Inspiration from Ford Elementary

Here is a link to the school gardens at Ford Elementary School in Acworth. They have done a beautiful job and as we begin to think about what we can save from the DEAR Garden and what our new outdoor classroom/school garden will look like, we can look at these pictures for ideas and inspiration.

http://eeingeorgia.org/net/org/info.aspx?s=70349.0.0.4863

Contests for Artists!!

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and The State Botanical Garden of Georgia encourage K-5th grade students to compete in the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest. This popular conservation art contest provides a unique opportunity for students to explore the wonders of Georgia's nongame plant and animal species. This year’s competition theme is “Celebrating Georgia’s Wildlife Diversity from the Mountains to the Sea.”

Eligibility:
1. The contest is open to individual students (no group drawings) in kindergarten through 5th grades.
2. Home-school groups, public schools and private schools are encouraged to participate.
3. Schools/groups may enter one poster from any or all divisions:
Division 1: Kindergarten
Division 2: First and second grades
Division 3: Third and fourth grades
Division 4: Fifth grade
4. Artwork must portray Georgia nongame (not legally hunted, trapped or fished) wildlife and plants.

Participants turn the posters in to the State Botanical Garden by March 21, 2011 for judging.

More information: http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/1110

hildren ages 6-14 are invited to submit paintings with the theme of 'Life in the Forests: Biodiversity' for the 20th Annual International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment.

Organized every year since 1991 by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment, Bayer and Nikon Corporation, the competition has received more than 3 million entries from children in more than 100 countries.

The first- and second-place winners will receive cash prizes of $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. Each winner will also receive a fully paid trip for themselves and a chaperone to the Tunza International Childrens Conference (date and venue to be announced later). Third through fifth place winners will each receive a certificate.

Entries due by April 15, 2011.

More information: http://www.unep.org/tunza/children/inner.asp?ct=competitions&comp=int_comp&int_comp=20th

Did you know ...

Emissions from cars and trucks harm the air we breathe. In fact, one mile of driving produces one pound of air pollution. Every mile counts! And even small actions like sharing a ride with a friend or riding the bus can make a big difference.

Your voice can be heard!

Create a comic strip that illustrates how everyday actions help reduce pollution and be part of the solution. Your message can be directed to your peers, your parents, or the general public and should relate to one or more of the following actions: no-Idling, riding a bus, carpooling, riding a bike, walking, riding the train (i.e., MARTA) or combining car trips.

More information: http://www.cleanaircampaign.org/Kids-Schools/2011-Young-Lungs-At-Work-Art-Competition/Elementary-School-Comic-Strip-Contest?j=25950994&e=cristin_zegers@yahoo.com&l=15413711_HTML&u=298824428&mid=15728&jb=0

Walk to East Cobb Park

Last Thursday Planet Patrol picked up trash along Roswell Road on our way to East Cobb Park. Everyone was so enthusiastic about cleaning up our road! I was so impressed!! We actually ran out of time and had to tell the kids to leave the trash behind so we could get to the park. This was hard for them to do!

Once we got to the park we met with Joni Atkinson from Cobb County Parks and Recreation and learned about some challenges facing public parks. Erosion was one problem and the Planet Patrollers had some great ideas on how we can help. We talked about invasive plants, we identified some birds and insects, and had a blast with the "dog poop relay!" (Don't worry, it was plastic poop, but now we all know how to properly clean up after a dog!)


We may have an opportunity to do some regular work at East Cobb Park -- a great chance for Planet Patrol to show our dedication to the maintenance and beauty of our community.

Way to go Planet Patrollers!!

Great Meeting Today!

Was that experiment with the apple cool or what? We learned how little space we have on this planet to grow crops and raise cattle to feed our growing population. Just think--wherever those tennis balls goes when they roll down the storm drains, that's where the lawn chemicals, motor oil, and other pollutants go! And it all ends up in our soil.

