Eco /ˈēkō/ adjective; not harming the environment; eco-friendly

Volume 17 ~ June 2022

Climate.Energy.Water.Conservation.

— Jenny Han

Hey People!

Enjoy these last moments with the awesome humans you have had the opportunity to engage, elevate and endear this year. While there have been a multitude of challenges, there has also been a magnitude of excellence. Reflect and relish. You have worked hard... now is the time to step back and let the awe embrace you.

I applaud you all and look forward to working with you next year.

~Tana aka Eco Chick

In this issue:

• Fall with the 4J/EWEB Education Partnership

• Eco Tips for End of Year Discard

• June 4 National Trails Day

• June 5 World Environment Day

• June 8 World Oceans Day

• June 15 Global Wind Day

• Summer in our City

• EWEB's Green Options Program

• OECE-join!

As you start wrapping your head around school year 22/23, I'd like to remind you the 4J/EWEB Education Partnership Program is here to support you and your students!

The 4J/EWEB Education Partnership (4J/EEP) is a grant funded program within Eugene School District 4J. About 30 years ago, this phenomenal partnership was formed to support and supplement science education, particularly in the areas of energy and water. Prior to the pandemic, the program was slightly revisioned with a new theme: Our Changing Planet-Preparing for Our Future.

This fall's offerings:

• Salmon Education- It's back!! From late October to winter break raise salmon in your classroom with your students and release them into the "wild". This experience is has great science and social studies connections with Tribal History, Shared History and the NGSS standards. (Priority for 3rd/4th grade)
• No Time to Waste classroom visits/cafeteria waste education-Understanding the value of food and where it comes from, as well as how to dispose of your scraps is important knowledge to carry forward as humans on planet Earth. Next fall food waste collection will be coming back with eating in cafeterias. Stay tuned for school wide education info soon!
• New: Aware and Prepared classroom visits-a one time classroom visit designed to bring awareness to preparedness for emergency situations. Students will engage in a few hands on activities and materials will be provided to send home. The big idea is, if we are prepared emergencies aren't so scary.
• 4J Climate Justice Team for high school students-this team includes representatives from all 4J high schools' climate related clubs and acts as an advisory committee to district initiatives.
• Start a "green" team"! -Interested in starting a "green team" in your building? Need a little help with how to get started? I'm your person! Set up an initial consultation and we will work together to get a team going at your site.
• Check out our website's teacher page for more program offerings.

Reach out with questions. shepard_t@4j.lane.edu

– Wilma Rudolph

When in Doubt-Find Out or Throw it Out

The end of school year waste is mind boggling! Schools throw away so much perfectly usable stuff! We often feel guilty, so we may put all kinds of things into the commingle recycling bins hoping somehow they will be recycled. It is complicated!

As you close out and clean up your classrooms and spaces each year, consider sorting items into various donation piles, for yourself; or work together in your building to help keep usable items out of the landfill. It may feel like it takes longer, but believe me, it will feel really good after making the donations.

Sorting includes:

• Storing and Reusing-try to reuse as much as possible! Kids don't care if things are brand new or what theme you did last year! Reuse is one of the biggest resource savers.
• Swap and Share (in staff room or other common area)-free pile awesomeness, your trash others' treasure; anything leftover donated
• Gather single sided paper (ssp) for next year-always use the other side of paper, (unless confidential info) it is great for rough drafts, doodling, scratch paper...having a dedicated ssp bin and teaching students how it works saves so much paper with miscopies, etc.
• MECCA-school supplies, art supplies...more
• St. Vincent dePaul or other donation facility-games, books, toys, lost and found, etc and they take styrofoam packaging!!
• BRING- furniture items
• Next Step-broken or working electronic items, cords, etc
• Recycling in the commingle bins. See graphic below for latest Sanipac guidelines. Remember-everything has to be CLEAN to be recycled. (Lane County Recycling Guide)
• True Trash-broken/unusable items, unwanted laminated items, glued/glittered/etc things, anything that doesn't fit in the categories above

We can waste less resources and put a stop to "wishful recycling", by understanding what can and can't go into the commingle bins, as well as reusing, exchanging and donating items.

