Green Roof on PS 41 in New York

The only space was on the roof. PS 41 felt very vertical to me. I climbed up and down the four flights of stairs about fifty times during our interviews. But I grew to love that climb. I climbed up to one of the most peaceful places I have ever visited. When I reached the top and looked out at the green roof, it was the smell that surprised me the most. It smelled wonderful—like a meadow. Even though the plants there are very tiny, they gave the most wonderful scent. Most of the plants are succulents, or plants that live without much soil or water. There is only about four inches of soil under those plants. The architects had to minimize the weight of the green roof components because the roof wasn’t built to hold all those plants and people. A green roof was likely not on the agenda when they built PS 41 decades ago.

Only forty adults can be on the roof at one time, which adds to its tranquility, if you ask me. I wish my video diary could convey the smell, but just imagine you are in a meadow, and hopefully the visuals will transport you there:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In the coming weeks, our plan is to share stories about the amazing people who made this green roof a reality. As a parent, I can’t imagine signing up to such a project – so much work, fundraising, engineering research. But my co-workers scoffed at my skepticism. They said, “Carla, can’t you see? When you have such a big dream, you are magnet to amazing people, and they help you get it done.” Big dreams – I’m familiar with that. I know these folks inspired me with my big dreams and I hope they do the same for you. In the meantime, consider registering your school as an Eco-School and join our big dream today!

Kindergartners congregate on PS 41′s Greenroof Environmental Learning Laboratory in Manhatten. Photo by Carla Brown.

Me in my crate playground quite a few years ago

I grew up in downtown Philadelphia, where sidewalks and concrete abound.  I was a lucky kid too – I went to a school that took us out to a retired farm once a week and set us loose to explore after a hands on science lesson.  It was amazing, but it was just once a week, we had to leave the city, and most kids I knew didn’t have that opportunity.  That experience inspired me to work to ensure that all kids have the chance to fall in love with nature right in their own schools and communities. Stepping out onto the roof at PS41 affirmed my commitment to this work.

Already PS41’s Greenroof Environmental Literacy Laboratory, lush with native plants, serves as a haven for migrating birds (check out this gorgeous Northern Parula that found its way there for a rest while migrating South for the winter just days after the roof was completed!) and a calm and beautiful oasis of hands on, experiential environmental learning.  The 804 students who attend the school are already using the site to enhance their science, math, literacy, and art knowledge and skills.

A Northern Parula spotted on the green roof of PS 41. Photo courtesy Vicki Sando.

Rather than paving the way for the future, they are greening the way!

All kids deserve such great teachers, school leaders, and such great opportunities.  Right now, your school can register to become an eco-school to create a better future for your students and celebrate the great work that is underway. Already in New York City 44 schools have signed up.  What is your school doing to green the way for your students?

P.S. Stay tuned for stories of some of the inspiring leaders, like Vicki Sando in the pic below, who made this dream a reality!

Vicki Sando, a teacher at PS 41, reads from The Curious Gardener on the schools green roof.

Alison Farrell spooked this common merganser while kayaking on the Mohawk River outside of Niskayuna, NY. Acting fast, she managed to snap some photos of the merganser taking off from the river.

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 42nd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.

Mike Garguilo is a passionate middle school science teacher in Sleepy Hollow, NY. He is the host of the Environmental Action Club which received the award for the environmental club of the year in Westchester County and co-writer of the Westchester County sustainability curriculum. His club is currently instrumental in the plastic bag movement in NY state and aided in the recent ban of plastic bags in Rye, NY.

(flickr | currybet)

This year, the school’s Environmental Action Club (motto: “Saving the planet, one student at a time”) is targeting plastic bags and attempting to ban them from the community. Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the club hosted a “Plastic Bag Assembly” this November featuring a screening of the movie “Bag It”, a documentary outlining the economical, environmental and human health costs caused by plastic bags.

After the film, students and staff were each given reusable shopping bags courtesy of the Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown Chamber of Commerce and the Tarrytown Environmental Action Council. Over 800 reusable shopping bags have been distributed by the club to date.

Our goal for the 2011-2012 school year is to reduce the number of plastic bags used in the Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown area. Disposable items don’t really go away. I’m sure you have heard of the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ — a vortex of plastic litter wreaking havoc to marine life. Most of that litter comes from land-based sources.

“Bag It” highlighted efforts by other municipalities and nations to reduce or eliminate this problem. The club launched a letter writing campaign to local politicians sharing their concerns about the issue and providing solutions. A nearby community, Rye, NY, recently banned plastic bags with support from the Environmental Action Club, which would like to see plastic bags leave the community forever.

To learn more about the Environmental Action Club visit their website.

