Wednesday, November 25, 2009

"Green Colleges": An Online Directory

Students looking to apply to college this year have a new online tool to help them in their search. A free directory of environmental information at nearly 2,000 U.S. colleges and universities is now available at www.ourearth.org.

The directory, which is the first of its kind, provides listings of environmental degree programs as well as environmental opportunities and organizations at campuses around the country.

“This is a unique resource that enables students who have an interest in protecting the environment to discover environmental degrees and programs that they might not even know existed,” says Our Earth founder, John Ullman, who is pursuing concurrent masters degrees at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Fuqua School of Business. “Equally as powerful, it enables students to view videos, share ideas, and learn about successful initiatives at other colleges which they can then bring to their own campuses.”

The directory was created by student volunteers at 40 campuses nationwide, including undergraduate and graduate students at Duke. It offers extensive information on undergraduate, masters and PhD degree programs at nearly 2,000 colleges and universities. Fields of study span a wide range of environmental disciplines. The directory also includes links to campus carbon inventories and recycling opportunities, environmentally focused student clubs and organizations, and environmental opportunities in the local community.

Bill Chameides, dean of the Nicholas School, says, "Our Earth has provided a valuable resource. There has been such an explosion of environmental programs recently that it’s become almost impossible to keep up. As a faculty member needing to advise students on opportunities around the country, I'll be visiting Our Earth’s Web site on a regular basis."

OurEarth.org is a nonprofit organization, Web site and grassroots initiative founded in 2006 by Ullman and classmates of his when he was an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University. “Our goal is to transform the way the public finds environmental information,” he says. “The new directory is the first of a series of innovative environmental tools we’re developing.”

The way in which the directory was created is as novel as the directory itself, he adds. “Our Earth’s coalition of student volunteers, its strong academic roots and extensive connections in the environmental community are key to its success. College students and university faculty members are always involved in its projects, and its efforts are supported by dozens of other environmental leaders from around the country.”

Delmarva BioBlitz Award Winners Announced

Delmarva BioBlitz Award Winners Announced at Tally Rally Delmarva Low-Impact Tourism Experiences (DLITE) announced the winners of the Second Annual Delmarva BioBlitz at the BioBlitz Tally Rally on November 19. The event was hosted at the Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center in Eden, Maryland.



The Delmarva BioBlitz connected kids and families to nature through fun, semi-competitive nature exploration, while raising funds for non-profit organizations working on the Delmarva Peninsula. The BioBlitz helped adult and youth teams of up to 10 citizen-scientists conduct inventories of plants and animals in their local parks, watersheds, and throughout the region during the week of October 10 - 19, 2009. All proceeds were shared 50/50 between DLITE and the designated partner charitable organizations.



Thanks to event sponsors, the Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center and Jolly Roger Amusement Park, four prizes of $500 each were awarded to local non-profit organizations. Prizes were awarded to the youth team that inventoried the most total species, and one to the youth team that raised the most money. Prizes were also awarded to adult teams in each category.



The adult team award for most species inventoried went to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. The Coastal Bays team counted 403 species during an eight-hour block on October 18. The team averaged one species every 71 seconds. The adult team award for most funds raised also went to the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. The Coastal Bays team raised $2,114.15 by soliciting pledges for species inventoried. The team raised $5.25 for every species inventoried.



“The Delmarva BioBlitz is a great fund raising event for us,” said Dave Wilson, Jr., Executive Director of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. “Not only do we receive contributions that benefit our own programs, we also get a chance to showcase the incredible diversity of wildlife that lives in the land and water of our coastal bays.”



The youth team award for most species inventoried went to the Coast Kids, a program of the Assateague Coastal Trust. The Coast Kids team counted 274 species during a four-hour block on October 10. The team averaged one species every 52 seconds. The youth team award for most funds raised also went to the Coast Kids. The Coast Kids team raised $1,221.00 by soliciting pledges for species inventoried. The team raised $4.46 for every species inventoried.



"The BioBlitz is such a great opportunity for children to learn about biodiversity in a fun and semi-competitive way,” said Verena Chase, Coast Kids Program Director. “I am so proud of our Coast Kids BioBlitz team members. Some of the kids are talented naturalists already. For instance, they know a lot more about bugs and snakes than most adults do. The children were very focused searching the beach, marsh, meadow, forest, and garden habitats for species. Some animals, such as white-tailed deer and red fox, were identified by their tracks, some birds by their call, and the kids even dug up a termite nest. The Delmarva BioBlitz is undoubtedly the most fun fund raiser."



The Delmarva BioBlitz was sponsored by the Hazel Outdoor Discovery Center and Jolly Roger Amusement Park. The Delmarva BioBlitz is supported by the Delmarva Environmental Educators Network (DEEN) and the No Child Left Inside Coalition.



For more information, please contact Jim Rapp at dlitedirector@comcast.net or 443-614-0261.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009





A special thank you to Dogfish Head Brewery for donating the libations for this celebration!!!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

2010 Toyota International Teacher Program

An application is now available for the 2010 Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica, a fully-funded professional development program for U.S. educators. Funded by Toyota and administered by the Institute of International Education, the program aims to advance environmental stewardship and global connectedness in U.S. schools and communities.

The program will take place June 18 – July 3, 2010; the deadline to apply is January 6, 2010. Please visit toyota4education.com for application instructions, eligibility requirements, FAQs, and to apply online.

Requests for information: toyotateach@iie.org or 877-832-2457