Always remember, no matter what you choose to do, when in doubt, find out or throw it out.

- Jennifer Pharr Davis

June 4th is the annual National Trails Day, a day of service for hometown trails and the people who love them.

There’s something magical about being outdoors. Fresh air, birds singing, moving along a trail or even just around the block – there’s nothing quite like it. But today, those trails and public spaces are in dire need of help —and not everyone has access to these places that can calm and inspire. National Trails Day is the perfect opportunity to get out there with the people you love, give back to the trails that bring us together, and make sure no one is left out.

Take the pledge to leave trails better than you found them.

Hikes Near you.

Eugene Parks and Trails Maps

World Environment Day is June 5th. This year's theme is "Only One Earth"

“Only One Earth” was the slogan for the 1972 Stockholm Conference; 50 years on, this truth still holds – this planet is our only home.

While our individual consumption choices do make a difference, it is collective action that will create the transformative environmental change we need, so we can advance to a more sustainable and just Earth, where everyone can flourish.

There are many ways to get involved. Here is a practical guide. Create an Earth Action Number.

Watch the short video below.

—Margaret Mead

This year’s United Nations World Oceans Day, on 8 June 2022, will highlight the theme Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. Celebrating UN World Oceans Day is a great opportunity to grow awareness and understanding about the largest part of our planet. And, a great lead into Plastic Free July.

7 ways to celebrate

Nat Geo Kids

World Ocean Day for Schools

Resources

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonize our economies and boost jobs and growth.

Below are some great resources for teaching around wind energy, any day of the year.

Global Wind Day for kids

Climate Generation Wind Power

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind blog

Innovation and Renewable Energy: A Humanities Module

- John Mayer

We live in a beautiful place! Summer is a fun way to see and do things you wouldn't usually get to do during the school year.

Here are some random ideas to get you out and about:

Parks and Trails Maps

Eugene Bike Maps

Window Exhibitions until June 12th

Rec Guide

Summer Showcases-free outdoor dance performances!

Movies in the Parks

Try a Peace Health bike

Canoe rental at Alton Baker

Parks work party info

Story and Poetry Walks

OTC All Comers Meets

Adult Activities guide-so many great classes!!

Love writing? Word Crafters

Step Into Series-poetry, stories, plays and comics in the stairwells in the 10th/Oak Overpark

Lane Events Calendar-"never miss out again"

Little Library Maps

River Front Festival- June 15-24

World Championships-a shining moment for Track City USA

OSU Extension Service-home garden and landscape resources

Kesey Square Artistic Encounters Tu.W.Th. 12-1 through Sept. 29

Downtown Cultural Experiences calendar

DWN.TWN.EUG

First Friday Art walks

Saturday Market

Farmers' Market

Downtown Itineraries

First Friday at museums

Willamette Valley events

—Walt Whitman

This year in honor of Earth Day, EWEB announced updates to their family of environmental programs!

They invite you to check out the new programs and share them with your friends and family.

Visit: eweb.org/GreenOptions

Questions about Live, Work or Move Green programs:

541-685-7088 or ems.answers@eweb.org

Questions about Lead Green programs: 541-685-7607 or LeadGreen@eweb.org

Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE) is a statewide group of educators working toward Oregon legislation that would mandate the integration and infusion of climate change for PK-12 education across all core subject areas.

Take the Oregon Climate Education survey.

Join the Oregon Educators for Climate Education coalition!!

For more info visit: Oregon Climate Ed

Eugene Weekly Article

— Yoko Ono

Tana Shepard aka Eco Chick

TOSA-Climate, Energy, Conservation

Grant Coordinator-EWEB, SPLASH!, Love Food Not Waste

Email: shepard_t@4j.lane.edu
Website: https://bit.ly/4J-eep
Phone: 541.790.5533

—Marcus Tullius Cicero