The Southeast Regional Center of the National Wildlife Federation, community partners, graduates, and current participants of the Atlanta Earth Tomorrow® (ET) Program kicked off the countdown to the ten year anniversary of the program at its recent 10^th Annual Earth Tomorrow® Summer Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

(photo by Na'Taki Osborne Jelks)

As in past years, the Summer Institute was action-packed and included team building exercises; leadership training; interactions with dynamic community leaders rooted in the environmental justice movement at the local and national levels; environmental service learning projects; “pioneer” camping and other outdoor experiences like fishing and canoeing; an environmental college and career fair; and opportunities to make lifelong connections with current and emerging environmental leaders.

This year was extra special with the introduction of an entire day dedicated to local food security and sustainability—making the Institute a seven day, six night experience; a first for the program.

I left this year’s Summer Institute feeling rejuvenated and motivated to step up and do more to protect our environment. The Institute always gives me a boost because of all of the new things I learn, and because the enthusiasm of the student leaders is intoxicating! Each year that Atlanta teens come to the Institute, they leave as better leaders who more educated about their local ecosystem and excited to share their experience with others. Over the course of ten years, the Earth Tomorrow® Program has produced over 1,500 environmental leaders who have been directly impacted by the program.

(photo by Na'Taki Osborne Jelks)

As a graduate of the program, and now as the Earth Tomorrow® Program Assistant, ET has a special place in my heart.  I’ve have always had a unique and comfortable relationship with nature, but it wasn’t until I discovered the Earth Tomorrow® Club, at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, Georgia, that I understood that I need to protect this beautiful, extraordinary earth that we have taken for granted. Being with people who had similar connections to the environment and a sponsor who was passionate about educating

a new crop of environmental leaders was awesome. I have never felt more “at home” or that I could accomplish so much than I have in the midst of my peers in Earth Tomorrow® meetings as a high school student, during the Earth Tomorrow® Summer Institute, and finally as a ET graduate who has been fortunate enough to give back to the program as both a volunteer and staff member.

Earth Tomorrow® has impacted me in so many ways that it would be impossible to describe it all in detail. I am more informed and more aware of the challenges that face our earth and our communities, and I feel armed with the skills and tools I need to help be a part of the solution.

Because of Earth Tomorrow® I don’t want my little brother, my children, or their children to live in a world where they can’t enjoy the outdoors. I’m concerned about them living in cities because of the negative impacts that pollution and climate change can bring to both wildlife and human communities. I don’t want them to not know what a polar bear is because they are all extinct.

(photo by Na'Taki Osborne Jelks)

I want my generation and all of those following mine to enjoy the enormous beauty and opportunities that the natural world has given to my mother’s, father’s, and grandmother’s generations. We deserve it, and the generation after us deserves it more because they are unknowingly being born into a world that has so many challenges.

Earth Tomorrow® provides an opportunity for youth to create and implement solutions to these and other issues in their communities. A group of students can impact their community, and once the neighboring communities start catching on, there is a domino effect that can captivate the state, the entire United States, and the even world.

But, it has to start somewhere. I am living proof that Earth Tomorrow® is that start for so many youth in the Atlanta area. From my own experience, I know that ET can create a new breed of powerful, informed conservation leaders who will indeed change and save the world! I’m honored to be one in the number.

Click here to see a video from Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters about  the Atlanta Earth Tomorrow Program.

After weeks of phone calls, email alerts and social media announcements, the EPA public hearings finally took place.  What was all the fuss about? The mercury and air toxic standards proposed by the EPA in March.

Stroller Brigade Outside of Philly Hearing

How will these new standards help protect us?  For starters, it will prevent as many as 17,000 premature deaths, 11,000 heart attacks, and 120,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms each year.

Everyone is effected by contamination caused by coal fired power plants, and after 20 years the EPA proposed standards that will provide clean air and water for us and generations to come. (to read more…)

The hearings that took place in Philadelphia, Chicago and Atlanta were a huge success.  People were bussed in from surrounding cities to show their support for the standards and to tell their story.

Ed Perry, our Pennsylvania outreach coordinator, spoke in front of a packed house during the afternoon press conference in Philadelphia.

“‘Big Coal and its allies in Congress have been fighting against mercury regulations for decades. Now, for the first time, it looks like we may actually be able to get a mercury regulation in place.”

If you didn’t get the chance to attend the hearings, but still want to tell the EPA that you want better standards for mercury contamination take action here!

Hot Off the Press:

“25 percent of the fish tested last year had mercury levels that would put pregnant or nursing women, women who may become pregnant or children under age 7 at risk. The state frequently posts warnings at fishing access sites to our lakes warning folks about the hazard of eating the fish. This same warning list 10 lakes and ponds with such high mercury levels that these same women and children should eat no fish from them.” (read more…)

–This editorial was written by Eric Orff, a consultant for NWF, published in New Hampshire’s Concord Monitor

What You Can Do:

1. TONIGHT, Wednesday June 1st,  protect wildlife from dirty tar sands oil by dialing 877-229-8493 at 8:00pm EST or click here! Learn about what’s at stake for wildlife and local communities along the proposed 2,000-mile route for the oil pipeline, and find out what you can do to stop it now.



2. Take Action Online to keep our fish free from mercury. After you send your message to the EPA, encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to do the same!

3. Request postcards! Would your rather send a postcard to the EPA? Let us know if you want to sign a postcard–and recruit 20 others concerned about mercury in fish to do the same! Contact kordickj@nwf.org

In each location, delegates will brainstorm project ideas that address regional issues and ultimately engage more young people in the outdoors by removing barriers to participation. They will vote on the top ideas in each region and receive funding and training from the Outdoor Foundation to carry out these projects.