Like Mrs. Bango's styrofoam cups at the bank story, it's our job to raise awareness!

We talked about some upcoming contests for artists in the group. Here are some links to check out:
- http://www.cleanaircampaign.org/Kids-Schools/2011-Young-Lungs-At-Work-Art-Competition/Elementary-School-Comic-Strip-Contest?j=25950994&e=cristin_zegers@yahoo.com&l=15413711_HTML&u=298824428&mid=15728&jb=0

This is a cool comic strip contest that can earn money for our school's science, environmental, or art programs!

- http://eeingeorgia.org/resource/about.aspx?s=87260.0.0.4863

There are cash and trip prizes awarded to top winners in this painting competition!


We also talked about some upcoming activities we can have some fun with:
- Saturday, April 16 from 11-1 we are scheduled to do some tree climbing in Sandy Springs. I am so excited for this! There is a cost for this trip and a parent should plan on attending. The charge is $20 per climber. I need to know as soon as possible who wants to and is available to attend this outing. Please look at your calendar and let me know if this is something you can commit to. Here's a link for more information:
http://www.treeclimbing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106&Itemid=100

- On Saturday, February 26 from 7-9 there is a night hike at Chattahoochee Nature Center. I'm not available to attend this but if a group of you want to get together with your families, I'm happy to organize it!

- Keep Cobb Beautiful is rallying Cobb residents to clean up our community on Saturday, March 5 from 8:30-12:00. I am available to do this at 8:30 but only for a short time. Again, if you want to gather your parents and siblings I can do the leg-work to sign us up for an area (like our school grounds and surrounding areas). Some supplies will be provided for this project.

I'm working on setting a date for us to walk to the East Cobb Park and start work on cleaning up the stream area and doing some planting to help with erosion. I'm also working on getting a Bee Keeper to come and give us a presentation after school one day. Honey bees are so important...we'll learn why!

Thanks for coming today! I enjoyed our discussions and hearing all of your ideas and input. Please email me at environmentaleducation@eastsideelementary.com if you have any questions or want to let me know what events you want to participate in.

GO GREEN!
~ Mrs. Zegers

This week's Recycle Friday volunteers

Thanks Chloe and Eric for your help with Recycle Friday today! It was much appreciated on this rainy day at East Side!! Good work~

Keep Georgia Beautiful Field Trip!

On Thursday, February 3rd Planet Patrol visited the Keep North Fulton Beautiful Recycling Center in Sandy Springs and saw first hand what happens to the glass, plastic, tin, aluminum, cardboard, and more in the first steps of the recycling process. What a blast! We sorted (and smashed!!) glass bottles, crushed and compacted boxes, and witnessed aluminum cans being shot out of a "can smasher."


We learned that the average American makes 5 pounds of trash every day, but the average Georgian makes 6 pounds of trash every day! Yikes!!

Here's how long it takes some common items to break down in the landfill (if we reuse or recycle them we don't have to worry about this!):
Orange peel: 2-1/2 weeks
Paper bag: 1 month
Wool sock: 1 year
Milk/OJ carton: 5 years
Plastic grocery bags: 10-20 years
Tin cans: 100 years
Glass bottles: 1 million years
Styrofoam: NEVER!!


(This is a sign made of different colored bottle caps. Ms. Debbie offered to help us make a cool sign like this for our new outdoor classroom! So fun!!)

And a big thanks to Ms. Freeze, Ms. Rockaway, and Ms. Bango for accompanying us and providing taxi service (what a ride!).

Recycle Center field trip coming up!!

Planet Patrol is taking a field trip to the Morgan Falls Recycle Center on Thursday, February 3. We'll meet at the flag pole at the front of the school (parents should send a note that their child is being dismissed with walkers) and we will drive to Sandy Springs to learn the details of what happens to all those items we put in the recycling bin. Pick up will be at 4:30 at the front of the school. Have questions? Contact Cristin Zegers at environmentaleducation@eastsideelementary.com.