entertainment industry and dolphin meat market.

caffeine-headache.net

Directed by Rob Kenner, Food Inc., also up for Best Documentary, is a film that delves into the truth behind the food industry. Craving the cheapest, quickest growing, most bang-for-your-buck food, Americans’ greed for food has led to an industry that emphasizes efficiency rather than safety and business rather than wholesomeness.

www.respond-design.org

Each of these films, though concerned with entirely different issues, shed light on growing environmental concerns that affect each and every one of us in a different way. Whether it is the food we eat, the natural resources we consume, or deciding if it is morally right to take our children to Sea World, every decision we make has a consequence.

Content Contributed by Ryan Trachtenberg, Intern

Going by the widely believed conventional wisdom, today’s climate change generation is assumed to be the support to fight global warming issues, but a new study shows that Americans between 18 and 35 are split on this issue. Although, this generation grew up in an already weakened environment, some are still disengaged with the issue of climate change.

One of the causes of the split in this generation includes political beliefs between conservatives and liberals, based on belief in the science around climate change. While most college students between the ages of 18-22 have grown up in scientific uncertainty on global warming, they are still more concerned and engaged in environmental action than those between the ages of 23-34. Most adults tend to agree more on the effectiveness of taking action to reduce global warming and have more trust in scientific consensus than their elders.

It’s this last statement that is important to remember. There is still an untapped potential within this generation about climate change. A split green generation won’t be as effective as a whole green generation.

Contributed by Earth Day Network intern, Ira Lyon.

Photo courtesy of www.unep.org

Earth Day network and the United Nation’s Environmental Programme (UNEP) – Tunza are getting creative to help the environment! Through the launch of their innovative new program, Adopt – A – Meter² , which combines both education and activism, youth from across the globe will learn about key environmental issues and will have an opportunity to use their imagination to improve the planet - one square meter at a time. Participants are instructed to adopt a square meter of land, but the direction of the program itself is flexible, and leaves plenty of room for originality. Whether it is through cleaning or planting, painting or researching, youth will have the freedom to choose their own unique method of activism. Involvement can be done on an individual basis or as a group by ‘combining’ meters to complete larger projects. In order to encourage environmental literacy, all participants will receive Earth Day Network tailored lesson plans that includes environmental curriculum and activities, as well as information on the history of the modern environmental movement. We can’t wait to see all of the unique ways in which students employ their square meter!

As Earth Day quickly approaches, Earth Day Network continues to strengthen ties with organizations around the world that have the same vested interest in Earth Day as we do. As a member of the Earth Day 2010 team I know I speak for the whole organization when I say that we all understand the importance of connecting organizations around the world to each other, in order to create a unified front that can topple big issues such as global warming. One person or organization can only do so much but when you help to connect them with others with the same interests and passions, things can truly get done.
The NGO VITALIS will be celebrating ten years of Earth Day events along with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day by putting on events around Venezuela: April 15th through April 30th. For three days in Argentina, Butterfly Environmental Communications plans to celebrate Earth Day at United Nations Park in Buenos Aires by having a green technology fair along with a solar powered stage featuring prominent music artists. Both of these events anticipate attracting thousands of people interested in how they can make a change in their lives to better their environment.

United Nations park, Bueno Aires

Cities around China have partnered with Earth Day Network and will be using their schools and universities as mediums to promote carbon reduction by developing contests that get students involved. India will also be working with Earth Day Network in order to put on a live entertainment show complete with Bollywood stars and athletes.

Dr. (Mrs.) Indu Shahani, Hon'ble Sheriff of Mumbai

Earth Day is special in that it is not only a time to reflect on the state of the environment but also a time to celebrate and take time to realize how beautiful, and worth protecting, our world is.

Content Contributed by Ryan Trachtenberg, Intern

Please join Earth Day Network Partner 1sky and its allies are organizing a massive 72 hour congressional phone-in campaign from March 2-4.  1 sky’s tool (click the banner) makes it easy to dial in to your Senators.

As we count down to Earth Day, its vital that we keep pressuring the Senate to act. This campaign will send a strong message that:

• Congress needs to keep the Clean Air Act intact by stopping the Murkowski Amendment (the “Dirty Air Act” that would disable the EPA from acting on Global Warming)
• It’s time for the Senate to make climate a priority
• We need to create a healthy, clean energy economy by investing in renewable energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal.

Follow this link to make a difference