Outdoor Nation launched in June 2010 in New York’s Central Park when 500 young adults representing all 50 states gathered in what became the largest and most diverse summit to connect youth to the outdoors. The event sparked a youth-led movement that is empowering the Millennial generation to reconnect, redefine and rediscover America as an Outdoor Nation.

“After reading Richard Louv’s book, Nature Deficit Disorder, lots of people became concerned about how America’s youth was losing its connection to nature, but most of the focus was put on creating programs for toddlers, tikes and teeny-boppers—naturally leading us to think, “Hey, what about us!?”, said Stefanie Michaelson, an Outdoor Nation Youth Ambassador from Salt Lake City, Utah. “When we got together in New York and saw the commitment and passion of so many of our peers from across the country, we agreed that we wanted to lead this revolution on our own terms, for ourselves and the generations to follow.”

The delegates also resolved to take Outdoor Nation into the community by laying the groundwork for Outdoor Nation to host 1,300 youth leaders through the 2011 Outdoor Nation Summer Summits. There is an open selection process with a brief online application that can be accessed through OutdoorNation.org. Delegates must be between 18 and 28 years of age and must provide their own transportation to and from the Summit. Outdoor Nation will make arrangements for and cover the costs of food and lodging during the event.

Outdoor Nation named America’s State Parks its national partner and top cause for 2011. Faced with deep budget cuts and unprecedented park closures, America’s state parks have been identified by the Outdoor Nation community of ‘Outsiders’ as its top advocacy issue because of their unmatched importance in America’s outdoor recreation. America’s State Parks, with more than 7,000 sites and a record 740 Million visits in 2010, were founded more than a century ago to provide close-to-home access to nature for all citizens. In addition to record visitation, America’s State Parks hit significant milestones in 2010 related to both number of protected acres and economic contribution, which topped $23 billion.

“This summer we will bring Outdoor Nation into the states and communities to address the real issues that are keeping people inside, “ said Lindsay Bourgoine, Lead Outdoor Nation Ambassador. “Our community of Outsiders will actively champion important causes like America’s State Parks – engaging new communities and inspiring new leadership across all 50 states.”

Outdoor Nation wouldn’t have the appeal that it does with the Millennial generation if it was all work and no play. Tied to every Summit is a Summer Fun Day celebration held in a nearby park to highlight the incredible range of outdoor recreation opportunities—from kayaking to rock climbing to a family fun area—that are available to us close to home. These events are open to the community and are expected to attract thousands of local residents.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Outdoor Nation is an initiative of The Outdoor Foundation and was founded with initial support from The North Face, Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, REI Foundation, The Conservation Fund and the National Park Service.

The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. Through groundbreaking research, action oriented convening and outreach and education programs, the Foundation works with partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. In 2010, the Foundation launched Outdoor Nation, a pioneering initiative that aims to empower youth to champion the outdoors on campuses and in communities across the United States.

For more information visit: http://www.outdoorfoundation.org and http://www.outdoornation.org.

On April 21, 2011, sixty elementary school kids from Dobbs Elementary School part of the Atlanta Public Schools and and God’s Little Angels Academy based in Lithonia GA, came to the OAC to learn about water conservation and to connect to nature by helping to install a rain garden, working to refurbish the frog pond, and learning about the insects that inhabit the OAC Forest.  The highlight for many of the students was the release of host of beatutiful butterflies as they worked with Ms. Evonne (affectionately called “The Bug Lady”)! This terrific Earth Day project was held at the Outdoor Activity Center (OAC) in partnership with NWF Earth Tomorrow of Atlanta,GA  Green for All of Oakland, CA and the Ludacris Foundation of Atlanta, GA.

The Earth Day event was pulled together in a very quick timeframe, and we appreciate evertything that was done to make this day meaningful for the kids and helpful for WAWA (West Atlanta Watershed Alliance) and the OAC (Outdoor Activity Center) as we try to raise the profile of both. Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam (best known for her role as “Rudy” on the Cosby Show), Radio Personality, Rasahan Ali, and Rapper Ludacris’ Mom, Roberta Shields were on hand to help the kids plant in the rain garden and connect to the natural world in new and special ways! Atlanta Falcons “Green” Starting Fullback Ovie Mughelli dropped by to catch a bit of the fun, and he pledged to come back to hold his “Recycle on the Run” event at the OAC for West Atlanta youth!

Photo courtesy West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA).

Check out the Green for All blog post with photos from the day.

So far, we’ve had a great Earth Month starting with the well-attended Urban Forestry Festival on April 2nd, the debut of “Storytime in the Forest” and Spring Break Activities for youth in the community, and a full day of activities for area girl scouts on April 16th! Add the service projects that we’ve already had and the upcoming environmental education outreach events planned for the rest of the month, and you’ve got a fantastic earth month for WAWA and the OAC!

I know that many events are happening, and encourage you to get as actively involved in your local community. Personally, it’s been a whirlwhind month of sustainable events and traveling to D.C. for NWF Young Leader Assembly & Powershift 2011, but I thought last week was pretty special as we work to build a sustainable community in West End Atlanta.

For more information, check out CBS Atlanta’s Web Article and Video on the event, along with a slideshow of pics from the day, or even more event photos taken by Green For All Videographer & Media Archivist, Ryan Dexter.

Imran Battla is a 2011 delegate to the NWF Young Leaders Assembly and Senior Program Manager of the Applied Mentorship Program for Sustainability based in Atlanta, GA.