Interested in limiting plastics at school and in your community? Eco-Schools USA’s consumption and waste pathway provides a variety of resources and information to help you achieve that goal.

Flood damage in Bethel, VT after Irene (Flickr/US FWS)

The 2011 hurricane season may well be remembered most for flooding along the eastern seaboard, especially from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The impacts were felt in places that typically don’t have to worry about hurricanes. That’s because some of the most significant damage and disruption was from inland flooding caused by heavy rainfall, rather than from wind or storm surge:

• During Hurricane Irene, floods ravaged communities from Puerto Rico, where one location recorded 22 inches of rainfall, all the way north to Vermont, where nearly every river flooded. Vermont’s roads were extensively damaged, with some communities cut off for days. Overall damages in the U.S. are estimated to range anywhere from $7 billion to $20 billion.
• Less than two weeks later, Tropical Storm Lee made its way across the country. Another large, slow-moving storm with heavy rainfall, Lee caused flooding from Louisiana to New York. Fairfax County, where I live and work in Virginia, sustained as much as $10 million worth of damages to roads and bridges. While my family made it through unscathed, the disaster made me feel like the impacts of global warming-fueled storms were hitting close to home.

It’s not unusual for tropical storms to bring inland flooding and many examples can be found from past years. What differentiates the storms this year is that the coastal impacts were somewhat less dramatic in comparison. It’s actually quite common for hurricanes and tropical storms to cause significant inland flooding. But that story often gets overshadowed by the spectacular images of wind and storm surge damages along the coasts.

Climate change could make inland flooding an even more prominent feature of future hurricanes. Climate models all project increased rainfall rates in hurricanes. This follows from the fact that warmer air can hold more moisture, so the atmosphere will have more water available for rain. And the projected increases by end of the century are nothing to sneeze at: on the order of a 20 percent increase in rainfall rates within about 60 miles of the storm center.

Let’s do a rough calculation of what that could have meant for rainfall totals during Hurricane Irene. Areas in North Carolina received 8 inches of rain. If the same storm came through in 80 years when the atmosphere is warmer, that total could be closer to 9.6 inches. Vermont had totals around 4 inches. Make that closer to 5 inches with a warmed over atmosphere.

The expected increase in hurricane rainfall rates is often overlooked in the debate about climate change impacts on hurricane wind speed or frequency. Yet the increased flooding potential should be on the radar screens of emergency managers across the eastern United States.

More broadly, factors like these should be a consideration as President Obama considers Environmental Protection Agency regulation of climate pollution under the Clean Air Act. And storms like this should serve as a wake-up call for Congress, which has yet to pass comprehensive climate legislation.

Learn more about the relationship between climate change and stronger storms at NWF.org/ExtremeWeather.

Diamondback terrapin turtle (via USFWS/Flickr)

“Feet above sea level: 3.” That’s what the JetBlue seatback monitor read once as I taxied toward the gate at New York’s JFK Airport. So I wasn’t that surprised to see today’s news that the runways are easily accessed by sea creatures:

About 150 turtles crawled onto the tarmac at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport Wednesday in search of beaches to lay their eggs, delaying dozens of flights, aviation authorities said.

The slow-motion stampede began about 6:45 a.m., and within three hours there were so many turtles on Runway 4L and nearby taxiways that controllers were forced to move departing flights to another runway.

“We ceded to Mother Nature,” said Ron Marsico, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the airport.

Fear the turtle? Not quite – workers just moved them to the other side of the runways. It’s practice they’re used to:

The migration of diamondback terrapin turtles happens every year at Kennedy, which is built on the edge of Jamaica Bay and a federally protected park. In late June or early July the animals heave themselves out of the bay and head toward a beach to lay their eggs.

The peak of the migration usually lasts a few days, Marsico said.

Fortunately there were no major delays and it seemed like everyone kept a sense of humor about it:

American and JetBlue which has a hub at JFK, both said there were no major disruptions to their flights.

“We hope for faster animals next time,” JetBlue said in a statement.

NWF also blogged about the turtle invasion back in 2009.

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.

Downtown Syracuse, NY (via Flickr's GKS.)

This year, Syracuse’s unusually heavy early snow is making national headlines:

The new snow pushed this December – which reached its midpoint at noon Wednesday – to second on the list of snowiest Decembers on record. National Weather Service instruments report 69.5 inches of snow have fallen at Syracuse Hancock International Airport since the month began through 6:54 this morning. Syracuse’s snowiest December was in 2000, when 70.3 inches fell.

But wait, there’s more. The 70.3 inches of snow that has fallen since July 1 is the most ever before the winter solstice, the official start of winter, said Theodore Champney, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Binghamton office. The old record, 63.5 inches, was set in 1995.

But wait, Syracuse.com. How am I supposed to know exactly how much 66.1 inches is? Put it in a context that I can understand!

If sources on the Web are accurate, pop sensation Justin Bieber, shown during his performance at this year’s State Fair, is 5 feet, 5 inches tall. If he stood in 66.1 inches of snow, the top of his famous hair would be covered by more than an inch of snow.

Not Justin Bieber’s hair! Curse you global warming! Now you’ve gone too far! I just love the analogy though. Doesn’t everyone know exactly how tall Justin Bieber is? (I couldn’t have picked Justin Bieber out of a police lineup until I saw him in the CNN telethon to benefit NWF’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund.)

Back to the snow. I know what you’re thinking. If global warming is accelerating, how can Syracuse’s snowfall be breaking records? First, WeatherBug explains why lake effect snow is so dependent on warm water:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And here’s Dr. Amanda Staudt, National Wildlife Federation climate scientist, explaining why global warming means more warm water – and more lake effect snow:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Learn more about the connection between global warming & oddball winter weather at NWF.org/ExtremeWeather.

A river flows through Ohiopyle State Park in Pennsylvania

Do you consider clean drinking water a given? I know that on most days, I turn on the tap without worry.

But across the globe and throughout the U.S, millions are without access to clean drinking water or are having to fight to keep their ground water safe.

Right now, people who live in the rolling hills above the Marcellus Shale deposit that stretches across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York are finding out that their groundwater, farmland, communities and wild places are at risk from hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

Fracking is a wildly destructive method of extracting natural gas from shale that uses incredible volumes of water, consumes extreme amounts of energy and can leave toxic messes–including toxic groundwater.

Already a problem out west, fracking is moving east and gaining attention, in part due to the new documentary, Gasland, by a PA resident who explores the impacts of fracking across the country after being offered a lease for a company to do hydraulic fracturing on his land.

The threats to wildlife, wild places and people from fracking–a practice that has the potential to pollute huge quantities of water with toxic chemicals–are numerous and serious. NWF’s comments to the EPA on a proposed new study of fracking (pdf) highlighted one of many examples of the impacts that toxic fracking chemicals has had on waterways and wildlife:

On September 16, 2009, 8,000 gallons of fracking fluid leaked into Stevens Creek near Dimrock, Pennsylvania, causing minnows, salamanders and tadpoles to swim erratically and die. Nationwide, reports of dead and tumored cattle, deer, chipmunks, and other wildlife near fracturing sites have surfaced in various locations.

Dimrock, PA, has become synonymous with the danger of fracking and not only because of the chemical leak that leaked into Stevens Creek. In this small town wells have exploded, drinking water has been contaminated, and radioactive water sits in holding ponds on farmers’ land.

Water is far to precious to be riddled with toxic waste. Our drinking water and the health of people and wildlife depend on us protecting valuable groundwater from misuse. Share the video clips from Gasland with your friends to spread the word.

This post is part of Change.org’s Blog Action Day and is part of a larger conversation. Today, bloggers across the country are uniting to talk about one thing–water. It is cross-posted on the National Wildlife Federation’s Action Fund website.

One morning, we left the hotel to go to the half-price ticket booth for a matinee of a children’s musical. It would be our first, and I had always wanted to see the “Lion King” on stage and thought my kids, ages 5 and 7, would be the perfect age for it. “No way!” they cried. “We don’t want to do that!” Standing on the street without a plan, I said, “Let’s head to the park.”

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We entered Central Park at 57th street, the closest entrance to Times Square. Immediately, they found an old tree with twisted, low branches to climb. Upon making my husband nervous that it was too close to the road, he said, “Hey look, there is a playground!” The kids ran joyfully toward the playground and looked like they had every intention of entering.

Here is where the contrast occurred. Standing twenty feet from the playground entrance, my sons ran straight past the playground and up the face of an enormous rock. “This is so cool!” they exclaimed, climbing up and down over and over again. There was no one climbing the rock, placed there by Mother Nature. In contrast, the man-made playground was packed with children.

My children’s excitement eventually attracted more kids and their parents. After more rock climbing, my boys went into the playground. They ran through the playground and played on the swings. But eventually, they asked to search for more rock formations to explore, and they didn’t have to go far.

Our morning of rock climbing reminded me of how exciting it is just to explore different parks. Certainly the play equipment may be different, which will be fun for kids. But the different landscape of every park could bring some more surprises – and a natural “playground” that offers even more fun than those that are man-made.

Rebecca P. Cohen is Founder and President of Rebecca Plants LLC, is a gardening and outdoor lifestyle company that inspires families to be outside and improve their well being. For her weekly online video series, “Get Out of the House” as well as Starla J. King’s guest blog series “Savoring Summer,” visit http://www.rebeccaplants.com.